Mass Email members

protoss · 11-22-2006, 05:02 AM

I'd like to use the mass email function via ACP.
I'm concerned about server load. I know you can do it in batches and also use the mailqueue however this would take hours.

Is there a way to cron this function or is there an alternative method that could send a simple 5/6 line email to all members ?

Code Monkey · 11-22-2006, 07:25 AM

It's not as intensive as you think. As long as there is a short delay between batches so the server can recover resources. Are you on shared?

protoss · 11-23-2006, 04:08 PM

Yes, shared I'm afraid. Over 4500 members to email. Last time I looked at this option I reckoned it would take at least 8 hrs to complete.

We did try it once on phpBB, in batches and it was not successful. Over 60% of the emails were never sent. Domain unreachable or something similar, in other words the server could not handle it.

Eric · 11-23-2006, 11:24 PM

if you get domain not reachable ... doesn't mean server can't handle it. That is mostly because the script generating the mail doesn't respect header format and relaying servers refuse. These days with all the spam, many servers are very to extremely strict on mail format and just drop. And if you send to many mails via the same relay in a to short period, they just close the door to your IP for a period. I know pretty well since yesterday I have extra fine tuned anti spam on a server I manage to get rid of all those image spam mails (pretty successfull)

Just try to find a well written mailer and push in batches off less then hundred with an interval of 5 minutes. Ok it will take some time to get done but your successratio depends on it.

protoss · 11-25-2006, 08:39 AM

Cheers Eric. Had an iea about the newsletter hack that some boards use.
I wonder if this can be stripped back so that it sends a short email and not the full newsletter.

Also found this and will have a look later
Cron based e-mail queuing and sending
vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=107174

Code Monkey · 11-25-2006, 08:51 AM

With that kind of member base you might also want to start thinking about moving to a VPS.

protoss · 11-25-2006, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Code Monkey

With that kind of member base you might also want to start thinking about moving to a VPS.

You got some spare cash for me .lol

Code Monkey · 11-25-2006, 09:11 AM

Monitize your site so that it pays for itself.

COBRAws · 11-26-2006, 01:11 PM

There are some plugins at vBulletin.org for making emails be sent in batches, instead of the normal procedure. Eitherway I would suggest you to send mailings on rare timings. For example 4AM in the morning when your serverload is low.