Email Track and Trace tool best practices and common issues
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Email Track and Trace tool best practices and common issues

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Article ID: 178851

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Updated On:

Products

Email Security.cloud

Issue/Introduction

The Email Track & Trace tool for Email Security.cloud is a powerful tool that helps you:

  • Trace specific emails and determine if and when they were processed. You can search for an email that was processed within the last 30 days.
  • Determine if any actions were taken on an email by Broadcom services.

The following best practices will help you optimize your searches for Email Track & Trace.

Resolution

Limit the time window and refine your search criteria

For the best results, limit the time window and refine your search criteria.

  • If you knowf the specific time window of the email you are attempting to locate, restrict the search to a shorter time period (days or hours). This provides a quicker search response.
  • Using one or more indexed fields in your search criteria will significantly improve search performance. 
    • Subject
    • Service
    • Sender IP
    • Sender Address
    • Recipient Address
    • Time stamp
    • Date
  • Add fields in the "Select more search options" where available; add a Service, Sending server, external IP etc. to significantly narrow the search results.

Result format (UI vs CSV files)

When asking for results in the UI versus asking for a CSV file through email, consider the following:

  • UI - The UI will return results for up to 2,000 rows.
    • If you expect that results will be greater than 2,000 rows, request a CSV file to be emailed.
  • CSV - The CSV file will deliver results up to 10,000 rows.

When to expect results

How long should a report take?

  • Results should return in the UI within seconds or minutes.
    • The search will time out if it is too complex and/or takes over 30 minutes to complete. 
  • Results that are requested via emailed CSV can arrive within minutes.
    • During peak periods, results may take a few hours depending on the query load. 

Search timeouts

What causes timeouts and failed searches?

  • Using any non-indexed fields (indexed fields are listed above) for searches, especially multiple non-indexed fields, will greatly increase the chances of a failed search.

    Note: We have recently surveyed the most frequently used non-indexed fields and we are working to add them to our next release. If non-indexed fields are essential in the search then adding one or multiple indexed fields, in addition, will improve the chances of success.
  • When searching on a subject field based on a word, use all the characters you have. For example:
    • Don't use the letters "Ref" when searching for the word "Referral" as you significantly increase the chances of a failed search by widening the search parameters.
    • Additionally, using "subject starts with" or "subject ends with" provides faster results than "subject contains".
  • Avoid using *@*.* in sender & recipient fields when combining with other search parameters. 

Additional Information

For more information about Email Track & Trace, see: