Email notification of outages and other problems

[Dakota - Tom]

This is a fairly common request from PowWeb customers. It mystifies me completely, unless I am misunderstanding the request.

PowWeb posts announcements regarding outages and other service issues in the Announcements forum.

You may subscribe to these forums and receive a daily email.

Or, if you require more timely notification, check here: http://forum.powweb.com/showthread.php?t=55813
for instructions.

Now, either I am misunderstanding something, or some of you are complaining about nothing.

[BerksWebGuy]

Info was also added to the knowledge base:
http://kb.powweb.com/questions/377/PowWeb-Announcements-and-Outage-Notification-Policy

[YvetteKuhns]

Many PowWeb customers do not visit the forum at all. I know my customers do not. They expect an email notification. They may be looking at the incorrect email account, though. Remember, any email notifications would go to the email account in OPS that is usually the one used when you sign up for a PowWeb account (unless you change it). PowWeb can't send to an email account created with the domain name hosted here if there is a problem with your mail server or account!

[sremick]

The problem is needing to read the forums is a passive response. It requires the person to check the forum over and over and over again... 99% of the time seeing nothing new. This causes excess and unnecessary PowWeb traffic.

On the other hand, sending out emails is an ACTIVE response. The customer is notified immediately, and PowWeb saves excess site traffic.

Of course the customer would need to provide a non-PowWeb email for notification, but I think that's a given, understandable, and well-within the capabilities of any of us here.

Subscribing to the forum is not a solution because the notifications are daily digests only. My site could be down for 20 hours and I wouldn't know about it.

All PowWeb needs to do is create an opt-in separate mailing-list that receives copies of the same things posted to the Announcements forum. It'd take 5 mins to set up and would pacify the needs of many customers without replacing or affecting anything currently in-place for those who like the way things are. That way I could subscribe my cell phone email address to the list.

[YvetteKuhns]

I agree with you, but I don't expect to see that happen. It took long enough for PowWeb to install Squirrelmail or upgrade our email quota. PowWeb really doesn't like to provide services related to email for some reason.

[sremick]

I know, I don't get it. I mean, I don't have the skills to do 99.99% of what PowWeb does, but I could set up a listserv in a few mins. Have whomever posts to the Outages forum cc: the listserve, and you're done. Everyone's happy.

So much payback from a truly trivial amount of work. It just blows me away that they don't do it.

[tbonekkt]

Since this question seems to come up over and over (and over again), I'll repost a great explanation from mjp originally posted here (http://forum.powweb.com/showpost.php?p=272681&postcount=11):For everyone who would like an email notice of things like this (or anything else), unfortunately I have to say that it is unlikely we will ever do so. It isn't because we don't love you, it's because;

A) Not every change affects everyone. Any time a mass email is sent out regarding an issue that doesn't affect everyone, many, many people complain and reply with "Stop spamming me!"

B) Even when an issue does affect everyone, any time a mass email is sent out, many, many people complain and reply with "Stop spamming me!"

C) Not everyone has a valid email address in OPS, or do not often check the email addresses listed in OPS, making mass email an unreliable way to contact all clients. And of those we do contact, many will reply with "Stop spamming me!"

It has been suggested that an opt-in mailing list be created to announce system issues and changes, but that would also be of very limited use unless we involuntarily opted everyone in to begin with. In which case we would be back to, "Stop..." - well, you get the idea.

We have sent mass emails on a per-server basis for things like MySQL moves, etc., but even on a per-server basis we run into the same problems (just on a smaller scale).

So what we're left with is the perhaps flawed, but as-good-as-it-can-be system we have in place here. If we could send mass emails without generating fallout and ill-will, we certainly would. It just isn't possible.

We are also working on improving the advance notice on changes whenever possible. It is not our intent to keep anyone in the dark.I've gone ahead and added this tidbit to the KB article (http://kb.powweb.com/questions/377/PowWeb-Announcements-and-Outage-Notification-Policy) regarding PowWeb's notification policy as well.

[sremick]

I know, I've seen that post. The problem is, A B and C are not correct and don't take into account what's actually being proposed. It can no longer be used as a cut&paste canned response.

A & B don't apply because it's opt-in. If someone doesn't want notifications after VOLUNTARILY SUBSCRIBING TO THE LIST, they can just as easily unsubscribe.

C doesn't apply because it's be a separate list of emails independent of what was in Ops.

And finally, I see no basis for the "opt-in would be limited use unless we subscribed everyone initially" bit. What would make you think that? You create the list. You post an announcement. A bunch of people sign themselves up to begin with. Then every time someone complains about not getting instant notification of outages, you point them to the list. What do you care how many people are using it initially? One could probably find all sorts of sections in Ops which would be used even less, yet they are there for those whom they ARE of use to. The only reason I could think of assuming it would be of limited use would be if the suggestion was to REPLACE the Outages forum, which is not the case here. This is a suppliment to be used by people voluntarily who have different needs than can be provided by the current offerings.

I would be interested in fresh discussion of this taking the above into account. I have mentioned this before but it wasn't addressed.

[extras]

Why do you want to have it via e-mail and instantly?

I mean, Announcements forum isn't for time critical items, and daily mail via subscription is enough.
Postings in Outages/Services forum are usually made after someone reported in forum,
and checking forum and/or your own site gives much better/quicker indication.

So, I'm wondering what is the use for "instant" Outage/Services forum notice.

Also, judging from all past discussions, I think the chance of PowWeb changing its mind on this matter is slim,
and probably you can get near instant notice just by using cronjob that checks Outage forum
or "RSS to e-mail birdge" of some sort if you really insist on having it.

[sremick]

Because if I already know things are down I can save myself wasted time before I decide that the problems I'm having aren't normal PowWeb quirks and might actually be a known outage. I refer people to information hosted on my site many times throughout the day... it's embarrassing to do so only to have them come back and tell me it's not working. Also, with prompt notice I can take steps to work around the fact my site is down. Heck, I don't use PowWeb as my registrar so I always have the option to re-route stuff from there.

Regardless, it's a service that we PAY for, so I don't get the resistance of offering customers paying for a service the ability to be proactively notified when the provider (PowWeb) is aware that there are problems. Let the customer decide how to make use of this information... the number of times this is raised proves that there is an interest in this. A listserv is free and takes just a few mins to set up. It's self-maintaining and users sign themselves up/off. In less time than PowWeb has spent repeating the same inapplicable reasons for avoiding offering it over and over, they could've already had a functioning listserv by now.

You make it sound like I'm the only one asking for this. I'm not. I chime in because others keep asking for it as well.

[extras]

I know there are some people who would like to have it.
And I might have agreed if e-mail was the ONLY way or if it was the BEST way.

To know if your site is alive or not, e-mail copy of Outage posts isn't the best information, evidently.
You can check it by cronjob, ever refreshing page loaded in browser, a script, and so on.
And they are much better than Outage forum because you know about your own site, and without much delay.

Also, to know if the problem is server wide or not, I don't see any difference in checking with e-mail client and web browser.
I mean, it takes only a few clicks if you put them in a bookmark.
Also, there is that RSS feed, too.

So, I don't see why it has to be "e-mail" and "instant".

Moreover, as I suggested in the previous post, you can easily get e-mail from a script that checks your site
and/or Outage forum, I don't see why it has to be PowWeb who provides it.
I agree that it can be an option some people may appreciate.
But it's not in my wish list.

[Arun]

I don't see why it has to be PowWeb who provides it.
I agree that it can be an option some people may appreciate.
But it's not in my wish list.

extras,
The reason why powweb has to provide it is that there are many customers out here who don't have the expertise to set up an alternatve themselves. If you don't see it I must think your observation is merely superficial or you are acting blind.

And if powweb has a genuine interest to know the customer response on this they should conduct a survey.

Regards

[RTH10260]

So, I'm wondering what is the use for "instant" Outage/Services forum notice.

Also, judging from all past discussions, I think the chance of PowWeb changing its mind on this matter is slim,
and probably you can get near instant notice just by using cronjob that checks Outage forum
or "RSS to e-mail birdge" of some sort if you really insist on having it.
The RSS feed has already been established, the difficulty is to get people to read the announcement about how they can get announcements ... :p :

Announcement: http://forum.powweb.com/showthread.php?t=55813&highlight=rss

How-To: http://kb.powweb.com/questions/377/PowWeb-Announcements-and-Outage-Notification-Policy

[extras]

extras,
The reason why powweb has to provide it is that there are many customers out here who don't have the expertise to set up an alternatve themselves. If you don't see it I must think your observation is merely superficial or you are acting blind.

And if powweb has a genuine interest to know the customer response on this they should conduct a survey.

RegardsAs I've told you in the past, you just need to learn or hire somebody if you want to do something you don't know well.
It's funny that a blind acting superficial person has more expertise than many, according to your logic. :)


The RSS feed has already been established, the difficulty is to get people to read the announcement about how they can get announcements ... :p :
I know, but some people are inissting on having instant e-mail notification, rather than RSS.

That's why I suggested rss to e-mail bridge, for example.
http://www.aaronsw.com/2002/rss2email/

[IanS]

As I've told you in the past, you just need to learn or hire somebody if you want to do something you don't know well.
It's funny that a blind acting superficial person has more expertise than many, according to your logic. :)



I know, but some people are inissting on having instant e-mail notification, rather than RSS.

That's why I suggested rss to e-mail bridge, for example.
http://www.aaronsw.com/2002/rss2email/It would be nice if an auto-install script was created - but of course the price would be rather high :D

[Arun]

As I've told you in the past, you just need to learn or hire somebody if you want to do something you don't know well.
It's funny that a blind acting superficial person has more expertise than many, according to your logic. :)

extras,
When rights are there to be claimed for why should one pursue a harder course?

It takes a lot more than mere technical expertise to identify these persistent notions for the greater common good.

Regards

[extras]

extras,
When rights are there to be claimed for why should one pursue a harder course?

It takes a lot more than mere technical expertise to identify these persistent notions for the greater common good.
Regards
What "rights" are you talking about?
Right of daydreaming? ;)

[RTH10260]

I know, but some people are inissting on having instant e-mail notification, rather than RSS.

That's why I suggested rss to e-mail bridge, for example.
http://www.aaronsw.com/2002/rss2email/Now if only the cronjob would be working so that I can receive that Outage message about cronjobs ... :D

[Arun]

What "rights" are you talking about?
Right of daydreaming? ;)

Ha ha ha .. :p

[extras]

extras,
When rights are there to be claimed for why should one pursue a harder course?

What "rights" are you talking about?

[mjp]

http://forum.powweb.com/showthread.php?t=55813