| IMAP | POP | |
|---|---|---|
| Inbox Size Limit |
None | None |
| Location of Inbox |
E-mail is left on the server. This is useful for accessing your e-mail from multiple locations (office, home, while traveling). | E-mail is moved to your local PC. This is useful for downloading your e-mail to your computer and working on it while you are not connected to the network (i.e. on slow dial-up connection or traveling). |
| Location of Folders |
Folders can be stored on the server or on the local PC. See the Using Webmail item below concerning folders on the local PC. | Folders can be stored only on the local PC. |
| Access Speed | Messages are accessed individually. Great for deleting unwanted messages before viewing valid ones. However, IMAP is slower over a dial-up connection (modem). You must also stay online the whole time you are reading your e-mail. | Everything is moved at once. This initially takes longer to see your e-mail but allows you to go offline if you are using a slow connection or traveling. Everything is downloaded, including junk or spam e-mail that you don't want to see. |
| Backups | Your Inbox and IMAP folders are backed up to tape nightly. | You must backup your folders. Note: Most departmental e-mail systems have some sort of backup system. Check with your local network administrator for details. |
| Using the K-State Zimbra web client | The K-State Zimbra web client is an IMAP client so you won't notice much difference going between WebMail and your normal e-mail client. | The K-State Zimbra web client won't show any folders on your local PC and your POP client won't show any folders you have created with WebMail. |
| Security | Access to your Inbox and folders is controlled by your eID. | Access to your Inbox is controlled by your eID. Access to your folders is controlled by your local PC.
Note: Access to departmental mail is controlled by your departmental ID. |
| Note: The e-mail client software used with the K-State central e-mail system must support secure authentication in both IMAP and POP. | ||
| Virus Concerns | Since all your e-mail is kept on the server, unless you move it to your local PC, viruses can not infect your computer unless you move them there. | Any e-mail with a virus is moved to your computer before you can read it, including departmental e-mail. |
| Spam Filtering | Spam filtering is enabled for K-State e-mail, both IMAP and POP. E-mail received by the K-State mail system and then forwarded to another account is filtered. E-mail addressed directly to departmental e-mail systems is not filtered. | |