Patent ID: 7970844

Claim:
An email gateway server configured for coupling to an email gateway cluster for processing an email, said cluster comprising at least a second email gateway server, said email gateway server comprising: a network connection for receiving the email; and a processor configured to relay the email toward a destination and to assign a unique identifier to the email; said processor further configured to copy the email and the unique identifier to said second email gateway server, the second email gateway server being configured to relay the email toward the destination should the relay of the email by the email gateway server fail; and said processor further configured to relay the email toward the destination or the second email gateway server, wherein the relaying includes the email gateway server sending the second email gateway server the unique identifier when the email gateway server has relayed the email toward the destination, the second email gateway server being configured to cooperate with the email gateway server by: monitoring the receipt of the unique identifier from the email gateway server; upon determining that a pre-selected time period has passed without receiving the unique identifier, deeming the relaying of the email toward the destination by the email gateway server to have failed; and relaying the email toward the destination.