ICC Home  /  Members  /  Meetings  /  Peer Support  /  Documentation  /  Projects


Recommendation for a new IFAS e-mail address naming convention:

  • Status: approved by ICC on 11/3/04
     
    Now that we are part of UFAD, we are seeing end-user confusion over the fact that their usernames and e-mail addresses often don't match. We are having folks who are attempting to send to "GatorlinkUsername@ifas.ufl.edu", and it is not being delivered because, in many cases, that is not a valid e-mail address. Additionally, we have the problem that someone may create or have already created a Gatorlink username that matches one of our existing IFAS e-mail aliases for a different individual or service account. Such conflicts will cause continuing e-mail problems unless we move to standardize on e-mail addresses in the "GatorlinkUsername@ifas.ufl.edu" format and remove all other "@ifas.ufl.edu" aliases for people within our organization. Since service account e-mail addresses, such as CEO office addresses, do not have a corresponding Gatorlink username, a move to "@contact.ifas.ufl.edu" format should be similarly instituted to avoid conflicts with possible current or future Gatorlink usernames.
     
    The ICC recommends that such a transition be made according to the following method and schedule:
    • November 15th, 2004: Notify all IFAS users of the need to change to the 'GatorlinkUsername@ifas.ufl.edu' e-mail format between January 1st and June 1st of 2005. The notification will provide information and assistance on the procedures involved, including the possibility of changing a current Gatorlink username. The approximately 50 current users who have an "@ifas.ufl.edu" alias that conflicts with someone else's Gatorlink username will be contacted and assisted in changing to the 'GatorlinkUsername@ifas.ufl.edu' format ASAP, but no later than January 1st 2005. Service account holders will be advised that those addresses will change to a "@contact.ifas.ufl.edu" format within the same timeframe.
    • January 1st, 2005: Remove any additional conflicting "@ifas.ufl.edu" e-mail aliases and add the 'GatorlinkUsername@ifas.ufl.edu' aliases. Add "@contact.ifas.ufl.edu" aliases for all service accounts. Begin notifying and assisting all users in making this transition over the coming months.
    • June 1st, 2005: This will be the target date for project completion, at which time all other "@ifas.ufl.edu" aliases that are not 'GatorlinkUsername@ifas.ufl.edu' addresses will be removed.

    Dissent: Little, apart from concerns that end-users be given ample prior notice with assistance in any possible one-time Gatorlink username changes. Also, it was suggested that this implementation might be better made after the expected implementation of a 16 character Gatorlink username namespace.


last edited 3 November 2004 by Steve Lasley