STM and EDB and free white space remain the same after mailboxes delet

[mjtvillanova]

Hello,

We have one exchange server with one data store. I asked users to
delete old e-mails and I purged old accounts. Roughly 20GB of data was
removed.

I also did the following in exchange:

1) Right-click Mailbox Store, select Properties, select Limits tab. I
changed Deletion settings for "Keep Deleted items" and "Keep Deleted
Mailboxes" to 0 days.

2) Right-click Mailbox Store, select Properties, select Databases tab.
I increased the "Maintenance Interval Window" to 7PM to 7AM.

What i've noticed:

1) Event ID 1221 has not changed. The daily report is as follows:

The database "First Storage Group\Public Folder Store (CUNJ-
EXCHANGE1)" has 41 megabytes of free space after online
defragmentation has terminated.

2) In ESM under Mailbox Store -> Mailboxes the mailboxes I purged are
gone and the Size in KB of everyone's mailbox is 10-30% smaller.



Here are some other event logs for your convience in order and they
happen daily:


Event Type: Warning
Event Source: MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store
Event Category: MTA Connections
Event ID: 2000
Date: 1/28/2009
Time: 2:46:26 AM
User: N/A
Computer: CUNJ-EXCHANGE1
Description:
Verify that the Microsoft Exchange MTA service has started.
Consecutive ma-open calls are failing with error 3051.

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store
Event Category: MTA Connections
Event ID: 2000
Date: 1/28/2009
Time: 2:46:54 AM
User: N/A
Computer: CUNJ-EXCHANGE1
Description:
Verify that the Microsoft Exchange MTA service has started.
Consecutive ma-open calls are failing with error 3051.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: MSExchangeIS Public Store
Event Category: General
Event ID: 1221
Date: 1/28/2009
Time: 3:15:00 AM
User: N/A
Computer: CUNJ-EXCHANGE1
Description:
The database "First Storage Group\Public Folder Store (CUNJ-
EXCHANGE1)" has 41 megabytes of free space after online
defragmentation has terminated.


Event Type: Information
Event Source: ESE
Event Category: Online Defragmentation
Event ID: 701
Date: 1/28/2009
Time: 3:15:00 AM
User: N/A
Computer: CUNJ-EXCHANGE1
Description:
Information Store (4020) First Storage Group: Online defragmentation
has completed a full pass on database 'D:\Program Files\Exchsrvr
\mdbdata\pub1.edb'.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: ESE
Event Category: Online Defragmentation
Event ID: 700
Date: 1/28/2009
Time: 3:15:00 AM
User: N/A
Computer: CUNJ-EXCHANGE1
Description:
Information Store (4020) First Storage Group: Online defragmentation
is beginning a full pass on database 'D:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\mdbdata
\pub1.edb'.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: MSExchangeIS Public Store
Event Category: General
Event ID: 1221
Date: 1/28/2009
Time: 4:15:00 AM
User: N/A
Computer: CUNJ-EXCHANGE1
Description:
The database "First Storage Group\Public Folder Store (CUNJ-
EXCHANGE1)" has 41 megabytes of free space after online
defragmentation has terminated.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: ESE
Event Category: Online Defragmentation
Event ID: 701
Date: 1/28/2009
Time: 4:15:00 AM
User: N/A
Computer: CUNJ-EXCHANGE1
Description:
Information Store (4020) First Storage Group: Online defragmentation
has completed a full pass on database 'D:\Program Files\Exchsrvr
\mdbdata\pub1.edb'.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: ESE
Event Category: Online Defragmentation
Event ID: 700
Date: 1/28/2009
Time: 4:15:00 AM
User: N/A
Computer: CUNJ-EXCHANGE1
Description:
Information Store (4020) First Storage Group: Online defragmentation
is beginning a full pass on database 'D:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\mdbdata
\pub1.edb'.






Why is the STM database still at 20GB and the EDB database at 30GB?

THANK YOU!

 

[Zelandakh]

Because online defrag of the mailbox store isn't completing, only for public store.

 

[Zelandakh]

Is this an SBS box? Have you ever had Exchange 5.5 in your org?

Look at Exchange MTA service. Is it running, is it set to disabled or what?

Once you fix that MTA event 2000 problem, Exchange will do an online defrag and show a 1221 with loads of space and you can eseutil /d to free up the space.

Do you have enough disk space? One cause of this error is low disk space. You'll need at least 55GB free if you want to offline defrag.

 

[xmsre]

Almost Zelandakh,

I agree that they need to fix the MTA issue first.

Once that's fixed, you will end up with a boat load of free space within your database. The question is should you delete it or will it simply be reused. So,

1. Do you have mailbox limits in your environment. If you don't don't bother clearing the whitespace.

2. Are you anticipating increasing mailbox limits? If so, don't bother deleting the whitespace.

3. Do you anticipate increasing the number of mailboxes in your environment? If so, don't bother deleting the freespace.

If you currently have mailbox limts (not warnings), are not anticipating increasing those limits, and do not anticipate adding users, then the next question is what version of Exchange are you running? If you are running 2003 enterprisem then use movemailbox to a new store. If you are using SBS or 2003 standard, then you may begin the process of considering the impact of an offline defrag.

 

[Zelandakh]

True enough xmsre. MJT should review all of those points.

I was going on the 20GB cleared in a store that appears to be 50GB and was assuming that the point was to reclaim space on disk because there was a need.

I agree with my learned colleague xmsre, only reclaim the space if the reason is right. Don't do it just for the sake of it.