Internet Message Access Protocol
Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is a standard protocol for
accessing e-mail from your local server. IMAP (the latest version is
IMAP4) is a client/server protocol in which e-mail is received and held
for you by your Internet server. You (or your e-mail client) can view
just the heading and the sender of the letter and then decide whether to
download the mail. You can also create and manipulate folders or
mailboxes on the server, delete messages, or search for certain parts or
an entire note. IMAP requires continual access to the server during the
time that you are working with your mail.
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is a TCP/IP protocol used in
sending and receiving e-mail. However, since it's limited in its ability
to queue messages at the receiving end, it's usually used with one of
two other protocols, POP3 or Internet Message Access Protocol, that let
the user save messages in a server mailbox and download them
periodically from the server. In other words, users typically use a
program that uses SMTP for sending e-mail and either POP3 or IMAP for
receiving messages that have been received for them at their local
server.
Post Office Protocol
POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) is the most recent version
of a standard protocol for receiving e-mail. POP3 is a client/server
protocol in which e-mail is received and held for you by your Internet
server. Periodically, you (or your client e-mail receiver) check your
mail-box on the server and download any mail. POP3 is built into the
Netmanage suite of Internet products and one of the most popular e-mail
products, Eudora. It's also built into the Netscape and Microsoft
Internet Explorer browsers. |
