Internet Message Access Protocol, is a newer protocol and with several advantages. The e-mail program (eg Outlook, Netscape Messenger, and Eudora) connects to the server using the IMAP protocol and synchronizes the e-mail reader with the server, so messages are read and remain archived on the server, allowing the user to access Mailbox with Messages from several different computers.

Through the IMAP protocol it is possible to manage multiple mailboxes, including the ease of creating, editing, renaming and removing folders directly on the server.

You can access the mailbox and its messages from different places, as the messages and folders are stored on the server. Access remote messages as if they were local.

Synchronization allows multiple people to use a shared mailbox. It is useful when several attendants are responsible for messages addressed to the same Mailbox, for example every financial team of your company has access to the mailbox nomedaconta@nomedominio.com.br where all messages received and answered in a synchronized and archived form on the server are listed.

Even if the user types the machine, the emails are not lost because they are stored on the server.
IMAP is not recommended for customers who use dial-up access.