Supporting Messaging Clients

POP3 Support

Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) allows a client to retrieve a specific user's mail from the server. POP3 clients can access only their server Inboxes and cannot access other public or private folders. POP3 is not intended to provide full manipulation of mail on the server. Although messages can be left on the server, mail is usually only downloaded and then deleted. POP3 does not handle sending mail. This functionality is handled by Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).


Answers to frequently asked questions

How does a front-end/back-end configuration help me administer POP3?

Deploying a front-end/back-end configuration makes it possible to manage the Internet access protocols on a server that is separate from the one on which the store runs. Essentially, a bank of protocol servers can handle the incoming client connections while the store servers run the databases. The main benefits of a front-end/back-end configuration are a unified namespace and reduced overhead for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption.  More...

Can I restrict access to POP3 virtual servers?

You can configure your POP3 server to grant or deny access to specific computers, groups of computers, or domains. You can grant or deny access to a single computer based on an IP address or by overriding POP3 access on a per-user basis. A group of computers can be denied or granted access based on their subnet address and subnet mask. You can also control access to an entire domain by specifying a domain name.  More...

How are MAPI messages converted when read by a POP3 client?

Messages sent by a MAPI client are converted from Microsoft Rich Text Format to Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) or uuencode when read by a POP3 client.  More...

Can I disconnect a currently connected user without stopping or pausing the server?

You can view a list of currently connected users. You can immediately disconnect a single user from this list without disrupting the service of other connected users or denying new connection requests.  More...

How does POP3 differ from IMAP4?

Internet Message Access Protocol version 4 (IMAP4) and POP3 are Internet messaging protocols that allow users to access their mail. The protocols differ in where the user manipulates their messages. POP3 allows clients to download mail from their Inboxes on a server to the client computer where messages are managed. IMAP4 allows a client to access and manage their mail on a server. IMAP4 users are not restricted to their Inboxes like POP3 users are. IMAP4 users can also access other public and private folders on the server where they have permissions.  More...

Are there specific performance monitors for POP3 virtual servers?

There are specific performance monitors available for POP3. They are set in System Monitor supplied with Microsoft Windows 2000. With System Monitor, you can collect and view extensive data about the usage of hardware resources and the activity of POP3 virtual servers on computers you administer. More...