email apps through VPN

I have both Mac Mail and AirMail / Spark set up on my Mac, which add a lot of functionality. Other posts have led me to believe these email clients don't necessarily route through the VPN. The company's apps are loaded from Citrix Web Interface available subsequent to logging in (including web browser, webmail and Citrix Viewer) with a VIP token, but the email apps are based on my drive.

The Citrix Web interface is an SSL VPN that, as you know, through a web-based interface. This is different than remote access VPN that uses a dedicated VPN client. Both create secure tunnels, but the SSL VPN work using a web browser instead of a client ... and that means, other non-web-based apps would to be able to use this same tunnel.

I would suggest that you contact your company's IT support folks to see if they offer another non-SSL VPN service that you can connect to.

Again, as far as mail, is your goal to just access your company's email server OR to do both that and access your private email accounts while connected to the company network?

If your employer requires that your Mac uses a VPN connection to their facility any app on that Mac that needs to communicate with the Internet will go through that VPN tunnel, and most likely, through a company Proxy Server to the Internet. This would include accessing email using an email client or a web browser.

The issue will be is the email you are referring to your company’s email or other email services, like iCloud, Google, Hotmail, etc.? Also, I am assuming that you are at a remote location from your company and thus why you are using a VPN to connect into their network ... correct?

If you use a VPN to the same server everytime it should not create problems, but when you change the Country/Server in the VPN, you better quit the Mail app first and reopen again when you are connected to the new server location:

a switch in location this fast will be seen by most mail providers as an illegal login by an intruder (Hotmail, gmail, and such) and they will close the connection and send you emails to change your password and so on...

Then, per your original post, you will be limited by what your company's IT department policies allow ... most likely, based on their security requirements that limit non-company equipment access to their network services.

vpn is your end is just a client it connects to a vpn server which is something your company has to setup and maintain just you installing something on your computer will not make that happen.