Store keeps dismounting, culling emails doesn't free up space. 1

[1DMF]

Hi,

Our exchange store is over 50GB and has started to dismount itself.

I cannot increase the allotted size as there is no disk space available.

So I was told if I deleted emails from mailboxes (don't worry we backed them up to .PST first!), that the space would be accounted for and stop the constant dismount.

However, it doesn't seem to have made a difference, the SBS report in the morning is still saying

Exchange store 'First Storage Group\Mailbox Store (OURSEREVER)': The logical size of this database (the logical size equals the physical size of the .edb file and the .stm file minus the logical free space in each) is 51 GB. This database size has exceeded the size limit of 50 GB. This database will be dismounted immediately. For more information, click

http://www.microsoft.com/contentredirect.asp.

Yet we deleted 10GB's worth of emails, so why hasn't the store shrunk or the additonal logical free space being taken into account?

Thanks,
1DMF.



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[58sniper]

This has been discussed here many times. Deleting mail messages doesn't automatically make the .edb file smaller.

Reduce the Deleted Item Retention Time to 0 days.
Delete old mail and empty the deleted items folder.
Wait for the maintenance cycle to run (usually runs at night).

At that point, you should see the .edb file smaller. You'll also see a 1221 event log entry showing how much white space you have in the database. Take the size of the .edb file, subtract the whitespace, and that's how much data you have.

Don't listen to some people who say to do an offline defrag. That won't get you ANYTHING.

Also - if the .edb file outgrew the physical space available, that's poor planning. You should set the mailbox limits as such that they can't cumulatively exceed the space avaialble.

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[1DMF]

Thanks Pat,

So i need to reduce the retention, that's the key.

I was told only a defrag would realise the space, but I'm gald if that isn't the case as we do not have enough disk space to do a defrag!

I'll drop the retention and see how we get on.

Much obliged, 1DMF.

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[58sniper]

Yeah, a defrag will reclaim the space on the disk. But having whitespace isn't bad, as the server will reuse that for new data.

What's really important is that mailbox limits be set so that the array can't run out of space. Because that could be a VERY bad thing. That's one thing you should accept without having to "live it".

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[1DMF]

Nice one Pat, all is well again with exchange, well we still have no disk space and can't defrag to reclaim it, but at least exchange has room for more emails.

Many thanks.

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[58sniper]

Defragging isn't really the answer that most people think it is. As I mentioned above, Exchange will reuse that space. So, unless you're positive that you'll NEVER use that space again, such is a corporate downsizing/reduction of employees, and the space is greater than, say, 30% of the .edb file size, I wouldn't worry about it. Defragging requires a considerable amount of system resources to run, and requires the database to be offline. So there is an impact to your users and organization.

Glad it's working for you. Time to plan that Exchange 2010 migration....

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[1DMF]

yup, I see the upgrade on the horizon now!

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