This article is for an insight of the "Push Mail" technology employed by almost all service providers. It a technology by which you receive your emails without the need to Log In into your email. Read the complete article for more details. For the presentation visit : http://www.slideshare.net/hardeep4u/push

1. PUSH MAIL
WHAT IS PUSH EMAIL?
Push email is a method of pushing content (email in this case) over the internet to
your targeted audience. When most people think of “push” email, they think of having
email arrive (whether on their smart phone or their PC) as soon as it arrives at their mail
server. Either that or they think of RIM’s BlackBerry devices.
In practice, email is not received on the smart phone the instant at which it is received on
the mail server generally, there is a few seconds’ delay, but, this tends to be accepted.
An example of a “push” implementation:
 Alan is out of the office, but wants to keep up with his email as and when they
arrive- he sets up “push” email on his smartphone, and heads off to his meeting.
 Ben sends an email to Alan’s email address.
 The email travels across the Internet (remember- email is inherently insecure),
until it finds Alan’s mail server.
 When it reaches Alan’s mail server, it is immediately pushed to Alan’s
smartphone, for Alan to read.
Technically Push Mail can be defined as a e-mail systems that provide an always-on
capability, in which new e-mail is actively transferred (pushed) as it arrives by the mail
delivery agent (MDA) (commonly called mail server) to the mail user agent (MUA),
also called the e-mail client. E-mail clients include smartphones and, less strictly, IMAP
personal computer mail applications.
Push email utilizes a mail delivery system with real-time capability to “push” email
through to the client as soon as it arrives, rather than requiring the client to poll and
collect or pull mail manually. With a push email smartphone, for example, the client’s
mailbox is constantly updated with arriving email without user intervention. Smartphones
announce new mail arrival with an alert.
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2. PUSH MAIL
Push email differs from conventional email systems that are “pull” oriented. Usually,
when email is sent, it arrives at the recipient’s Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) mail
server, where it is held for collection. It might instead arrive at a website server, if the
email is Web-based. Either way, email remains on the mail server until the recipient uses
an email program to poll the mail server. If new mail is present, the email client “pulls”
the mail to the client’s computer. The difference between this scheme and push email is
that, with push email, the mail is pushed through to the client without waiting for polling.
Regardless of whether the receiver uses polling e-mail, outgoing mail is generally pushed
from the sender to the final mail delivery agent (and possibly via intermediate mail
servers) using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. However, if the receiver uses a polling
email delivery protocol, the final step from the last mail delivery agent to the client is
done using a poll. Post Office Protocol (POP3) is an example of a polling email delivery
protocol. At login and later at intervals, the mail user agent (client) polls the mail delivery
agent (server) to see if there is new mail, and if so downloads it to a mailbox on the user's
computer. Extending the "push" to the last delivery step is what distinguishes push e-mail
from polling e-mail systems.
The reason that polling is often used for the last stage of mail delivery is that, although
the server mail delivery agent would normally be permanently connected to the network,
it does not necessarily know how to locate the client mail user agent, which may only be
connected occasionally and also change network address quite often. For example, a user
with a laptop on a WiFi connection may be assigned different addresses from the
network DHCP server periodically and have no persistent network name. When new
mail arrives to the mail server, it does not know what address the client is currently
assigned.
The Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) provides support for polling and
notifications. When a client receives a notification from a server, the client may choose to
fetch the new data from the server. This makes retrieval of new messages more flexible
than a purely-push system, because the client can choose whether to download new
message data.
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3. PUSH MAIL
Push email can be somewhat simulated using an email client set to frequently poll for
new mail. However, this requires the email client to be open and running and is less
efficient. Polling involves “handshaking” between the client software and the mail
server. If the server is busy, the delay in completing the handshake can lengthen, causing
the client to time out. Therefore, polling should not be set so frequently as to cause
premature time out errors. To prevent this, one must increase the delay between polling
times.
In many cases, a minute or two delay between “pull email” and push email schemes may
not matter, but in some cases, a minute can make all the difference. Push email can be
especially crucial to field reporters, stock market businessmen and other
professionals for whom time is of the essence. A one-minute delay can make all the
difference in breaking a story, losing money, or making a crucial sale.
Although push e-mail had existed in wired-based systems for many years, one of the first
uses of the system with a portable, "always on" wireless device outside of Asia was the
BlackBerry service from Research In Motion. In Japan, "push e-mail" has been
standard in cell phones since 2000.
BlackBerry was the first personal digital assistant (PDA) to offer push email and gained
near-instant success as a result. Today, many devices have incorporated push email, and
its popularity continues to grow. Some of the products that have incorporated push email
include Chatteremail for Treo, Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email, Roadsync, and
Sony Ericsson phones.
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4. PUSH MAIL
PROTOCAL USED IN PUSH MAIL TECHNOLOGY
In contrast to traditional e-mail, most of the protocols used in popular current systems are
proprietary; for example, BlackBerry uses its own private protocols developed by RIM.
Both the Push-IMAP standard and parts of the SyncML standards are attempting to
develop more open solutions.
IETF Lemonade is a set of extensions to IMAP and SMTP to make them more suited to
the demands of mobile e-mail. Among the extensions are rapid IMAP resynchronization
and a new NOTIFY command in IMAP.
SOME POPULAR PUSH MAIL SETUPS
The Bottom fact is that there exist different Push Mail solutions and different Push Mail
solutions works in different ways. Lets us go in some more details.
Microsoft’s Direct Push:
For example, with Microsoft’s Direct Push system, the smartphone sends an HTTP
request to the Exchange server, asking to be notified when something (email, calendar
appointment etc) changes on the server. This request lasts for the shorter of (a) a timeout
period and (b) a change on the server. If there is a change, the Exchange server responds
to the smartphone with details of the folders in which the changes have occurred. Upon
receiving this response, the smartphone sends a synchronization request in respect of
each of the folders notified by the server, and the server delivers the details of the
changes – depending on signal strength / connection speed, this takes between 5 and 10
seconds.
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5. PUSH MAIL
If there is no change within the timeout period, the Exchange server sends an empty
response to the smartphone. In either case, when the smartphone receives the Exchange
response, it reissues the HTTP request – essentially, this is a looping process, and the
issue / receive loop is often referred to as the “heartbeat”. Each heartbeat is 309 bytes,
and, by default, a heartbeat is issued every 15 minutes. Thus, in addition to the size of
any of the actual changes, the figure usually linked to the heartbeat is approximately
1MB / month (309B * 4 (number of 15 minute periods in an hour) * 24 (number of hours
in the day) * 31 (maximum number of days in a month) = 919584B = approximately
898KB.
The IMAP IDLE Push:
The IMAP IDLE system works in a similar manner. A “traditional” IMAP system works
by notifying the smartphone of any changes in the folders on the server when the user is
actively monitoring the server; however, this only works when the mail client on the
smartphone is active, and thus notifications stop when a user stops using the mail
application or puts the smartphone away. IMAP IDLE issues a “NOOP” (“No
Operation”) command to the IMAP server at a regular interval, usually every 15 minutes.
By sending this command, the connection is kept active, and thus the user is notified of
any changes. This is different to Direct Push system above, in that there is no issue /
receipt loop, but the overall effect and implementation of the IMAP IDLE “NOOP” issue
is similar.
RIM BlackBerry Push:
RIM provides two solutions. One for Corporate and other for individuals. The
implementation is more or less same but the working is different.
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6. PUSH MAIL
In case of Corporate Service BlackBerry push technology requires the installation of a
server solution that sits between an organization’s corporate email server and the firewall.
Enterprise applications running under Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and Novell
GroupWise can be accessed by BlackBerry using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. The
server solution integrates with the email server to allow users emails and PIM data to be
sent through the firewall to a carriers mobile network via the internet. The data is then
sent to the specific users device. The server application provides encryption to the data in
order for secure transmission.
To receive data RIM uses a Network Operating Centre (NOC). By using a Network
Operating Center (NOC), the BlackBerry method represents the most battery and data
efficient method for push email. Here the email is forwarded to your BlackBerry by the
RIM-operated NOC only when there is email. And even then, only the first chunk of
email is sent. The data is sent via normal UDP packets that are encrypted at the data
level. As you can imagine, this will allow it to work the same way via 2G or 3G
networks. To find out if there is a mail or not the NOC needs to constantly poll the inbox.
For example, a BES server will check every Blackberry-connected mailbox on an
Exchange server in a round-robin fashion. Once there is a mail the NOC encrypts the data
and sends it to the device immediately where ever it is located. This is achieved because
RIM registers itself with the Telecom Service Provider. Because of this setup the server
of the Telecom Service Provider forwards the information about the device network
access to the RIM NOC. The result is that the NOC now knows exactly where to forward
your emails to.
In case of normal users the setup is same except that there is no different setup to send
mails as above. The setup to receive the mail is same.
In the absence of email, nothing at all happens, and your BlackBerry behaves much like a
normal mobile phone.
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7. PUSH MAIL
DIFFERENT PUSH MAIL PROVIDERS
Apple iPhone and iPod Touch
Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch support Yahoo! push e-mail, Hotmail push e-mail
(activated through the Dinsdale Panel), Gmail push e-mail (via Google Sync) and
Microsoft's Exchange ActiveSync platform, allowing them to synchronize e-mail,
calendars and contacts with a Microsoft Exchange Server, Zimbra, NuevaSync or Kerio
Connect. Apple's own MobileMe subscription-service for push email, contacts, and
calendars is also supported.
Google Android
Android's built-in Gmail client supports push e-mail for Gmail accounts set up to sync
with the phone. Android also supports exchange accounts natively through its default
mail application Recently also Hotmail has been made push configurable for android
smartphones through the default mail application.
Helio Ocean
Helio began adding support to its "ultimate inbox" powered by mFluent LLC for push e-
mail to the Helio Ocean in July 2007 with support for Yahoo! Mail, Windows Live
Hotmail, and AOL Mail. On April 23, 2008 push support was added for Gmail, along
with automatic notifications for POP and IMAP services.
Microsoft Windows Mobile and Windows Phone
Microsoft began offering real-time e-mail notification with Windows Mobile 2003
(sending SMS messages when new mail arrive), then replaced it with a simulated push
experience (long polling) in 2007 with the release of Windows Mobile 5 AKU2 under the
name "Direct Push Technology". 'Direct Push' technology is an additional feature added
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8. PUSH MAIL
to Microsoft Exchange 2003 with service pack 2 that adds messaging and security
features. A phone device running Windows Mobile 5 is enabled to poll Exchange Server
every 30 minutes. If new mail arrives in polling interval, it is instantly pulled using a
subscriber's existing wireless phone account (this allows device to have changing IP or
traverse NAT/Proxy). To achieve push mail with e-mail providers other than Exchange,
there is a commercially available plug-in from Emansio that enables push mail with
almost public e-mail provider or any e-mail server that supports IMAP-IDLE.
Additionally, a free, open-source, executable has been developed to take advantage of the
IMAP-IDLE command. Since 2010 there is new application called Schedhandler, which
can handle IMAP accounts (+ idle support). It implements a new technology to reduce
the power consumption of WM phones, check network connections, and handle any
problems. If a new email found, then the user can configure what should happen (e.g.
polling any pocket outlook mailbox, execute a command, etc.). It is also possible to
configure a schedule when it should check your emails.
Nokia Symbian Series 60
Some Nokia Symbian S60 models support basic IMAP IDLE functionality with its built-
in client.
Nokia Mail for Exchange
The Nokia Eseries smartphones and select models of Nseries smartphones and newer s60
handsets running Symbian os 9.x support the Mail for Exchange software, which is
compatible with Microsoft Exchange Server Active Sync and Direct Push, allowing the
Nokia smartphones to receive push email as well as sync contact lists, calendars, and
tasks with Exchange servers. Global Address Lookup is also supported, starting with
version 2 of the Mail for Exchange software.
Nokia Messaging
Nokia Messaging Email is a push e-mail service and client application, that supports most
of the popular e-mail providers like Windows Live Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail and
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9. PUSH MAIL
many more. Nokia Messaging servers aggregate messages from up to ten accounts on and
pushes them to compliant devices (Nokia S60 and some S40, plus Maemo-based devices
like the N900) at the time it's not a free application
Palm OS
Palm Smartphone devices have had IMAP IDLE available through the use of 3rd Party
software ChatterEmail as early as 2004. There is no additional server software required.
Palm webOS
The Palm Pre webOS has push email for Gmail, IMAP, and Exchange accounts.
Research In Motion BlackBerry
RIM's BlackBerry uses wireless Mail User Agent devices and a BlackBerry Enterprise
Server (BES) attached to a traditional e-mail system. The BES monitors the e-mail
server, and when it sees new e-mail for a BlackBerry user, it retrieves (pulls) a copy and
then pushes it to the BlackBerry handheld device over the wireless network.
BlackBerry became very popular, in part because it offers remote users "instant" e-mail;
new e-mails appear on the device as soon as they arrive, without the need for any user
intervention. The handheld becomes a mobile, dynamically updating, copy of the user's
mailbox. As a result of the success of BlackBerry, other manufacturers have developed
push e-mail systems for other handheld devices, such as Symbian- and Windows Mobile-
based mobile phones.
SEVEN Networks
SEVEN Networks supports consumer and enterprise email including Gmail, Yahoo Mail,
Windows Live (Hotmail, Live.com, MSN), AOL, Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus and
other local web-based email providers on Android, bada, Brew, J2ME, Symbian and
Windows Mobile devices.
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10. PUSH MAIL
Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson Smartphones (M600, P990, W950, P1, W960, W995, G900, G700) as well
as some Cybershot phones (K790, K800, K810, K850, C510, C905,J105i) feature push e-
mail using IMAP IDLE or with the built-in ActiveSync client (developed by Dataviz).
Most other Sony Ericsson phones support IMAP IDLE push e-mail quite well (only the
inbox however).
Other mobile solutions
Other push e-mail solutions available in the market today are Emoze, NotifyLink,
Mobiquus, SEVEN Networks, Atmail, Good Technology as well as Synchronica.
Emoze supports Gmail/GApps, Yahoo Mail, Facebook Mail, Hotmail amongst others.
Mobiquus is a push email client based on J2ME technology. Also, it can visualize most
attachments (images, videos, Office files...) without the need of having other applications
installed on the phone.
CONCLUSION
So we have seen that “PUSH MAIL” is a revolutionary technology related to online
communication. It is already very popular and people become more and more technology
savvy and life getting more busier PUSH MAIL technology will invade further in ones
life. In future we will use is more to save our valuable time and get updates faster. I also
expect that this technology will become much more sophisticated in coming days.
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