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Why is it better to use IMAP over POP with GMS Collaboration?

Question

Previously we have used POP3 to download mail to our desktop PCs – now that we are using GMS Collaboration Server, should we continue to use POP or change to IMAP?

Answer

One of the major advantages of GMS Collaboration, beyond the ability to share calendars and address books, is that the data is all stored server side. This means users are not tied to a single PC, and it also means that backups of data are simplified significantly, as it’s not necessary to backup all user machines.

Using IMAP means that this principle extends to mail as well as the collaboration data. It means users can access their mail from any PC, and also means that backups only need to happen on the server.

Additionally, if you have GMS Webmail, using IMAP means that you have complete consistency between webmail and your Outlook installation, giving you access to mail and calendar data from any internet connected PC in the world.

If you use POP, all these advantages are lost – it’s slower and less efficient, and it means that users are tied to a single PC, and that these users’ PCs will need to be individually backed up if they have any important data stored in mailboxes.

Please note: Customers running Version 12 build 3460 and greater will not be able to you GMS Collaboration in this way. Fundemental changes in both the GMS Collaboration client and server means that IMAP is the protocol required for e-mail retrieval.

Keywords:Collaboration POP IMAP

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