In this article I describe the IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol in computer network for CCNA Exam. IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol provide to access the email messages. A client can receive the email messages from mail server via using the IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol. IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol works between the client and the mail server on internet. Some private organizations uses their own private mail services on the intranet. I mean to say the mail server and client communicate over the internet but in the way of intranet. Before going to learn about the IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol let’s take a look on some basic terms related to email services.
History or Email
According to some computer magazines and other resources, the first email was sent from one computer to another computer in 1971. The engineer who supposed to be sent first email was RAY TOMLINSON. Before this event an user can sent the message within a single machine with some standalone applications. After the mail sent within different machines the email creates a revolution in the field of Information Technology. Now there are many email servers available like Microsoft exchange server, IBM’s Lotus and many other of Linux version.
The Email system in computer network or internet
Email is generally pronounced in place of electronic mail. An Email provide to share text, graphics, audio and video from a user to another user on internet. Approx. 80% people around the world works on email on internet. People use email to send personal information as well as official information on internet. Email services provided by some particular Email servers for clients. The clients are the users created in email servers to provide the email services. The connectivity between the clients and mail server may be on internet or intranet.
An email can be configured on a domain name with prefix the email address for example user_name@domain_name. multiple protocols required to float an email address from sender to receiver. The main protocols are IMAP, SMTP and POP which are used for floating the email on a network. In this article our focus is on IMAP which is used to receive the emails from mail servers.
Email servers in mail services
Email servers are liable to receive, forward, deliver and store the emails between the email users. The email message can be downloaded by the clients or a client can access the email messages from the mail server on browser based. The email server deliver the mail to the recipient, in case the recipient is not available, the mail server notify the mail sender about the failure of delivery of email. Mail servers are generally of three types SMTP servers, POP servers and IMAP servers. All three severs have different kind of works. Forwarding and receiving of email are depends on the email services.
Email Clients in mail services
Email clients related to the user who is using the email service. Actually the email client is a software which is configured to receive the email and restore the mails in it. A user can see the emails by just opening the email client software. The examples of mail clients are thunderbird, outlook etc. All smart phone provide a facility to configure the mail server. The email server provides the data so a user can configure his smart phone as email client. What happens now, when the smart phone get internet connection the mail application receive the email from the mail server. The user can read the mails any time once after the email received by the mail application.
Webmail interface for email
The webmail interface allow a user to access the email account from a browser of a computer or smartphone. The computer or smart phone must be connected to the network or internet. The email appears and can be forwarded till the browser is open. Once the browser closed the email access is vanished. So this is the most common technique via which most of email users access their mail accounts from the internet. Later in this article i describe the protocols used when a client access the email from a browser of a computer.
Protocols used for email service
There are three protocols used for email service on the internet POP3, IMAP and SMTP. SMTP protocol use to send the email while remaining two POP3 and IMAP used to retrieve or receive the email from the mail server.
POP3 protocol allow to download the email in a computer client or smart phone. After downloading the email the mail server delete the delivered emails. So by using POP3 a user can read the emails only on a single device. Once the email downloaded into the mail client the mail automatically deleted from the mail server. POP3 works on port 110 and 995. Port 110 used for unsecured like HTTP and 995 is used for secure mail communication like HTTPS. POP3 is acronym of Post Office Protocol. POP3 saved the emails in mail server’s single mailbox. The saved email sent to the user when mail client opens. If you want to access your email form one machine and the machine have a lot of space, then POP3 protocol is useful to you. POP3 doesn’t support multiple device for same user.
SMTP protocol provide the feature to send the email from one client to another client over the internet. SMTP works on port 25, 2525 and 465. Port 25 and 2525 works to send the email without encryption and port 465 used to send the email securely on internet or WAN.
IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol is another protocol to retrieve the emails from the mail server. Mostly the IMAP allow to access the email on browser based access from a computer or client. The difference of IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol from POP3 is that IMAP allow to access the emails from different applications and clients. Hence a user can access his email from multiple device and applications when using the IMAP. Now lets see the IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol in brief.
IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol explained
IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol is use for receiving email from mail server. The IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol transfer the email messages from mail server to client application. The Internet Message Access Protocol provides the facility to the mail client to view and download the messages. IMAP protocol allows users to organize messages. The management of emails at server storage can be done by the client application. Internet Message Access Protocol helps mail client to manage the email on the mail server.
IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol provides access to email from multiple devices at a time. This feature is helpful to user to use the email from multiple devices at time. Suppose a user using the desktop outlook and same time want to access the email from his smart phone. This facility can be provided by IMAP protocol only. POP3 allow to access the email from only single device.
IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol is used by email clients to retrieve email from a mail server over a TCP/IP connection. Email client may be MS Outlook, thunderbird etc. IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol uses port 143 on a network to retrieve the email message from mail server.
Connections of IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol
Mail clients are applications developed for email management only. Example of mail client is MS outlook and thunderbird. Mail clients connected with mail server if the mail client interface is active. The connection is disconnected when the mail client downloads the message from mail server. Every time when a mail client become active new connection created between the mail client and mail server.
In MS Outlook the notification of connected is always remains until the application is not closed by the user. The POP3 allow the currently connected client to access the mailbox in mail server. No any other mail client can create a connection with mail server when POP3 connection is established once. IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol allow more than one connection at a time. Multiple mail clients can connect with mail server using IMAP protocol.
With IMAP setup a copy of email is always available in mail server. The copy saved in mail server provides the feature of access mail from multiple devices. In POP3 setup once the email is downloaded it will delete from mail server.
Email message status notification
There are many codes defines to indicate the status of email message. These codes are known as flags in IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol. Message state means read receipt, deleted, replied, saved, sent successfully etc. A client can check the status of any email message pertaining to him. Only IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol have this feature. POP3 doesn’t have message status notification feature.
Multiple mailboxes feature of IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol
IMAP clients can create, rename, and/or delete mailboxes. Remember any online email interface there are multiple separate folders available. These folders are inbox, outbox, draft and sent etc. IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol provides facility to create more folder in mailbox. Message can be stored in any folder by move or copy feature.
For example when you use the email from browser like gmail or yahoo mail. The mail service uses Internet Message Access Protocol. When you use outlook or thunderbird POP3 protocol works.
In this article I describe the Internet Message Access Protocol in computer network for CCNA Exam. I hope you found this article helpful. For any query or suggestion you may drop a comment below or contact us. Your suggestions are always welcome by us.
