IMAP4 Namespace (RFC2342)

Publishing Venue

Internet Society Requests For Comment (RFCs)

Related People

M. Gahrns: AUTHOR [+2][-]

C. Newman: AUTHOR

Abstract

IMAP4 [RFC-2060] does not define a default server namespace. As a result, two common namespace models have evolved:

Network Working Group M. Gahrns

Request for Comments: 2342 Microsoft

Category: Standards Track C. Newman

Innosoft

May 1998

IMAP4 Namespace

Status of this Memo

This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the

Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for

improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet

Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state

and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998). All Rights Reserved.

1. Abstract

IMAP4 [RFC-2060] does not define a default server namespace. As a

result, two common namespace models have evolved:

The "Personal Mailbox" model, in which the default namespace that is

presented consists of only the user's personal mailboxes. To access

shared mailboxes, the user must use an escape mechanism to reach

another namespace.

The "Complete Hierarchy" model, in which the default namespace that

is presented includes the user's personal mailboxes along with any

other mailboxes they have access to.

These two models, create difficulties for certain client operations.

This document defines a NAMESPACE command that allows a client to

discover the prefixes of namespaces used by a server for personal

mailboxes, other users' mailboxes, and shared mailboxes. This allows

a client to avoid much of the manual user configuration that is now

necessary when mixing and matching IMAP4 clients and servers.

2. Conventions used in this document

In examples, "C:" and "S:" indicate lines sent by the client and

server respectively. If such lines are wrapped without a new "C:" or

"S:" label, then the wrapping is for editorial clarity and is not

part of the command.

Personal Namespace: A namespace that the server considers within the

personal scope of the authenticated user on a particular connection.

Typically, only the authenticated user has access to mailboxes in

their Personal Namespace. It is the part of the namespace that

belongs to the user that is allocated for mailboxes. If an INBOX

exists for a user, it MUST appear within the user's personal

namespace. In the typical case, there SHOULD be only one Personal

Namespace on a server.

Other Users' Namespace: A namespace that consists of mailboxes from

the Personal Na...