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Overview

Getting Started

Using IMAP

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Getting Help


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Email at MIT

Choosing an Email Program at MIT

Email Migration at MIT

Guide to IMAP at MIT

Overview

What is IMAP?
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a client-server approach to email in which email is kept on the server. When you work with email, your email program (the client) connects to the post office server to access your email. Since your email stays on the server, you can easily access it from multiple workstations and programs just like you can access your voice mail messages from any phone. IS&T recommends IMAP.

What did MIT use before IMAP?
Before IMAP, MIT used POP (Post Office Protocol). POP is a basic store-and-forward mail system. Email is received at the post office server and held until you request it. When you connect to the server, your email is moved to your computer (or home directory on Athena) and deleted from the server. POP is an older protocol that does not offer all the modern message handling features of IMAP.

Getting Started

If you're migrating from Eudora POP to an operating system bundled application such as Outlook Express, Outlook 2003 or Apple Mail, see the Email Migration at MIT page for additional instructions and support resources.

  1. Select Your Email Program
  2. Configure Your Program

  3. Learn About Your Email Quota
    IS&T has established an email quota for everyone with an MIT email account. Since IMAP keeps your email on the post office server, you need to periodically check your email quota as well as adopt strategies for keeping your quota within limits. 

    4. Go to Managing Your Email Quota to learn more about how to check and manage your storage quota.

  4. Find Out About Backing Up Your Email
    Up until now, you've probably been backing up your email as part of your overall backup strategy for your Macintosh or Windows computer.  Since using IMAP means that much of your email will now be stored on the post office server, you need to rethink how you will make sure that all of your important email is backed up.

    5. Go to Backing Up Your Email to learn more about backing up when using the IMAP protocol.

  5. Learn More About Using IMAP
     Once you switch to IMAP, you may want to find out more about folders, spam screening, moving mail, and deleting mail with IMAP.

    Quick Start Guides:


    6. For more documentation, go to Email Migration at MIT: Using Your New IMAP Email Client.

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Using IMAP

IMAP Folders

A major feature of IMAP is that it allows you to create folders on the mail server where you can store messages in any organizing structure you choose, naming them as you like.

The important thing to understand in IMAP is the basic hierarchical structure of your IMAP mailbox on the server as well as its relationship to your local computer. The following pictures show the folder structure someone might see using Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2003 with OCFO (Oracle Connector for Outlook) demonstrate this:

 outlook 2003 mailboxes mailboxes

In the first image using Outlook 2003, the IMAP mailbox is listed under your mail server name, in this example po13.mit.edu. The second image using Outlook 2003 with OCFO shows the IMAP Mailbox under "Oracle".

Local vs. Server Folders
You may also have local folders (items such as In, Out and Junk in the example above) - that is, folders that are stored not on the mail server but on your local personal computer instead. Any items you place in these folders are not stored on the mail server, so they are available to you only on the desktop or laptop computer you are currently using.

In most cases, you can easily move messages around among local and IMAP server folders. Dragging a message from one server folder to another or from one local folder to another will move the message out from one and into the other.

Creating a Folder
Creating a folder on the server is usually an easy procedure - follow the instructions in the documentation provided for the email client you use.

Deleting Email

Most IMAP email clients provide several options for deleting email. For instance, marking a message for deletion may mean that it is purged from the server as soon as you quit the program, or even as soon as you switch to a different subfolder. Or the message may be moved into a "trash" folder on the server from which you can retrieve the message up until the time the trash is emptied.

Check the documentation for your email client software to see what possibilities are available, and be sure you know how it is configured for you. We would encourage you to use the "trash method" if accidentally deleting a message from your Inbox could create a major problem for you. Keep in mind that IS&T does not provide a service for restoring email that you delete intentionally or by accident.

Backing Up Email

All MIT mailboxes are stored on mail servers that are backed up regularly for catastrophic server failure and not for the end users. Users are responsible for backing up your own email. IS&T does not provide a service for restoring email that you delete intentionally or by accident.

See Backing Up Your Email for additional information.

Spamscreening

Users of MIT email have the option of screening incoming messages for spam. MIT Spam Screening performs a series of tests on an incoming email message, scores it according to a set of criteria, and can optionally filter any message that qualifies as spam. Spam Screening is set up directly on the server.

See Spam Screening at MIT for additional information.

IMAP Storage Space

All MIT mailboxes come with a base amount of email storage space (also called "email quota") of 1 GB. Since by default, the IMAP protocol leaves mail on the server, you should check your quota periodically to make sure you are within limits. [Certificates required]

See Managing your Email Quota for additional information.

Filters

Filters are specific to the email client and/or computer on which you are working. If you use multiple email clients or computers you will need to create filters in each email client and on each computer. This includes MIT WebMail.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I access my messages stored on one of my Mac/Windows computers from another one of my Mac/Windows computers?
No. Using an IMAP client, you can move old mail messages on your workstation to the server. Once the message is on the server, it can be accessed via IMAP clients from other workstations.

Can I use the address book I created on one computer from all of my computers?
No. An address book that you've created with your email program is stored on the computer where you created it. For example, if you have an address book that you created in Eudora on your computer in the office, it is not available to you on your computer at home. Also, the ability to store address books on the server and access them from multiple computers is not yet available with IMAP at MIT.

Will filters that I created on one machine work for all of the computers that I use for email?
No. As with address books, filters that you create work only on the local machine on which you created them. Also, the ability to store filters on the server and access them from multiple computers is not yet available with IMAP at MIT.

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Getting Help

If you need help with IMAP, contact your local IT support person, or contact the Computing Help Desk.

Useful Links:

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