If you use multiple networks for routing your e-mail, you probably will want to establish a service agreement with each of the network's support groups. You'll also probably want service agreements with your messaging vendors for extended maintenance and support. If a bug is found in their software, you need to make sure that the vendor will provide a timely fix or enhancement to the software. Service agreements should help minimize finger-pointing. When working with multiple entities on problems, we often find that too much time is wasted by people blaming one another for the problems, rather than creating a team-based game plan for fixing them.
Service agreements spell out the game plan and save time in solving problems.
This is one area where our group still needs to do more work. Message Logging Logging is another functional component every messaging administrator should have. Logging allows you to track messages, particularly to determine at what point problems occur. If a recipient does not receive an e-mail message, the logs will show how far the message traveled through the messaging system, if at all. Logging also provides very good data for doing statistical analysis.