Reducing Exchange Database File Size for Exchange 2010
I have in the past year inherited some network administration tasks for our business. One of the things that i've come to manage is our alarmingly large 600 GB .edb database file for our exchange server. We have about 250 mailboxes of which I know there are some executive members of the company with mailboxes exceeding 30 GB (they have had these mailboxes for 10 or more years). It's obviously way out of hand and I need to get an idea of what kind of gameplan I should use to reduce this database file as much as possible. I've perused the forums a little bit and I know that I can dismount the database and run eseutil to defrag the database file. My concern with that is how much time it will take. I have the disk space to perform the operation (We have 1.5 TB disk space for this drive alone), but I am concerned that I will take it offline, start the defrag, and then it won't finish in time for business start the following day. I also know that we should be archiving our mailboxes as well, but what is the best way to archive that information which would give the user easy access to older messages if need be? If it helps, we run Exchange 2010 and everyone uses Outlook 2010 for their email. I really just need help in deciding how to go about tackling this monstrous .edb file one step at a time. Thanks.
May 27th, 2011 11:41am

1. You can create another database(s) and move your users across to these databases(s), once moved you can delete the original database. 2. If you do this, it may be worht having mailbox quotos/limits for your users, if not normal users and allow the VIP a resonable amount. Or maybe have a seperate database for your VIP. 3. You can enable Exch archiving and use another databases for this. Then have rentension policies etc.. to archive and retain data for your mailboxes and configure them to fit your requirements http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd979795.aspxSukh
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 27th, 2011 11:48am

Hi, You can choose one of these two options: 1. offline defrag 2. create a new mailbox database and move all the mailbox to the new one and drop the original one.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
May 31st, 2011 2:25am

Agree with Jason. Those are the two best option you have. Cheers,Gulab | MCITP: Exchange 2010 | MCITP: Exchange 2007 | Skype: Gulab.Mallah | Blog: www.ExchangeRanger.blogspot.com
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 31st, 2011 3:06am

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics