[VM] strange imap error

[emacs user]

hi all,

I am suddenly getting some error message which I don't know how to
deal with.  this has nothing to do with vm, I think.  perhaps some
change in the imap server although our IT folks claim nothing
changed.  the error message is:

Checking for new mail for /Users/me/INBOX
vm-imap-protocol-error: IMAP protocol error: "No response from the
IMAP server"

and a debug buffer shows this:

Starting IMAP over SSL session Mon Mar 21 16:31:07 2011
-- connecting to imap.server.name:993
* OK The Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 service is ready.
-- connected for movemail
VM CAPABILITY

Process IMAP over SSL finished

would anyone happen know what could be the issue?  I tried several vm
versions and a couple of emacs versions, all on a mac.  the one thing
that did change is that I may have updated gnutls and such via
porticus (mac ports)...  thanks!  E