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Post office size limits
- Thread starter sstoppel
- Start date
marvhuffaker
MIS
Depends on how many users you have, but the larger the post office, the longer to run maintenance, restore from backups, etc.. Performance may also take a hit. So that is the consideration.
If I go into a customer and see more than 300GB or so, I start pushing hard for splitting out the PO's or migrating data into an archive system.
Marvin Huffaker, MCNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting, Inc.
A Novell Platinum Partner
If I go into a customer and see more than 300GB or so, I start pushing hard for splitting out the PO's or migrating data into an archive system.
Marvin Huffaker, MCNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting, Inc.
A Novell Platinum Partner
- Thread starter
- #3
marvhuffaker
MIS
100GB isn't that bad but now would be a good time to implement a strategy to curb growth and storage bloat in the post office. Also, just to be clear, 100GB for 20 users is out of control, while the same 100GB for 500 users is not really that bad. It depends a lot on the user base.
However, it's also important to realize that when you have archiving in place, you still have storage requirements and bloat in the archive.. But it takes the bloat out of the live post office and helps it keep running smooth and maintenance can be done quickly.
I like GWArchive from Messaging Architects. We have numerous customers that use it and its great. Gwava has a new product called Retain, but its brand new and I haven't done a lot of testing with it.
Marvin
Marvin Huffaker, MCNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting, Inc.
A Novell Platinum Partner
However, it's also important to realize that when you have archiving in place, you still have storage requirements and bloat in the archive.. But it takes the bloat out of the live post office and helps it keep running smooth and maintenance can be done quickly.
I like GWArchive from Messaging Architects. We have numerous customers that use it and its great. Gwava has a new product called Retain, but its brand new and I haven't done a lot of testing with it.
Marvin
Marvin Huffaker, MCNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting, Inc.
A Novell Platinum Partner
goombawaho
MIS
What I liked to do is the following. Create a restore area for groupwise on another volume (or even another server). You could load a PC as a server if you wanted to to save on hardware costs.
Then copy the entire post office over to that volume per the restore area instructions and set up rights as needed for the users.
Then we did an EXPIRE/REDUCE event. We started by telling the users well ahead of time that on a certain date, any mail older than XXX days will be deleted. But we told them that those messages would be available in the restore area, which they can view any time they like from their GW client.
Now the real idea behind the restore area is to let users restore messages from a restored copy of the post office, BUT if you name the folder that the restore area is in greater than 8 characters, the USER CANNOT RESTORE to their mailbox. This makes it a read only archive area so the user can see their old e-mails, the mail will be off the main volume/mailbox server, and the user cannot restore to their live mailbox.
Then you can decide how long to keep the PO folder (maybe keep it forever, 6 months, 6 months and then onto tape/DVD) whatever you want. It covers you in terms of freeing up disk space and setting some limits on users so they get used to limits, but it won't make them mad due to "losing" emails and you won't have to get mail back for the big boss or anyone else - they can do it for themselves.
This was one of my best brainstorms back when I implemented it. What do you think Marv????
Then copy the entire post office over to that volume per the restore area instructions and set up rights as needed for the users.
Then we did an EXPIRE/REDUCE event. We started by telling the users well ahead of time that on a certain date, any mail older than XXX days will be deleted. But we told them that those messages would be available in the restore area, which they can view any time they like from their GW client.
Now the real idea behind the restore area is to let users restore messages from a restored copy of the post office, BUT if you name the folder that the restore area is in greater than 8 characters, the USER CANNOT RESTORE to their mailbox. This makes it a read only archive area so the user can see their old e-mails, the mail will be off the main volume/mailbox server, and the user cannot restore to their live mailbox.
Then you can decide how long to keep the PO folder (maybe keep it forever, 6 months, 6 months and then onto tape/DVD) whatever you want. It covers you in terms of freeing up disk space and setting some limits on users so they get used to limits, but it won't make them mad due to "losing" emails and you won't have to get mail back for the big boss or anyone else - they can do it for themselves.
This was one of my best brainstorms back when I implemented it. What do you think Marv????
marvhuffaker
MIS
That's an interesting strategy.
Marvin Huffaker, MCNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting, Inc.
A Novell Platinum Partner
Marvin Huffaker, MCNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting, Inc.
A Novell Platinum Partner
goombawaho
MIS
Yep - I fought with post office/mailbox bloating for a long time and this was a great way to make mail available but take it out of the main GW system. Everybody was better off and nobody was TOO ticked off.
One thing for sure, unless you have legal mail retention requirements (and in that case you should have an mail archival system that sits in FRONT of the user), you have to have a mailbox size limit policy by size or by date of item. Or else your going to get eaten alive by disk space utilization.
One thing for sure, unless you have legal mail retention requirements (and in that case you should have an mail archival system that sits in FRONT of the user), you have to have a mailbox size limit policy by size or by date of item. Or else your going to get eaten alive by disk space utilization.
goombawaho
MIS
You have a lean post office but ticked off users - that's one option for sure. I had whiny/wimpy IT management that was scared to tick off a single user, so no go on that "rough treatment" of users.
ha, I got 6 users with 100 gig. One of the people has 40 gig herself. The person who build the system forgot disk space quotas and now I have to manage this beast. That god groupwise is so stable. Exchange would not even load under these conditions. I am in the process of archiving like crazy.
marvhuffaker
MIS
With GroupWise 7 and below, you can't even set size restrictions higher than 4gb.
With GroupWise 8 (currently in beta), its much more flexible and the restrictions can go up to 100's of GB per user.
Marvin Huffaker, MCNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting, Inc.
A Novell Platinum Partner
With GroupWise 8 (currently in beta), its much more flexible and the restrictions can go up to 100's of GB per user.
Marvin Huffaker, MCNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting, Inc.
A Novell Platinum Partner
goombawaho
MIS
All companies should have a mail retention policy, both for legal reasons and for system admin reasons. The days of uncontrolled mailboxes should be over.
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