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RFC 763 UNKNOWN EMAIL · ADMINISTRATION

Role mailboxes

A suggestion to use mail aliases for official roles rather than named individuals.

On rfc-editor.org ↗
PUBLISHED
May 1980
AUTHORS
M.D. Abrams
STREAM
Legacy
DOI
10.17487/RFC0763

RFC text

Original text · RFC Editor View on rfc-editor.org ↗ 
                                                        Marshall Abrams
                                                                    NBS
                                                               7 May 80
Network Working Group
Request for Comments:  763

                         ROLE MAILBOXES

Occasionally it is necessary to send mail to someone on the net who is
known only as the incumbent in an official position.  Often the mail is
undeliverable because of employee turnover.

We have also had such a problem at NBS and have therefore created MAIL
address synonyms such as SYSTEMS, MANAGEMENT, and LIAISON to ensure that
mail is correctly delivered no matter who the incumbent happens to be.

I suggest that all systems which permit MAIL address synonyms install
them.  I further suggest that the NIC or the ARPANet management select a
standardized set of synonyms, thus increasing their utility.

    Marshall Abrams

ISO Plain Language

On this page
PROBLEMMail addressed to the holder of an official position can become undeliverable when that person leaves the role.
MECHANISMThe memo suggests mail address synonyms such as SYSTEMS, MANAGEMENT, and LIAISON that resolve to the current incumbent.
THE SUGGESTIONIt recommends that systems support role synonyms and that the NIC or ARPANET management choose a common set.

§1Mail for an Official Position

The memo describes cases where a sender knows someone only as the incumbent of an official position. Employee turnover can make mail to the previous person's address undeliverable.

The author says NBS had encountered this issue and had created mail address synonyms for roles.

Sometimes a message needs to reach whoever holds a job, not one named person. A change in staff can otherwise make the old address fail.

§2Role Mailbox Synonyms

The author gives SYSTEMS, MANAGEMENT, and LIAISON as examples of mail address synonyms. The system can use the synonym to deliver mail to the current holder of the role.

The memo suggests that systems permitting address synonyms install them.

A stable role name can point to the person currently responsible for that role. The memo gives SYSTEMS, MANAGEMENT, and LIAISON as examples.

§3A Common Set of Names

The memo further suggests that the NIC or ARPANET management select a standardized set of role synonyms. The author argues that a common set would increase their usefulness.

The RFC offers this as a suggestion and does not define a required list or implementation procedure.

If sites used the same role names, those names could be more useful across the network. The memo does not define a mandatory set.