Skip to the content

Kansas State University

IT Help Desk
Kansas State University
214 Hale Library
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-7722
helpdesk@k-state.edu

IMAP vs. POP

  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.