sql-serverdatabase-mail

Limiting DatabaseMail sending rate


We are using DatabaseMail of SQLServer to send our mails. But our e-mail server provider is allowing us to send 5 e-mails per second, the other ones are simply rejected.

I need to figure out throttling DatabaseMail.


Solution

  • One good approach is to create a queue. This has an added benefit of creating an email log.

    DDL Script

    IF EXISTS ( SELECT  *
                FROM    sys.objects o
                        JOIN sys.schemas s ON ( s.schema_id = o.schema_id )
                WHERE   s.name = 'dbo'
                        AND o.name = 'dbmail_queue'
                        AND o.type = 'U' )
        DROP TABLE [dbo].[dbmail_queue]
    GO
    CREATE TABLE dbo.dbmail_queue
        (
          dbmail_queue_id BIGINT IDENTITY(1, 1) NOT NULL ,
          profile_name SYSNAME NULL ,
          recipients VARCHAR(MAX) NULL ,
          copy_recipients VARCHAR(MAX) NULL ,
          blind_copy_recipients VARCHAR(MAX) NULL ,
          from_address VARCHAR(MAX) NULL ,
          reply_to VARCHAR(MAX) NULL ,
          [subject] NVARCHAR(255) NULL ,
          body NVARCHAR(MAX) NULL ,
          body_format VARCHAR(20) NULL ,
          importance VARCHAR(6) NULL ,
          sensitivity VARCHAR(12) NULL ,
          file_attachments NVARCHAR(MAX) NULL ,
          query NVARCHAR(MAX) NULL ,
          execute_query_database SYSNAME NULL ,
          attach_query_result_as_file BIT NULL ,
          query_attachment_filename NVARCHAR(255) NULL ,
          query_result_header BIT NULL ,
          query_result_width INT NULL ,
          query_result_separator CHAR(1) NULL ,
          exclude_query_output BIT NULL ,
          append_query_error BIT NULL ,
          query_no_truncate BIT NULL ,
          query_result_no_padding BIT NULL ,
          mailitem_id INT NULL ,
          mail_sent BIT NOT NULL ,
          mail_queued_time DATETIME NOT NULL ,
          mail_sent_time DATETIME NULL ,
          CONSTRAINT pk_dbmail_queue PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED ( dbmail_queue_id ASC )
        );
    GO
    

    Stored Procedure Scripts

    IF EXISTS ( SELECT  *
                FROM    sys.objects o
                        JOIN sys.schemas s ON ( s.schema_id = o.schema_id )
                WHERE   s.name = 'dbo'
                        AND o.name = 'usp_queue_dbmail'
                        AND o.type = 'P' )
        DROP PROCEDURE [dbo].[usp_queue_dbmail]
    GO
    
    CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.usp_queue_dbmail
        @profile_name SYSNAME = NULL ,
        @recipients VARCHAR(MAX) = NULL ,
        @copy_recipients VARCHAR(MAX) = NULL ,
        @blind_copy_recipients VARCHAR(MAX) = NULL ,
        @from_address VARCHAR(MAX) = NULL ,
        @reply_to VARCHAR(MAX) = NULL ,
        @subject NVARCHAR(255) = NULL ,
        @body NVARCHAR(MAX) = NULL ,
        @body_format VARCHAR(20) = NULL ,
        @importance VARCHAR(6) = NULL ,
        @sensitivity VARCHAR(12) = NULL ,
        @file_attachments NVARCHAR(MAX) = NULL ,
        @query NVARCHAR(MAX) = NULL ,
        @execute_query_database SYSNAME = NULL ,
        @attach_query_result_as_file BIT = NULL ,
        @query_attachment_filename NVARCHAR(255) = NULL ,
        @query_result_header BIT = NULL ,
        @query_result_width INT = NULL ,
        @query_result_separator CHAR(1) = NULL ,
        @exclude_query_output BIT = NULL ,
        @append_query_error BIT = NULL ,
        @query_no_truncate BIT = NULL ,
        @query_result_no_padding BIT = NULL
    AS
        SET NOCOUNT ON
    
        INSERT  INTO [dbo].[dbmail_queue]
                ( [profile_name] ,
                  [recipients] ,
                  [copy_recipients] ,
                  [blind_copy_recipients] ,
                  [from_address] ,
                  [reply_to] ,
                  [subject] ,
                  [body] ,
                  [body_format] ,
                  [importance] ,
                  [sensitivity] ,
                  [file_attachments] ,
                  [query] ,
                  [execute_query_database] ,
                  [attach_query_result_as_file] ,
                  [query_attachment_filename] ,
                  [query_result_header] ,
                  [query_result_width] ,
                  [query_result_separator] ,
                  [exclude_query_output] ,
                  [append_query_error] ,
                  [query_no_truncate] ,
                  [query_result_no_padding] ,
                  [mail_sent] ,
                  [mail_queued_time]
                )
        VALUES  ( @profile_name ,
                  @recipients ,
                  @copy_recipients ,
                  @blind_copy_recipients ,
                  @from_address ,
                  @reply_to ,
                  @subject, 
                  @body ,
                  @body_format ,
                  @importance ,
                  @sensitivity ,
                  @file_attachments ,
                  @query ,
                  @execute_query_database ,
                  @attach_query_result_as_file ,
                  @query_attachment_filename ,
                  @query_result_header ,
                  @query_result_width ,
                  @query_result_separator ,
                  @exclude_query_output ,
                  @append_query_error ,
                  @query_no_truncate ,
                  @query_result_no_padding ,
                  0 ,
                  GETDATE()
                )
    GO
    IF EXISTS ( SELECT  *
                FROM    sys.objects o
                        JOIN sys.schemas s ON ( s.schema_id = o.schema_id )
                WHERE   s.name = 'dbo'
                        AND o.name = 'usp_send_dbmail_queue'
                        AND o.type = 'P' )
        DROP PROCEDURE [dbo].[usp_send_dbmail_queue]
    GO
    
    CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.usp_send_dbmail_queue @QueueSize INT = '5', @Delay VARCHAR(12) = '00:00:01'
    AS
        DECLARE @dbmail_queue_id BIGINT ,
            @profile_name SYSNAME ,
            @recipients VARCHAR(MAX) ,
            @copy_recipients VARCHAR(MAX) ,
            @blind_copy_recipients VARCHAR(MAX) ,
            @from_address VARCHAR(MAX) ,
            @reply_to VARCHAR(MAX) ,
            @subject NVARCHAR(255) ,
            @body NVARCHAR(MAX) ,
            @body_format VARCHAR(20) ,
            @importance VARCHAR(6) ,
            @sensitivity VARCHAR(12) ,
            @file_attachments NVARCHAR(MAX) ,
            @query NVARCHAR(MAX) ,
            @execute_query_database SYSNAME ,
            @attach_query_result_as_file BIT ,
            @query_attachment_filename NVARCHAR(255) ,
            @query_result_header BIT ,
            @query_result_width INT ,
            @query_result_separator CHAR(1) ,
            @exclude_query_output BIT ,
            @append_query_error BIT ,
            @query_no_truncate BIT ,
            @query_result_no_padding BIT ,
            @mailitem_id INT
    
    
        DECLARE queue_cursor CURSOR
        FOR
            SELECT TOP ( @QueueSize )
                    dbmail_queue_id
            FROM    dbo.dbmail_queue
            WHERE   mail_sent = 0
            ORDER BY mail_queued_time DESC
    
        OPEN queue_cursor 
        FETCH NEXT FROM queue_cursor INTO @dbmail_queue_id
    
        WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
            BEGIN
    
                SELECT  @profile_name = profile_name ,
                        @recipients = recipients ,
                        @copy_recipients = copy_recipients ,
                        @blind_copy_recipients = blind_copy_recipients ,
                        @from_address = from_address ,
                        @reply_to = reply_to ,
                        @subject = COALESCE([subject],'SQL Server Message') ,
                        @body = body ,
                        @body_format = body_format ,
                        @importance = COALESCE(importance, 'Normal') ,
                        @sensitivity = COALESCE(sensitivity, 'Normal') ,
                        @file_attachments = file_attachments ,
                        @query = query ,
                        @execute_query_database = execute_query_database ,
                        @attach_query_result_as_file = COALESCE(attach_query_result_as_file, 0) ,
                        @query_attachment_filename = query_attachment_filename ,
                        @query_result_header = COALESCE(query_result_header, 1) ,
                        @query_result_width = query_result_width ,
                        @query_result_separator = COALESCE(query_result_separator, ' ') ,
                        @exclude_query_output = COALESCE(exclude_query_output, 0) ,
                        @append_query_error = COALESCE(append_query_error, 0) ,
                        @query_no_truncate = query_no_truncate ,
                        @query_result_no_padding = query_result_no_padding
                FROM    dbo.dbmail_queue
                WHERE   dbmail_queue_id = @dbmail_queue_id
    
                BEGIN TRY 
    
                    SET NOCOUNT ON 
    
                    IF @@VERSION LIKE 'Microsoft SQL Server 2005%'
                        EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_send_dbmail @profile_name = @profile_name,
                            @recipients = @recipients,
                            @copy_recipients = @copy_recipients,
                            @blind_copy_recipients = @blind_copy_recipients,
                            --@from_address is not a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 parameter
                            --@reply_to is not a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 parameter
                            @subject = @subject, @body = @body,
                            @body_format = @body_format, @importance = @importance,
                            @sensitivity = @sensitivity,
                            @file_attachments = @file_attachments, @query = @query,
                            @execute_query_database = @execute_query_database,
                            @attach_query_result_as_file = @attach_query_result_as_file,
                            @query_attachment_filename = @query_attachment_filename,
                            @query_result_header = @query_result_header,
                            @query_result_width = @query_result_width,
                            @query_result_separator = @query_result_separator,
                            @exclude_query_output = @exclude_query_output,
                            @append_query_error = @append_query_error,
                            @query_no_truncate = @query_no_truncate,
                            @query_result_no_padding = @query_result_no_padding,
                            @mailitem_id = @mailitem_id OUTPUT;
                    ELSE
                        EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_send_dbmail @profile_name = @profile_name,
                            @recipients = @recipients,
                            @copy_recipients = @copy_recipients,
                            @blind_copy_recipients = @blind_copy_recipients,
                            @from_address = @from_address, @reply_to = @reply_to,
                            @subject = @subject, @body = @body,
                            @body_format = @body_format, @importance = @importance,
                            @sensitivity = @sensitivity,
                            @file_attachments = @file_attachments, @query = @query,
                            @execute_query_database = @execute_query_database,
                            @attach_query_result_as_file = @attach_query_result_as_file,
                            @query_attachment_filename = @query_attachment_filename,
                            @query_result_header = @query_result_header,
                            @query_result_width = @query_result_width,
                            @query_result_separator = @query_result_separator,
                            @exclude_query_output = @exclude_query_output,
                            @append_query_error = @append_query_error,
                            @query_no_truncate = @query_no_truncate,
                            @query_result_no_padding = @query_result_no_padding,
                            @mailitem_id = @mailitem_id OUTPUT;
    
                    UPDATE  dq
                    SET     mailitem_id = @mailitem_id ,
                            mail_sent = 1 ,
                            mail_sent_time = GETDATE()
                    FROM    dbo.dbmail_queue dq
                    WHERE   dq.dbmail_queue_id = @dbmail_queue_id
    
                END TRY 
                BEGIN CATCH 
    
                    DECLARE @ErrorMessage NVARCHAR(4000) ,
                        @ErrorSeverity INT ,
                        @ErrorState INT;
                    SELECT  @ErrorMessage = 'Mail not sent.  ' + ERROR_MESSAGE() ,
                            @ErrorSeverity = ERROR_SEVERITY() ,
                            @ErrorState = ERROR_STATE();
                    RAISERROR (
            @ErrorMessage,
            @ErrorSeverity,
            @ErrorState    
            );
    
                END CATCH 
    
    
                FETCH NEXT FROM queue_cursor INTO @dbmail_queue_id
            END
    
        CLOSE queue_cursor
        DEALLOCATE queue_cursor
    
        WAITFOR DELAY @Delay
    
    GO
    

    Rather than executing sp_send_dbmail, use usp_queue_dbmail.

    Create a SQL Agent job that consists of one step. usp_send_dbmail_queue

    You can schedule the job to run every 1 second.