Database cleanup

[joblack23]

I've inherited an exchange 2013 setup. Upon examination of the databases size and location, i noticed that a generic database was setup for several users on the C partition which is taking up some much needed space. I've moved all the mailboxes to a different database and confirm that the C database is empty. However, the space allocated by this folder still shows 12Gigs which I'd like to take back. Can I dismount and remove this database? I move all mailboxes this morning. Should I wait longer?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ntinlin]

You can, but you may find that you have the initial installation mailboxes such as the DiscoverySearchMailbox or arbitration mailboxes present in that database so it won't let you delete it.

Within the Exchange shell run get-mailbox -database dbName

This will show you any remaining mailboxes within the DB.

To move use the following

get-mailbox -Database "SourceDB" | New-MoveRequest -TargetDatabase "TargetDB”
and
get-mailbox -Database "SourceDB" -arbitration| New-MoveRequest -TargetDatabase "TargetDB”

Run the get-mailbox -database dbName again to verify moves complete

Unless you have been using discoverysearch in anger it should be pretty quick

See this article for more info -

https://social.technet.microsoft.co...7692b05549a/move-the-discovery-search-mailbox

 

[joblack23]

Hi there,

Thanks first for your reply. Correct, looks like i still have some arbitration mailboxes (systemailbox, migration, and federatedEmail).

Thanks much. I'll give it a try over the weekend.

 

[ntinlin]

How you get on?

Neill

 

[joblack23]

Hi ntinlin,

I did this last night and surprisingly it went very well. All mailboxes were moved a while back but I've had just a few Arbitration mailboxes left. No public folders. After moving them, it was easy to remove the database. I was able to get back 12Gigs which I wasn't sure where the space came from as the mailboxes combined shows only 300megs. I am not complaining.

Star coming up.

 

[ntinlin]

Probably a lot of white space and database overhead.

Count yourself lucky that you aren't using archiving/stubbing software since Exchange 2010 at least doesn't always convert the emptied pages to white space. Kind of negates the supposed benefit of stubbing.

Neill