Internet technology

Q1. what is email. Explain email system in details.

Ans:- Electronic mail, commonly known as email, is a system that allows users to
send and receive messages through electronic devices. These messages can
contain not only text but also attachments such as files, images, and other
multimedia. Email is a fundamental component of modern communication.

Historical Note: The first email was sent by Ray Tomlinson in 1971, marking the
beginning of a new era in communication technology.

How Email Works:-

Sending an Email:

Email Client: When you compose an email using an email client (like Mozilla
Thunderbird, Microsoft Outlook) or a web-mail service (like G-mail, Yahoo Mail),
you input the recipient's email address, subject, and message.

Mail Transport Agent (MTA): Once you hit send, the email client contacts the MTA,
which is a server responsible for transporting the email to the recipient's server.
MTAs use the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to relay the message across
networks.
Delivery Process:

SMTP Servers: The MTA on the sender’s side communicates with the MTA on the
recipient’s side via the internet, using SMTP. These MTAs can be likened to postal
offices that sort and forward mail to the appropriate destination.

Mail Delivery Agent (MDA): When the recipient’s MTA receives the email, it hands
it over to the Mail Delivery Agent (MDA). The MDA is responsible for storing the
email until the recipient is ready to retrieve it.

Retrieving an Email:

Mail User Agent (MUA): The recipient uses an MUA, which can be an email client
or a webmail interface, to access their emails.

Protocols for Retrieval:

POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3): This protocol downloads emails from the
server to the client’s device and typically deletes them from the server after
downloading. It is not ideal for users who access email from multiple devices
because it stores emails locally on one device.

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol): Unlike POP3, IMAP stores emails on the
server and allows users to manage their emails directly on the server. This is useful
for accessing emails from multiple devices because it keeps the emails
synchronized across all devices.