IMAP Publication or Email Subscription are not Reading Emails from Gmail

Symptom

When you create an IMAP Publication or Email Subscription and connect to a Gmail account from FME Server, there is a connection error.

E.g. the following error will appear in the IMAP log:

Thu-26-Jun-2014 04:43:36 PM WARN IMAP config: IMAP TEST 809009 : Failed to connect to email "example@gmail.com", please check the configuration and ensure IMAP is enabled in your Email setting.

You may also get an email from Google, stating there had been a blocked attempt to log in to the account.

Cause

By default, Google blocks connections to Gmail from apps using a username and password directly. While this is important for a personal email account, it is acceptable for FME Server to log in to its own service email account using a username and password.

Resolution

If you have Two-factor Authentication enabled (i.e. you need to enter a verification code from your phone to log in to Gmail), it is not possible to allow less secure apps to log in with your regular username and password. Instead, you will need to create an app-specific password for FME Server.

If you do not have Two-factor Authentication enabled, you will need to allow less secure apps to access your Gmail account. You will then be able to connect from FME Server using the regular username and password.