"I study in a business school and they have provided me an email id to communicate. After understanding the difference between OST and PST files, Now, the problem is that I need to synchronize my mail id to my cell phone but it is asking some totally out of context questions like which server is it using i.e., Exchange, POP3, IMAP etc. I belong to a non-technical background and it is difficult for me to configure. Please help me out. Thanks in Advance."
Without any doubt, there is a large range of applications or platforms available for cross-communication across the globe. Whether you access a company email, any web service like Office 365 or Gmail, or any domain that is yours, your main goal is to receive the email messages. Now, In case, you are configuring the email client then you will get options such as POP3, IMAP, and MS Exchange. However, until you do not have the idea about these terms, you cannot make a useful choice. Therefore, it is very important to understand the actual difference between Exchange, POP3, and IMAP protocol. Let us go through the dissimilarities between all of these without wasting the time anymore.
Go through these protocols to let users understand the fundamental difference between all of them. Let’s have a look:
It is a way to extract email information, which brings the message back to the different Internet browser. Computer systems only have limited, low bandwidth to access on the remote server. However, POP is created in a simple way to download the copy of emails for offline reading, after that, remove those messages from the remote mail server. In 1984, the first version of POP was created and then, POP2 was created in 1985.
POP3 is the latest version of email connection protocol. While using POP3, all emails are downloaded from the mail server and save them on the local machine. Moreover, users can access only emails from one system to another and incoming emails are longer available when using the Web mail or other separate devices. Always, emails are available on the offline based consultation.
When POP3 protocol is based on the previous model of an offline email, it does not mean the technology is obsolete but it does have its uses. After that, POP4 has been established as there is not much progress in the several years.
It is a standard protocol allows the user to log into different email clients like Mac Mail, Thunderbird, or Outlook. It can easily save each email on the remote server. In simple words, email programs using IMAP leave messages on a server until you delete them. Also, IMAP enables one or more email clients to manage the same mailbox. For example, if you are reading all messages on Macintosh by using Mac Mail, it means, you can also read and manage each mail on iOS devices with Mail application. If you want to move or delete an email using Mac Mail, the same will be replicated on the Mail application and visa-versa. Whereas POP3 can create a duplicate copy but cannot sync very easily. In addition, when you try to erase something from your device it will disappear from outlook and vice versa.
When using IMAP protocol, Inbox messages are saved on the mail server whereas Sent items are saved on the desktop. After checking the mail, a device directly contacts to the email server to display the new Incoming Mail. All of the users Inbox messages are available on any computer and they can easily check from anywhere across the world with the help of WebMail.
The exchange is just an email collaborative communication server being developed by Microsoft for business purpose. Each and every mail has been stored in the central Exchange Server where it could be checked via WebMail or any other mail client. However, you may have the option to save emails in the local folder for offline consultation. Exchange mode can allow you to sync Contacts, Notes, and Calendars too. Most of the time, it has been supported by several devices such as tablets, Pads and smartphones. Moreover, the syncing feature is also referred as ActiveSync. One of the best email applications being used for MS Exchange is Outlook 2010 for Windows and Outlook 2011 for Macintosh.
When you will try to configure an email account then, you will have come across the terms like Exchange, POP3, and IMAP protocol. If you are not familiar with these terms then, you cannot make a decision. Therefore, it is necessary to understand what are the difference between POP3, IMAP and Microsoft Exchange.