The invention is directed to techniques for providing an event notification string over a network to a notification server. An application server includes a notifying application that monitors, or otherwise determines, the occurrence of an event of interest to a target user who uses a device that can receive notification of the event. The notifying application generates an event notification string that indicates that a notification to the target user should be made. The notifying application then sends the event notification string over a network, such as an IP (Internet Protocol) network, to a notification server, which provides an event notification application that processes the event notification string. The event notification application determines the identity of the target user, if the event notification string does not provide this information itself, and which devices accessed by the target user should receive the notification. The event notification application then sends event notifications to one or more of the devices.