Imap Idle

[BESadmin]

IMAP IDLE

Doc ID : KB13816
Last Modified : 2007-07-25
Document Type : Support

Environment

• BlackBerry® Internet Service 2.x
• Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) IDLE enabled email accounts

Note: To determine which version of the BlackBerry Internet Service you are using, see KB04989.

Problem

An IMAP IDLE connection is established with a messaging server is not allowing access from an email application (such as Microsoft® Outlook®) or from the IMAP integration in the BlackBerry Internet Service account.

This may cause the mailbox to be unavailable to the BlackBerry device user's email application or to the BlackBerry device, because concurrent connections to the BlackBerry device user's mailbox are not enabled on the IMAP messaging server.

If delays of 6 hours are noted when receiving email messages on the BlackBerry device, see KB13846.

Cause

If the messaging server supports the IMAP IDLE feature, the BlackBerry Internet Service will utilize this feature and attempt to maintain a persistent IMAP connection with the messaging server. If the messaging server does not allow concurrent connections to the BlackBerry device user's mailbox, this persistent IMAP connection may block additional Post Office Protocol (POP) or IMAP connections.

Resolution

Note: To update the BlackBerry device user's integration information after one of the following options is configured, the email account must be removed and reintegrated into the BlackBerry Internet Service account. For instructions, see KB02189.

The administrator of the IMAP messaging server must perform the steps outlined below. If you are unsure who administers your messaging server, please contact the BlackBerry Technical Support team for assistance.

Resolution 1

Configure the messaging server to permit concurrent connections to the BlackBerry device user's mailbox.

Resolution 2

Disable the IMAP IDLE feature on the messaging server.

Resolution 3

If POP access is available for the BlackBerry device user's mailbox, disable IMAP access on the messaging server. Removing and reintegrating the email account within the BlackBerry Internet Service account will change the integration type to the next available protocol.

Additional Information

IMAP is a protocol used for accessing email messages on a messaging server. The IMAP IDLE command is a widely implemented extension of the IMAP protocol that facilitates real-time email message delivery.

IMAP IDLE allows real-time email message delivery to a BlackBerry device by maintaining a persistent connection between the BlackBerry Internet Service and the email messaging server. Using this persistent connection, the messaging server will notify the BlackBerry Internet Service when new email messages arrive. When the BlackBerry Internet Service is notified by the messaging server that new email messages have arrived, it will connect to the messaging server and retrieve the new email message(s) and deliver them to the BlackBerry device. The benefit of this feature is real-time delivery of IMAP email messages to the BlackBerry device. The impact to the messaging server is low, as IMAP IDLE makes efficient use of messaging server bandwidth.

For more detailed information regarding the IMAP IDLE command, refer to RFC 2177.