This article explains the basic differences between the Archive Search and Message Tracking functionalities.
Archive Search
The archive search retrieves results following a query of the metadata held in the index. This data is not held in database tables. For example:
Even though the message was sent to four addresses, the information stored in the index is one recipient and three others. If you were to run an export of the results, it wouldn't be possible to display all the recipients because the details of the three additional recipients are not recorded in the index. Additionally, the Recipient's Display Name (DN) is displayed, if it is known, and not the email address. If the DN is not known, the email address is displayed. This behavior cannot be changed.
Message Tracking
The following viewers and queues are searched:
- Connection Attempts
- Message Center: Bounced Messages
- Message Center: Monitoring Held Messages
- Monitoring the Delivery Queue
- Message Center: Monitoring Held Messages
- Email Receipt and Delivery Views
- Searching the Archive
The search results include data held both in the index and database tables. Results from the archive return the DN where this is known, while data returned from database tables returns the email address. This is because the database tables do not record the DN.
The main purpose of message tracking searches is to fault-find message delivery or single email transmissions. It is recommended that full email addresses be used when conducting searches. Message tracking is not designed for extracting large volumes of data from archive, active, or rejected messages. In fact, large-volume message tracking searches can have performance implications on the grid. Searches should be as narrow as possible.
Because of the potential for grid performance issues, search results are restricted to one month and 5000 rows. The search results total consists of those returned from the archive, with the remaining results returned from the DB. For example, a search returning 4000 archive results, includes 1000 results from the DB even though there may be more.
Using Message Tracking
Use the scenarios in the following table to decide whether to use message tracking or one of the dedicated viewers, which include:
| Scenario | Message Tracking | Dedicated Viewer |
|---|---|---|
| You need to prove a message was delivered. | Y | N |
| You need to find out why a message to one address is failing. | Y | N |
| You need to run a search for a customer that produces mailshots, outlining all messages sent from one domain or address. | N | Y |
| You need to export every message sent from a single address to any other over a period of time (e.g. for compliance reasons). | N | Y |
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