Just like everything else related to technology, email technology and the way we use it has changed in the last ten years. Once upon a time there was only an email protocol called “POP”, which downloaded all your emails onto your computer or device, which was great, server space was limited and this kept your mailbox relatively clear. Emails were only a few kb, so even a mailbox size of 25meg would last you ages.
Oh how times have changed! Now we zap photos around like they’re stamps (stamps, what are they?). We regularly attach either photos or PDFs to our emails, making them anywhere from a few meg to more than 10meg in a single email. You don’t have to be great at maths to realise the old 25meg mailbox just isn’t cutting it any more!
Along with the massive amount of data storage we now require as “essential”, there is also a newer email protocol called “IMAP”. This allows emails to be kept on the email server, and various functionalities like you can see when an email has been read or replied to (handy for people who all receive emails to the same account eg info@). While this sounds great, it uses a LOT more storage because nothing is downloaded to your computer it is all stored on the email server (including sent items).
The benefit of using IMAP is that it is easy to change devices because emails aren’t left behind on the old device, they are in the cloud.
I am encouraging all of my clients to move away from email hosted on the web server to a cloud based solution which allows lots more storage per email account, and more sophisticated spam control. As this is an IT service, it is not something I manage myself, but I do work alongside a colleague who will handle the migration for you and set you up with something that suits the size of your business. Prices start from around $8 per email account per month. Contact me if you are interested.
