Microsoft KB Archive/122852

= PC Gen: Getting Statistics on Intra-postoffice Mail =

Article ID: 122852

Article Last Modified on 10/30/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Mail for PC Networks 3.2

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This article was previously published under Q122852



SUMMARY
External options (LogReceive, LogSent, and LogMessageVolume) allow a Mail administrator to track the volume of mail flowing in or out of a postoffice (PO). However, Mail does not have the ability to log the number of mail messages or attachments generated and received within the same postoffice. Regular monitoring of the CONTROL.GLB file can provide estimates.

The CONTROL.GLB file is an 8-byte file that contains two long integers, which are used for generating new, unique file names. The second integer is used primarily for generating mail messages (.MAI) and attachments (.ATT) filename prefixes. The change in the integer over a period of time is roughly equal to the volume of .MAI and .ATT files created during the same period. This number would include both mail and attachments generated within the PO, and the ones the PO received through a message transfer agent (MTA).

If a receive log is kept, the number of received messages during the time frame can be subtracted from the change in the integer over the same period for a rough estimate of local mail and attachment volume during the period.

NOTE: ONLY WORK WITH A COPY OF THE CONTROL.GLB FILE. NEVER RUN DEBUG AGAINST THE ACTUAL FILE.



MORE INFORMATION
If the Mail administrator made periodic, numbered copies of the CONTROL.GLB, the administrator should be able to get a rough estimate of intra-postoffice mail and attachment volume by setting up a procedure similar to the following example.

Example of Weekly Numbered Copies of CONTROL.GLB
M:\GLB\STATS >dir

   Volume in drive M is REG Volume Serial Number is 1B61-1104 Directory of M:\GLB\STATS

.                    08-15-94   9:27a ..                   08-15-94   9:27a CONTROL 001             8 08-21-94   1:06a CONTROL 002             8 08-28-94   1:09a CONTROL 003             8 09-04-94   1:02a 3 file(s)            24 bytes 208,634,368 bytes free Translate the last 4 bytes of each copy of CONTROL.GLB to a decimal number, and calculate the change by following the steps below:
 * 1) View the last 4 bytes of the CONTROL.# file.
 * 2) Reverse the order of the 4 bytes and concatenate to form an 8 digit hex number.
 * 3) Convert the hex number to decimal.
 * 4) Subtract the integer's decimal value in the previous CONTROL.# file from the integer's decimal value in the current CONTROL.# file.

An example of these steps follows:

Viewing the Integer for .MAI/.ATTs for Each Numbered CONTROL.# File
  M:\GLB\STATS >debug control.001 -d 104 107 15B7:0100             4D 3C 2B 1A                               M<+. -q

M:\GLB\STATS >debug control.002 -d 104 107 15B7:0100             C8 2C 2C 1A                               .,,. -q

M:\GLB\STATS >debug control.003 -d 104 107 15B7:0100             29 21 2D 1A                               )!-.   -q

File Name      Last 4 Bytes    HEX Integer  Decimal         Change - CONTROL.001 --> 4D 3C 2B 1A --> 1A2B3C4D --> 439,041,101 CONTROL.002 --> C8 2C 2C 1A --> 1A2C2CC8 --> 439,102,664 ==> 61,563 CONTROL.003 --> 29 21 2D 1A --> 1A2D2129 --> 439,165,225 ==> 62,561 NOTE: The calculator that comes with Microsoft Windows can convert between hex and decimal numbers if you switch the view to scientific.

The value in the change column above represents the number of new message and attachment files that were created during the period being tracked. If you keep a log of all received mail, you can then subtract the number of messages in the RECV.LOG during the same period for a estimate of local mail and attachment volume.

Additional query words: 3.20

Keywords: KB122852

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