How to archive IMAP emails?

[SoftDux]

Hi,

We acquired a client with 2 mailboxes containing 10GB and 12GB emails each. Email archiving wasn't enabled on his account on the other server. Since he uses IMAP and has various folders in his mailbox, Outlook 365 doesn't archive all the folders automatically.

Does anyone know how to manually archive all the folders as well?

 

[SS-Maddy]

Hello @SoftDux

If you want to archive the folders for migrating the mails, I would suggest Imap-sync ? That could be an option. You can follow this Install document. Even otherwise, you can migrate and tar the mails.

https://imapsync.lamiral.info/INSTALL.d/INSTALL.Centos.txt

An easy, but four year old document for doing the mail sync can be seen at our site as well - supportsages.com/imapsync-on-centos/
IMAPsync install on CentOS | Sync mails between two servers - Command syntax there would be helpful as I couldn't find the same in the INSTALL doc.

imapsync --host1 xx.xx.xx.xx [Source Host Name] --user1 [email protected] [User Name on Source Server] --password1 xxxxx [Password on Source Server] --host2 xx.xx.xx.xx [Destination Host Name] --user2 [email protected] [User Name on Destination Serer] --password2 xxxx [password on Destination Server]

 

[cPanelLauren]

Hello @SoftDux

Does cPanel's Email Archiving not work for you? Archive - Version 74 Documentation - cPanel Documentation

 

[SoftDux]

Hello @SoftDux

Does cPanel's Email Archiving not work for you? Archive - Version 74 Documentation - cPanel Documentation[/QUOTE


You can't enable email archiving on existing IMAP mails, so, no it doesn't work for me.

 

[SoftDux]

Hello @SoftDux

If you want to archive the folders for migrating the mails, I would suggest Imap-sync ? That could be an option. You can follow this Install document. Even otherwise, you can migrate and tar the mails.

https://imapsync.lamiral.info/INSTALL.d/INSTALL.Centos.txt

An easy, but four year old document for doing the mail sync can be seen at our site as well - supportsages.com/imapsync-on-centos/
IMAPsync install on CentOS | Sync mails between two servers - Command syntax there would be helpful as I couldn't find the same in the INSTALL doc.

imapsync --host1 xx.xx.xx.xx [Source Host Name] --user1 [email protected] [User Name on Source Server] --password1 xxxxx [Password on Source Server] --host2 xx.xx.xx.xx [Destination Host Name] --user2 [email protected] [User Name on Destination Serer] --password2 xxxx [password on Destination Server]

I need to archive it, offline, for in-case the user needs an email in the next 10 years. We need to keep company emails, by law, for 10 years. So imapsync won't help much as I have nowhere to sync it to. The user doesn't want to pay a monthly/yearly fee for server, if it could possibly backed up to a external HDD for later retrieval.

 

[cPanelLauren]

Hello @SoftDux

I believe you're incorrect as to cPanel's email archival. Please have a look at the documentation here: Archive - Version 76 Documentation - cPanel Documentation

cPanel's email archiving will most definitely work with IMAP and allow you to download locally eliminating the use of a 3rd party application.


Thank you.

 

[SoftDux]

Hello @SoftDux

I believe you're incorrect as to cPanel's email archival. Please have a look at the documentation here: Archive - Version 76 Documentation - cPanel Documentation

cPanel's email archiving will most definitely work with IMAP and allow you to download locally eliminating the use of a 3rd party application.


Thank you.

No, Lauren, I already use the archive on other accounts. It doesn't archive old / existing emails on the server, only new mails

 

[SoftDux]

So I take it this is not possible at all?

 

[cPanelLauren]

Hello @SoftDux


The Email Archiving is going to only work on present mail to retain it for a specified time. If you're looking for a different functionality than this I'd suggest opening a feature request using the link in my signature.

 

[SoftDux]

Hello @SoftDux


The Email Archiving is going to only work on present mail to retain it for a specified time. If you're looking for a different functionality than this I'd suggest opening a feature request using the link in my signature.

Hi Lauren,

Yes, I know that. But I need to archive existing emails which is not in the archive. Opening a feature request won't help at all since it could literally take years, or possibly never, before you guys decide to implement it. At which point the client would have moved to another service provider already.

 

[cPanelLauren]

Hi @SoftDux


It isn't something built in right now but couldn't you keep the older emails as part of a backup saved to disk offline, and proceed with archiving the newer ones? It's not specifically "Archiving' for the older email but it would allow the ability to maintain them as well as proceed with archival on newer email.

 

[SoftDux]

Hi @SoftDux


It isn't something built in right now but couldn't you keep the older emails as part of a backup saved to disk offline, and proceed with archiving the newer ones? It's not specifically "Archiving' for the older email but it would allow the ability to maintain them as well as proceed with archival on newer email.

Well I (the client) need to download the old mail off the server to free up some space. Outlook 365 doesn't have this option and I see no option to do it in Horde/ Squirrel Mail / etc either.

 

[cPanelLauren]

Hi @SoftDux


Setting up a POP3 account in any mail client would allow you to download mail locally. Also, remember a backup of the account would contain all the account's mail. You could create a backup then download that backup locally and you'd have the site, databases and mail.