If data security and integrity are the main focus, then IMAP is the protocol that should be followed.
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IMAP, therefore, provides seamless offline usage as well. However, once messages are viewed, they are stored on the local machine as a cache to improve performance on subsequent loads. If one chooses to read a message, it is quickly downloaded on the local device. Initially, only the header (sender, date, subject) of an email is loaded.
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IMAP doesn’t allow unauthorized download of email attachments.Īs a result, IMAP is very fast and efficient. Once a user signs in to an email client, like Gmail or Microsoft Outlook, it contacts the email server using IMAP. For better understanding, IMAP should be regarded as an intermediary between the mail service provider and the mail server. In case any of the devices are damaged, the data won’t be lost and they’ll be available on the cloud. This makes it easier to access the email from various devices at the same time without missing anything. Thus, the mail apps on the other connected devices reflect the change when the updated mailbox is viewed. With IMAP, when an email is read, deleted, replied to, or flagged, it isn’t downloaded or stored locally on the device. Whenever a user accesses the mail inbox, the email client contacts the server to connect the user with their messages. This allows anyone to set up the same account on multiple devices to access email through the mobile app, as well as through Webmail. IMAP stores email on the mail provider’s servers thus providing secure, off-site cloud storage. Both IMAP and POP are standardized, RFC compliant protocols that any email service or client can choose to be compatible with. Second, the POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3). Most email platforms provide users with two types of email protocols to choose from while setting up an account on a desktop or a mobile device.įirst is IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) which is considered the standard. What are email protocols and how do they govern email sync? The kind of email protocol used by the mail server dictates the kind of synchronization that occurs, where the emails are stored, and how the folders are synced. However, all kinds of devices and email platforms do not sync the same. Synchronized messages will load faster and not require additional bandwidth when they are opened. While the device is offline, sync is suspended until the connection to the Internet has been restored. And thus, emails are stored on the device for offline usage.įor example, if the sync period is set to 3 days, then the local storage device would keep the last 3 days of email loaded on the device. Here, the email sync period refers to the amount of time for which the device keeps email in sync with the mail server. At the same time, sync also means that emails stored in the cloud server of an email service provider are available in the device for offline use. This is done in synchronization with a cloud server such that the same data becomes accessible in real-time across various devices that are synchronized with the cloud server.Īny changes brought about in the data in one device would automatically reflect in the cloud storage and therefore in subsequent synced devices.
Sync or data synchronization is the process of backing up the data from a device or local storage, be it emails, photos, videos, or even calendar events. So before we dive into “what is email sync period”, let’s have a look at what “syncing” our data means. Email sync often happens over a period called the email sync period which varies across different email service providers.
This leads to having better accessibility, security, and remote control over our data.Īmong a host of other office tools, Email is the most widely used application across various platforms whereas having a synchronization becomes crucial to our day to day functioning. In this scenario, it becomes supremely important to have our various apps synced across multiple devices at the same time. Today we’re living in the most fast-paced technological era where tons of data is generated every second worldwide and better productivity is often tied to better connectivity to the internet.