IMAP

From HostPedia

IMAP Basics

The term IMAP stands for "Internet Message Access Protocol". It is a method of accessing emails stored on a shared Mail Server without having to download emails to the client's side like the commonly used POP protocol which most ISP offer these days. It allows a client email software (such as outlook express) to access remote message kept on the Mail Server as if they were local.

The Major advantage for using an IMAP account is similar to online email services such as Gmail, Yahoo! Mail and other online email services. The user can access an email account from anywhere (Office, Home, Hotel etc...) with his favorite email software and still access old emails, send messages from his account and any other action normally made through email.

IMAP Main Features

• Compatiblity with Internet messaging standards.
• Allowing users to access and manage their email account from multiple computers.
• Concurrent access to shared mailboxes.