Archiving in MS Outlook - what's your strategy?

[hubieb]

I'm one of those MS outlook users who NEVER archive. I'm noticing my email getting slower and slower (and bigger and bigger).

What exactly happens to the emails I "archive" in MS Outlook (2003)? What's the point? How much space does it save?

Will these emails still be searchable in that "Lookout" search program? Or are only 'personal folders' searchable?

I have a lot of stuff I'd like to hang onto and still search for if it's ever needed. But my massive email buildup is slowing things down.

Looking for advice,

Hubie the Nubie

What's your best plan for

 

[cheyenne2002]

Did anyone ever give you an answer. I have the same problem here at the office.

Sharon

 

[mofusjtf]

The archive featuer in Outlook simple creates another PST file and moves mail that meets the criteria set by the archive settings to this PST file.

PST file size limitations is 20 GB. You will begin to see performance hits in your Outlook when your primary folders (Inbox, Deleted Items, Sent items) reach 5000 items. You can certain have more than 5000 items in a folder but the program will begin to see performance hits. It works this way with OST files too.

Yes the PST file is searchable so long as Outlook has the file open and you select it as your search location.

If you have Exchange and use Cached mode and really want to archive old mail you can look into something from GFI. They have an archiving program for exchange.

 

[goombawaho]

Depending on your mail volume, I would have something set so that it would archive to another PST file everything older than 6 months or 1 year.

I would name the PST file something like the year (2007 archive.pst or 1stHalf2007.pst) instead of a generic name like "archive". This would make it easier to figure out what e-mail went where.

I would turn OFF the auto-delete feature for items meeting expire criteria unless you really want to whack some email permanently.

Here's a good reference on backing up and archiving (method and strategies).

http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/KIS/docs/outlook/archivebackup-2003.htm

 

[Newposter]

I've found in Outlook 2000 that there are two limitations that will stop you dead - Inbox (and probably other folders) having 16,384 items; and file size of 2 GB (not the 20 GB posted above). I had to delete or move items to be able to receive email again. Yes, archiving creates a separate .pst file.

Newposter
"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment."

 

[jesgfi]

For normal home users, the only approach i see possible is to use the default archive options in outlook itself.

however in an organisation, this issue has to be taken care in a more professional way since e-mail access to old mails is very important and not to forget also the legal aspect of the situation.

various companies offer e-mail archiving software that can reduce reliance on cumbersome, slow and easily corruptable PST files. a simple google search can show you lots of different solutions.

 

[goombawaho]

Outlook 2003 and 2007 have the 20GB PST limit. Earlier versions have less.

 

[58sniper]

That depends on which version of the .pst file you create. You can still create a .pst file in Outlook 2007 that has the 2GB limit.

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Contributing author The Complete Reference: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007

 

[goombawaho]

That would be dumb though wouldn't it and so I'm wondering why anyone would actually do that!?!?