Email infrastructure changes to increase efficiency

The Google Service Team (GST) is making changes to NC State’s email infrastructure to enable three protocols that will increase the reliability and deliverability of email:

Enabling these protocols will require changes to campus servers and applications that send mail. During Phase 1, which began July 1, the Team will:

  • Identify and move web-based applications, servers and cloud-based applications that send email to Google’s Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) mail relays.
  • List the tx.ncsu.edu aliases only for individuals who request them.
  • Begin the process of removing unity.ncsu.edu aliases.
  • Turn on DKIM for messages originating from Gmail.

In addition, OIT staff is working on several back-end coding and development changes.

Campus notification of impacted servers, applications and services

The GST will notify web developers, website administrators and IT staff when recommended solutions are implemented to handle mail sent via Google’s SMTP relays instead of NC State’s relays.

To further assist campus web developers and server administrators with the changes they’ll need to make for their services, Jason Maners, an OIT Google administrator, will be available alternate Fridays through Sept. 29 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 106 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. The next date for office hours is July 21. See the Developers Group website for scheduling.

As the team continues to refine solutions and recommendations, it will invite the campus community to attend information sessions.

For the latest information on this project and technical documentation, see Email Infrastructure.