Mail retrieval agent

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A mail retrieval agent (MRA) is a computer application that retrieves or fetches e-mail from a remote mail server and works with a mail delivery agent to deliver mail to a local or remote email mailbox.[1] MRA is an automated agent that works on behalf of the user agent checks for the new incoming mail.[2][3] MRAs may be external applications by themselves or be built into bigger applications like a mail user agent. Significant examples of standalone MRAs include fetchmail and getmail.[4][user-generated source]

The concept of an MRA is not standardized in email architecture. Although they operate like mail transfer agents, MRAs are technically clients when they retrieve and submit messages.

## Delivery mechanisms

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The mail retrieval agent may support delivery of retrieved mail via the following mechanisms:

* Via a mail transport agent (Listening for SMTP transfers on port 25)
* Via a mail delivery agent
* Direct delivery to an mbox formatted mailbox
* Direct delivery to a maildir directory
* Output to standard output

## Multiple mailbox support

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The mail retriever agent may support retrieval of mail from multiple mailboxes simultaneously. This enables a mailserver to have a centrally configured mail retriever agent that runs against a dedicated mail system account, and collects the mail for all users in a single invocation (rather than using cron to run a mail retriever agent against all the mail recipients).

## See also

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* Email agent (infrastructure) (MxA)

## References

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1. ^ "GBdirect — An Overview of Internet Email". ebusiness.gbdirect.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
2. ^ Bergstra, Jan; Burgess, Mark (2011-08-11). Handbook of Network and System Administration. Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-08-055358-0.
3. ^ "GBdirect — An Overview of Internet Email". ebusiness.gbdirect.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
4. ^ MuttWiki: MailConcept

### Bibliography

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* Faircloth, Jeremy (25 Nov 2013). Enterprise Applications Administration: The Definitive Guide to Implementation and Operations. Newnes. ISBN 9780124078871.
* EC-Council (20 Dec 2012). Network Defense: Security and Vulnerability Assessment. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-1435483590.
* Vakali, Athena (30 Sep 2006). Web Data Management Practices: Emerging Techniques and Technologies. Idea Group Inc (IGI). ISBN 9781599042305.
* McBee, Jim (26 Jan 2009). Mastering Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP1. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9780470478141.

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