Sure! Read on for the technical details. If you're looking for a less technical description, try "How are email2 messages sent and received?"
- When a member of a Private Email Network (PEN) creates a new email2 Message, using any of the methods provided, the email2 Toolbar for Outlook contacts the specified PEN. Once communication has been established, the email2 Toolbar performs various checks to determine whether or not the user is authorized to create an email2 message using the PEN. These checks include verifying that the email2 Member Key and email address have been registered with the PEN.
- If the member is not authorized to create a new email2 Message, an error message is displayed explaining to the user why the request was denied. At this point, the user cannot create a new email2 Message on the specified PEN until the problem has been resolved.
- If the user is authorized to create a new email2 message, the PEN initializes an entry in the PEN database for the new email2 Message. This database entry is initially empty, but is identified by a unique email2 Message ID. This Message ID is returned to the email2 Toolbar.
- Once the user has finished composing the email2 message and enabling options or features, he or she sends the email2 message as per usual.
- The email2 Toolbar captures this send event and intercepts the outgoing message (content). The message is routed directly to the PEN, where it is analyzed, frozen by the email2 Interchangeable Crypto Engine (ICE) and stored indefinitely, awaiting retrieval. The same process occurs for any attachments.
- The PEN uses the results of the message analysis to generate email2 message metadata, which becomes the content of an email2 Notification Message, which it then sends to the recipients of the email2 message. If there are any attachments or video message, a text file is created acting as a placeholder in the Notification Message.
The email2 Toolbar for Outlook intercepts the content for the email2 Notification message and forces the member email client to send the email2 Notification Message in place of the original email message. The text file with the attachment metadata is itself attached to the outbound email2 Notification Message. All of the recipients receive an email2 Notification Message, and the email client correctly displays an attachment icon when the email2 message on the PEN contains attachments.
If the member is using the email2 Web Client, the Notification Message displays a link to it. If the member is using the email2 Toolbar for Outlook, the email2 Notification Message is automatically converted into the actual email2 message (by retrieving the message securely over HTTPS).
// Edited July 2008