The CommuniGate Pro IMAP implements E-mail message retrieval using the IMAP4rev1 Internet protocol (RFC2060) via TCP/IP networks.
The Internet Message Access Protocol allows computers to work with messages stored in mailboxes on mail servers. A computer running a mailer (mail client) application connects to the mail server computer and provides account (user) name and the password. If access to the specified user account is granted, the mail application sends protocol commands to the mail server. These protocol commands tell the server to list all messages in the mailbox, to retrieve certain messages, to delete messages, to search for messages with the certain attributes, to move messages between mailboxes, etc.
CommuniGate Pro IMAP supports various Internet standards (RFCs) and has many additional unique features.
Use a Web browser to configure the IMAP module.
Use the Log Level setting to specify what kind of information the IMAP module should put in the Server Log. Usually you should use the Major (message transfer reports) or Problems (message transfer and non-fatal errors) levels. But when you experience problems with the IMAP module, you may want to set the Log Level setting to Low-Level or All Info: in this case protocol-level or link-level details will be recorded in the System Log as well. When the problem is solved, set the Log Level setting to its regular value, otherwise your System Log files will grow in size very quickly.
The IMAP module records in the System Log are marked with the IMAP tag.
When you specify a non-zero value for the Maximum Number of Channels setting, the IMAP module creates a so-called "listener". The module starts to accept all IMAP connections that mail clients establish in order to retrieve mail from your server. The setting is used to limit the number of simultaneous connections the IMAP module can accept. If there are too many incoming connections open, the module will reject new connections, and the mail client should retry later.
The IMAP module can use 2 passwords per account. See the Registering Users chapter for the details.
While other IMAP servers "lock" opened mailboxes, the CommuniGate Pro IMAP does not lock mailboxes. This feature allows other clients to access the same mailboxes and allows the system to store new messages in the mailboxes currently in use. This means that:
- several clients (POP, IMAP, etc) can have simultaneous access to the same mailbox;
- new messages can be added to the mailbox while a mailer client is working with the mailbox;
- messages can be deleted while a mailer client is working with the mailbox.