Hi All I have a server which is running Exchange 2003 Standard with SP2 where the database files are: priv1.edb = 49 GB priv1.stm = 25 GB Can I just clarify the 75GB limit that is on the standard edition. Is that 75GB with both the edb and stm put together or is it seperate. We run the mailbox management process on a sunday evening. What exactly will happen once the limit has been reached? I know in the past we have had the store go offline. Is this all that will happen. I have had a look at our environment and email is now available to more users than ever. We have grown an extra 100 users in the space of 3 months. Currently this server is a VM inside an ESX4 cluster. Its a Windows Server 2003 Standard edition (32bit only) and I am concisious that exchange by defulat consumes all the memory which is has already done. I know I can't expand the memory unless 64 bit is installed but want to refrain from doing this as it would make more sense to upgrade. The issue is the cost of 100 or so licenses which are still 2003 licenses and would need to be upgraded. I also notice a lot of spikes on CPU usage which on occasions I have seen between 75% and 90%. I want any ammunitation you folks can give to make a case for us to upgrade to Exchange 2010. Any thoughts are welcome... Thanks

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998066(EXCHG.65).aspx See the section: Behavior When the Configured Database Size Limit or Licensed Database Size Limit Are Reached The store is the edb and stm together. Exchange 2003 isnt supported on vmware and is out of mainstream support so that is good enough reason to upgrade!

But it still is in an extended support phase till 2014. I am not arguing with you but I know that is what my manager will say.

If are constantly pushing the standard limit, then you need to either upgrade to Enterprise, add another server or migrate to 2010. I dont think thats enough to convince your boss though. :) 2010 of course will allow you take advantage of the built replication and high availibility. That alone is worth it IMO.

If your DB are hitting the limit, then your stores will dismount. So downtime for users, seems like more people have started to use Exch therefore the service you proide will be more critical, so end user experience should be better and productivity. Outages normally (in my experience) mean financial loss. If yu company isnt concerned about that then guess it doesnt matter. You have a single point of failure, Exch 2010 has many new features. Even though Exch 2003 is still supported, you wont get any security updates for any news threats or SP. Sukh

Actually, with extended support you do get security hotfixes. What you dont get is non-security realted hotfixes unless you are an agreement with Microsoft.

Security fixes which address Exchange or Windows? Dont think you will for ExchSukh

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998066(EXCHG.65).aspx See the section: Behavior When the Configured Database Size Limit or Licensed Database Size Limit Are Reached The store is the edb and stm together. Exchange 2003 isnt supported on vmware and is out of mainstream support so that is good enough reason to upgrade!

Either or both. Extended Support means security fixes. http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy http://blogs.technet.com/b/lifecycle/archive/2008/03/17/extended-support-for-business-and-developer-products.aspx

If your DB are hitting the limit, then your stores will dismount. So downtime for users, seems like more people have started to use Exch therefore the service you proide will be more critical, so end user experience should be better and productivity. Outages normally (in my experience) mean financial loss. If yu company isnt concerned about that then guess it doesnt matter. You have a single point of failure, Exch 2010 has many new features. Even though Exch 2003 is still supported, you wont get any security updates for any news threats or SP. Sukh

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Thanks for all the replies. This can be closed now. Useful feedback for me to discuss with the company.