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adr-09-email-polling-strategy.md

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ADR-09: Email Polling Strategy

Status

Adopted

Context

Our platform requires real-time data about users’ travel-related emails to help them manage reservations and updates efficiently. This necessitates an effective email polling strategy. There are various approaches, including:

  1. IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol):

    • Designed for multiple devices, allowing emails to be stored on a mail server.
    • Provides mechanisms for syncing, searching, and flagging emails.
    • Supports better real-time notifications of new emails compared to POP3.
    • However, depending on email server configurations and limits, polling too frequently can lead to IP bans or rate limits.

  2. POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3):

    • Designed to retrieve email from a remote server, and once retrieved, the email is deleted from the server.
    • Does not support multiple devices as seamlessly as IMAP.
    • Might not be a suitable strategy for our case, as it lacks real-time efficiency and continuous sync capabilities.

  3. Third-party Services (e.g., Context.IO):

    • Provides an abstraction layer on top of standard email protocols.
    • Manages email connections, authentication, and storage considerations.
    • Offers APIs to simplify integration, supporting real-time push notifications when emails arrive.
    • Reduces the effort needed in terms of infrastructure setup and maintenance.

Given our platform's requirements, which include real-time notifications, scalability, and the complexity of managing email connections and configurations, we had to decide on the most effective and efficient approach.

Decision

We have chosen to employ Third-party Services (specifically, Context.IO) for the following reasons:

  1. Simplicity & Rapid Development: Using services like Context.IO abstracts away the complexities of dealing with different email servers and configurations.
  2. Real-time Updates: Provides push notifications for immediate information on incoming emails, crucial for the timely update of user reservations.
  3. Scalability: Designed to handle large volumes of email data without the necessity for our platform to manage storage and server configurations.
  4. Security: Trusted third-party services often have robust security measures in place, reducing our platform's exposure to vulnerabilities.
  5. Cost-Efficiency: The reduced development effort and infrastructural requirements can lead to cost savings in the long run.

Consequences

Pros:

  • Rapid Integration: Allows for quicker time-to-market.
  • Efficient Real-time Processing: Immediate notification of relevant emails.
  • Reduced Maintenance: Offloads the need to manage and maintain email servers.

Cons:

  • Vendor Dependency: Reliance on a third-party service introduces the risk of service discontinuations or changes in terms and pricing.
  • Data Privacy Concerns: Using an external service requires trust that the vendor maintains high data privacy standards, especially when handling sensitive information.
  • Costs: Though there can be cost savings in terms of development and maintenance, there will be recurring costs associated with using a third-party service.