Gaggle incoming mail server

A gaggle of incoming mail servers!

A gaggle is a group of geese, but in the context of email, a gaggle refers to a collection of incoming mail servers that receive and process email messages from the internet.

Here's a breakdown of the different types of incoming mail servers:

  1. Mail Transfer Agent (MTA): An MTA is a software that receives and forwards email messages between mail servers. Examples of MTAs include Postfix, Sendmail, and Exim.
  2. Mail Delivery Agent (MDA): An MDA is a software that delivers email messages to a user's mailbox or a mail storage system. Examples of MDAs include Procmail, Fetchmail, and Maildrop.
  3. POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3): POP3 is a protocol used to retrieve email messages from a mail server. POP3 servers receive incoming email messages and store them on the mail server until the user retrieves them using a POP3 client.
  4. IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol): IMAP is a protocol used to access and manage email messages on a mail server. IMAP servers receive incoming email messages and store them on the mail server, allowing users to access and manage their email messages remotely.
  5. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): SMTP is a protocol used to send and receive email messages between mail servers. SMTP servers receive incoming email messages and forward them to the intended recipient's mail server.

Some popular incoming mail servers include:

When setting up an incoming mail server, you'll typically need to configure the following:

  1. Server name or hostname
  2. Port number (e.g., 110 for POP3 or 143 for IMAP)
  3. Username and password
  4. Encryption method (e.g., SSL/TLS)

Remember to check your email provider's documentation for specific configuration instructions, as the settings may vary depending on the provider and the type of incoming mail server you're using.