Microsoft exchange 2003 mail volume – around 20 clients using Outlook 2003.
we have a Exchange 2003 server setup in our environment and around 20 clients using Outlook 2003. Last week, two clients deleted around 5,000 emails each but it had no effect on exchange data volume.. any idea why is this happening ?
Software/Hardware used:
Software/Hardware used:
ASKED:
May 19, 2008 8:20 AM
UPDATED:
May 21, 2008 1:31 PM
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Answer Wiki:
Deleted items create "white space" in the database. The physical size of the database will not decrease as emails are deleted. This will only happen if you run an offline defragmentation (which you should read up on thoroughly before attempting).
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Lord Voldemort , thanks for replying.
How do we run the offline defragmentation? Is there any link which explains this?
Thanks
Here is a good article to read in preparation for an eseutil offline defrag of your exchange mail store data base.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/192185
Also read this one
Also read this one:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328804
Also, it depends on your tombstone setting, which allows users to recover deleted items. This may be set to 30 days, so the database will not clear the items until then. As the previous answer by Lord Voldermort indicates you will also need to run the offline defrag. Check the procedure on Microsoft TechNet site.
And while keeping the database free from unnecessary email is important, unless it’s approaching the size limit (or disk space limit) this “white space” will be re-used by exchange and shouldn’t need any manual intervention.
Thanks guys for the help guys.. i haven’t tried it yet as it involves shutting down the mailboxes or in another way disconnection of our mail system…
Idl34, where can i find this “tombstone” setting? and can we recover the items which are also deleted from “Deleted items” folder ?
The “tombstone” setting he is referring to is found in the properties of the mail store.
Open ESM on your exchange server, expand first administrative group, then expand your server. Expand each storage group in turn and right-click the mail store. Go to the properties and select the limits tab. On the tab is the limit of how long deleted items are held. I think default is 7 days unless you changed it. That means when you empty the deleted itmes folder, those emails are still available by going to “recover deleted items” for 7 more days from the date of deletion. They are then deleted out of the mail store after the 7th day.