Email Relay Service

Most software applications need to send email communications, such as account notifications, to customers, users and administrators. Constructing an email software solution or sending email in bulk, however, can be an expensive, difficult challenge for an agency.

The N.C. Department of Information provides a cost-effective, secure and reliable email relay solution through Amazon Web Services’ Amazon Simple Email Service, which provides tremendous value because of its deliverability features, flexibility, security and reputation analytics.

Using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), the most common email protocol, Amazon Simple Email Service is a centralized cloud-based email relay and communication service that is scalable and supports on-premises and cloud-hosted applications.

Request Email Relay Service

Getting Help

Support	Get Technical Support NCDIT Service Desk: 919-754-6000
Support Hours	24/7

Tab/Accordion Items

Features

Cloud-based email platform powered by Amazon’s cloud infrastructure
A sending statistics report that can help monitor sending activity
Reputation dashboard that allows you to track issues that could have an impact on the delivery of emails
Mailbox simulator that tests how applications handle certain scenarios

Benefits

Cloud-Based Platform

Amazon Simple Email Service provides secure email relay services through the cloud. Advantages of using a cloud service include:

Cost-effective pay as-you-go pricing
Scalable service that allows access to as much or as little capacity as needed
Highly reliable infrastructure

Improved Deliverability

Optimize email delivery results and gain insights into the performance of emails with the Virtual Deliverability Manager. This feature offers recommendations to improve deliverability and can even automatically implement email improvements.

Sender Identity Management and Security

Amazon Simple Email Service supports all industry-standard authentication mechanisms, including Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM), Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC). When an internet service provider receives an email, it checks to see if it is authenticated before attempting to deliver it to the recipient. Authentication demonstrates to the internet service provider that you own the email address you are sending from.

Statistics

The sending statistics report in the Amazon Simple Email Service console helps monitor sending activity and allows you to refile your email sending strategy. This report provides information about the number of sends, deliveries, opens, clicks, bounces, complaints and rejections.

Reputation Dashboard

This dashboard allows you to track issues that could have an impact on the delivery of emails. The dashboard tracks overall email bounces and feedback loops for accounts and can inform you when other deliverability-impacting events occur, such as spamtrap hits and references to blocked domains in your emails. The dashboard also provides reports from reputable anti-spam organizations.

Email Receiving

Maintain complete control over which emails you accept and what to do with them after receiving them. Accept or reject mail based on the email address, IP address or domain of the sender.

Mailbox Simulator

The Amazon Simple Email Service mailbox simulator makes it easy to test how an application handles certain scenarios, such as bounces or complaints, without impacting your sender reputation. Using the mailbox simulator is as easy as sending a test email to a specific address. Use the mailbox simulator to simulate successful deliveries, hard bounces or out-of-office responses.

Request Process

To request this service, or for more information, submit a ticket using the NCDIT Service Portal.

NCDIT’s Enterprise Collaboration Services will contact technical staff to coordinate the details needed to fulfill the request. Project management begins upon receipt of a signed memorandum of understanding and the creation of a billing code.

Authorization

CIOs and security liaisons are authorized to request this service.

Requirements & Customer Responsibility

Required NCDIT Services	N.C. Identity Management (NCID)
Other Technical Requirements & Prerequisites	Must have a dedicated domain.
Customer Responsibility	Designate an administrator to manage and provide support.

Expected Delivery

Acknowledgment Time	The service team should acknowledge a service request within about 2-3 business days.
Turnaround Time	The service team should be able to complete a well-defined service request (including analysis meetings and training) within about 6 weeks.

Customers

Suggested For	Any state or local government agency as well as educational institutions
Required For	None
Spotlight Customers	Not available

Support Process	Submit a ticket using the NCDIT Service Portal or contact the NCDIT Service Desk at 919-754-6000.
Service Support Hours	For critical- and high-priority agencies or enterprise-wide incidents, support is available 24/7. For low- or medium-priority end-user incidents, support is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding state holidays.
Service Availability	The service is available 24/7, excluding planned outages and maintenance windows.
Standard Maintenance Windows	Sundays: 4 a.m. to noon Thursdays: 7 p.m. to midnight
Service Communications	Changes or outages that might have an impact on customers are communicated through the NCDIT Communications Hub and Agency Change Advisory Board. The agency's admin for this service will support communications to the agency users of the service.
Service Level Agreements	NCDIT Global Service Level Agreement

There is no cost to the agency for this service.

Training & Help

How to Set Up Amazon Simple Email Service

Related NCDIT Services

Microsoft 365 Office & Email