I see the databases have limits of 16tb, and I can have 100 databases. Dumb question then... Is my maximum storage then 1600tb on Exchange Server 2010 Enterprise? Thanks!

Hi Default database size limit for Exchange 2010 Standard Edition is 1024 gigabytes (GB). There is no default database size limit for the Exchange 2010 Enterprise Edition. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb232092.aspx TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.comTerence Yu TechNet Community Support

Is this the way I asked the question or what? I don't get the purpose of replying in such a ridiculous manner at 6:12am on Saturday morning. Anyway... I've heard that an Exchange 2010 Enterprise server itself is limited to 16TB, but I've seen no such documentation. As I tried to say above the documentation states that there is a 16TB limit on the database size, but it also says I can have 100 databases. So, I'll try asking again in more of a multiple choice format. No adding options please. Question: What is the storage limit of an Exchange 2010 Enterprise Server running on Windows 2008R2? A) 1600TB. You can have 100 16TB databases, just like the documentation tried to imply. B) 16TB. Although you can have 100 databases, the sum of their total storage must not exceed 16TB. C) __x__TB. Although you can theoretically have 100 databases, and the database limit itself is 16TB, if your total storage exceeds _x_TB, something bad happens. Answer:

You don't have to get snotty. First, the question you are asking is not what you think you're asking. You're asking for a maximum amount of storage, which is a Windows Server question. Exchange uses storage for databases, transaction logs, and other purposes, and if you need 1600TB of databases, you're going to need some additonal storage above that for transaction logs, other files and overhead. What you're asking is the maximum aggregate database size. I will submit that question isn't terribly useful because one database can't take free space from another database, so whatever the maximum aggregate is, inefficiences in managing the disk utilization will come into play. Further, databases contain recoverable deleted items, recoverable deleted mailboxes and overheads, which don't translate into a useful aggregate mailbox quota. My answer to what you think you're asking would be A assuming that 16TB is the correct maximum database size. Since I've never personally built a server with 100 16TB databases, I can't personally verify that would work. I have tested some very large databases, though, well above an aggregate of 16TB, so I can tell you that your option B is wrong. Ed Crowley MVP "There are seldom good technological solutions to behavioral problems."

I didn't really think my reply was snotty, but really how helpful was "You can have as much storage as you want. But you can only use so much of it." as an answer? The reason I asked the question the way I did was to see if there was an Exchange limitation on the server side. For example, I have a 30tb disk array for db volume on my server, and if I only wanted one database, Exchange is what limits my database to 16tb, not Windows, so that's why I asked the question the way I did. So, your second reply was VERY helpful and I thank you very much for that. I would never build my theoretical silly server either, but I was told that 16tb was an Exchange Server 2010 limit (not just a database limit) and the server I'm looking to build would eventually have about 40tb of just db storage (taking archive storage into account ) and I would need 3 servers if there was a 16tb server limit. This configuration works out ok in the storage calculator, but I'm not sure how I feel about 400gb databases yet.

Hi I just search for your information. Your question is interesting. http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/en-us/licensing-exchange-server-email.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee832792.aspx Exchange 2010 Database size Database size refers to the disk database (.edb) file size. Supported: Approximately 16 terabytes. Best practice: 200 gigabytes (GB) or less. Provision for 120 percent of calculated maximum database size. Supported: Approximately 16 terabytes. Best practice: 2 terabytes or less. Provision for 120 percent of calculated maximum database size. According to license exchange 2003 standard version, I test it. I can create database more 75GB. So I believe this limit is for one database not all database. According to exchange 2010 Storage Configuration document, Database size refers to the disk database (.edb) file size. Lets talk about your question. Option B is incorrect. No one can test option A. 1600TB storage hardware isnt easy to get. In theory, you can build 40TB mailbox role on one exchange 2010 server. But it is hard to say whether you will meet performance. You had better ask local MS sales. - Sync the Mail Box and open the attachmentTerence Yu TechNet Community Support

Hi Ed Thanks for your advice. Ms cusomer support team will gather customer's suggestion and pass them to document and development team. I wish new version of exchange document could offer explaination of this. Terence Yu TechNet Community Support

I would like to note that the suggested 2TB size for databases is based on issues that have cropped up from different companies when exceeding that size. So my recommendations always hinge on the performance tests and then RPO/RTO goals when looking to size databases that large.Jason Apt Microsoft Certified Master | Exchange 2010