Mail providers and mail sessions

A JavaMail service provider is a driver that supports JavaMail interaction with mail servers using a particular mail protocol. WAS includes service providers, also known as protocol providers, for mail protocols including Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), and Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3).

A mail provider encapsulates a collection of protocol providers. For example, WAS has a built-in mail provider that encompasses the three protocol providers: SMTP, IMAP and POP3. These protocol providers are installed as the default and suffice for most applications.

If you have a particular application that requires custom protocol providers, first follow the steps outlined in the "JavaMail API Design Specification, V1.2, Chapter 5 - The Mail Session" to install your own protocol providers. See the article, Mail: Resources for learning, for a link to this documentation.

Mail sessions are represented by the javax.mail.Session class. A mail Session object authenticates users, and controls users' access to messaging systems.

To create platform-independent applications, use a resource factory reference to create a JavaMail session. A resource factory is an object that provides access to resources in the deployed environment of a program using the naming conventions defined by the Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI).

Ensure that every mail session is defined under a parent mail provider. Select a mail provider first and then create your new mail session.

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See Also

Mail: Resources for learning

 

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