The old webmail of the Académie de Bordeaux, hosted on courrier.ac-bordeaux.fr, relies on an aging Sun Java Communications Suite interface. Convergence, the national messaging system deployed by the Ministry of National Education, is gradually replacing this service. The two tools still coexist for some staff, which generates confusion regarding protocols, access, and data continuity.
IMAP and SMTP Protocols: What Changes Between Bordeaux Webmail and Convergence
The old Bordeaux webmail used an IMAP server specific to the academy, with specific connection settings (port, SSL/TLS encryption) that each user had to configure manually on Thunderbird, iOS, or Android. Convergence centralizes IMAP and SMTP servers at the national level, which changes the settings to be entered in any third-party email client.
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In practice, the old settings pointing to courrier.ac-bordeaux.fr no longer work once the account is migrated. Each device must be reconfigured with the new SMTP and IMAP settings provided by the rectorate during the switch. We recommend noting the old settings before migration to quickly identify any issues post-transfer.
A often overlooked point: server-side filtering rules (automatic sorting, forwarding, out-of-office replies) created on the old webmail are not transferred. They must be recreated manually in the Convergence interface.
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SSO Authentication and Arena Portal: Unifying Access
We observe that the most significant distinction between the two systems concerns authentication. The old webmail operated as an isolated service, with its own credentials. Convergence relies on academic SSO, the same identifier that provides access to the Arena portal and the rectorate’s internal applications.
This unification has direct consequences. A staff member who logs into Arena is already authenticated to access Convergence without re-entering their credentials. Conversely, logging out of the Arena portal also closes the Convergence session. This is a notable change in habits for those integrating the differences between webmail and convergence ac Bordeaux into their daily routine, as managing cross-session requires vigilance on shared devices.
The SSO reduces the number of passwords to remember, but it increases the impact of a compromised password. With the old webmail, a password leak only granted access to the messaging system. With Convergence, a compromised identifier opens all Arena services.
Data Transfer During Migration to Convergence
The migration is not just a change of interface. The ministry has published guides to assist with data transfer, but not all elements are automatically migrated.
- The academic directory (institutional contacts, official mailing lists) is natively available in Convergence without any action from the user.
- Personal contacts added manually in the old webmail must be exported in vCard or CSV format, then imported into the Convergence address book.
- Email archives stored on the old webmail’s IMAP server are not systematically transferred. We recommend retrieving messages via a desktop client (Thunderbird) before the account is closed, and then re-uploading them to the new IMAP server.
- Mailing lists managed locally by the academy may need to be recreated if they are not included in the national directory.
Email folders and their hierarchy are not automatically preserved. A user with a detailed organization of their emails should allocate time to rebuild this structure.
Security and Availability: Bordeaux Webmail vs. Convergence
The old Bordeaux webmail displayed a daily maintenance window from midnight to five in the morning, during which access was cut off. Users were then redirected to a third-party email client (Thunderbird, mobile app) to check their emails outside this timeframe.
Convergence removes this constraint. The Convergence messaging system is continuously accessible, without recurring scheduled interruptions. For staff who work irregular hours or check their emails early in the morning, the benefit is tangible.
In terms of security, the transition to academic SSO means that password policies (minimum length, complexity, renewal) are now aligned with those of the Arena portal. The old webmail applied its own policy, which was sometimes less stringent.
- SSO authentication centralizes access management: an account deactivated at the rectorate is immediately locked on Convergence and all related services.
- Sessions expire in a coordinated manner across services, limiting the risk of orphaned sessions on shared devices.
- The encryption of exchanges between the browser and the server follows national standards, whereas the old webmail depended on the academy’s local configuration.
Complementary Digital Tools in Convergence
Beyond pure messaging, Convergence integrates a shared calendar and online storage space. The old Bordeaux webmail also offered a calendar, but without native interoperability with other academic digital tools. In Convergence, synchronization with the calendars of other Education National staff is direct, without manual CalDAV export.
The switch to Convergence is not a simple cosmetic change of interface. It modifies connection protocols, centralizes authentication, and redistributes security responsibilities between the user and the national infrastructure. Staff of the Académie de Bordeaux who have not yet migrated should back up their archives and personal contacts before the old server is permanently shut down.