IMAP Monitor is a straightforward IPNetwork Monitor. IMAP, or Internet Mail Access Protocol, is one of two common protocols utilized for email access. In contrast to POP3, IMAP offers greater flexibility, enabling message storage on the server and facilitating access to all messages from any device. With IMAP Monitor, you can verify mail server availability and perform authentication tests. Manually checking an IMAP mailbox using telnet or openssl (for secure connections) is relatively simple, but passwords are often transmitted in plain text. While a secure IMAP connection prevents password interception (sniffing), it still requires entering the password in plain text on the console. Manual testing becomes inefficient when numerous email servers need verification. Furthermore, displaying passwords, even if only on consoles, increases security risks. However, solely testing connectivity or bypassing IMAP authentication isn’t viable when consistent mail access is critical. Creating an IPNetwork IMAP Monitor is easy. Begin by entering the IMAP server (host) and port number. Ports can be 143 (standard insecure or TLS connection) or 993 (standard secure port); alternative ports are also supported as needed. For authentication testing, choose an existing credential set in the Credentials section (or create a new one) and select the connection security type (TLS if available, TLS, SSL, or none) from the dropdown menu. Utilizing actual IMAP mailbox credentials for monitoring is discouraged; create a dedicated technical account for monitoring mail server status unless absolutely necessary. Adjust the polling delay if needed and configure down and warning state conditions in the State conditions tab. An IMAP Monitor can be employed to both confirm mail server accessibility and validate authentication results (monitoring mailbox credential validity). Because IMAP is frequently used with SMTP, and potentially POP3, implementing monitors for all these protocols enables administrators to oversee the overall stability of email services. Successful authentication implies the availability of other services, indicating the proper functioning of multiple network services simultaneously. Depending on the service utilizing IMAP mail (e.g., a website), other IPNetwork monitors can be configured to track overall activity. Using an IPNetwork PING monitor or TCP monitor is advisable to minimize server load (for instance, run PING checks more frequently than mail service monitoring).

Description of other features:

Monitoring Features Here you can find the list of monitor types supported in IPNetwork Monitor and brief description of their parameters.
Application Templates Here you can find the list of application templates supported in IPNetwork Monitor and their short description.
Network Discovery Helps you to create a basis of your monitoring configuration and automates the task of detection network hosts and network services.
Alerting Features Here you can find the list of alert types (ways of reaction to the problems happened during monitoring) available in IPNetwork Monitor, and their brief description.
Reporting Features Here you can find the list of report types available in IPNetwork Monitor with brief descriptions.
IPNetwork Monitor interfaces and structure Here you can find an overview of IPNetwork Monitor components, Windows and web interfaces.