OST Proposal

[m1ke323]

I am trying to get my company to switch to OST files becuase currently we are using PST's on a network share. I know that is very bad, but there is not much we can do right now.

Long story short though, these PSTs over the network shares are causing our file servers to run out of nonPaged memory. When researching solutions, I came across OST files. Now the only problem I can think of with switching to OSTs is the increased time for DR. Is there a way to backup exchange while excluding the users OST files?

Also any resources for OST vs PST files you can point me to would be greatly appreciated, I need a lot of leverage to convince my team to undergo this conversion.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[58sniper]

Now the only problem I can think of with switching to OSTs is the increased time for DR. Is there a way to backup exchange while excluding the users OST files?

Backups of Exchange have nothing to do with .ost files. An .ost file is nothing more than a local copy of what's in their Exchange mailbox.

To get rid of the .pst files, the mail inside them has to be moved back into Exchange (and thus, into their .ost files). But it stays within Exchange.

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

 

[m1ke323]

Alright, but wouldn't throwing all the mail into Exchange (I understand it isn't an .ost in Exchange) still dramatically increase DR time?

 

[58sniper]

Not if you're properly configured for DR. That's an entirely different conversation.

There is no DR for .pst files, since they aren't supported (and strenuously recommended against) putting them on a network share.

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

 

[m1ke323]

Adding a few thousand users to Exchange and all their email, will dramatically increase back up and DR time no matter how you slice it? Where does the properly configured come in? Am I missing something here?

The main reason my company doesn't want to switch right now is becuase adding all the users to Exchange and their email will increase the backup time and DR time 100 fold.

 

[m1ke323]

Also, is there a reference you can point me to that would help with backup and recovery of a huge Exchange server?

 

[m1ke323]

Thanks for the help guys, it looks like we are going to go with Symantec EV instead of switching everyone purely to cached mode.