Exchange Mailbox Management

[neutec]

Hello All,
I manage a small exchange server. My problem is my users like to keep all emails sent to them. This is resulting in very large mail boxes and is eating up all my hard drive space. What are some good management practices? I would like to set up my server to automatically archive and move email to another drive or tape. Any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[DACOnline]

You should have imposed mailbox limits when the Exchange server was first put in place. However, you can still put mailbox limits in place now. Every version of Exchange that I have used supports putting limits in place (Exchange 5.5 to 2003).

I suggest running mailbox manager to help you out. This all starts with proper support from your management for creating exchange use policies. Unless management wants to pay for more drive space... or additional servers...

You should start capacity planning on your servers now. If you don't get a baseline it will be much harder to justify additional hardware resources.

There are some wonderful solutions for moving your mail to another drive. Called near line storage. a company called KVS is the only one I have delt with. fantastic idea though. Their software/hardware solution can do single instance storage not only across Exchange servers, but also across information stores and file servers. That means that if you have a 20MB file on your file server and you mail that to 20 people in your organization, the 20 MB file is only in one place with pointers everywhere else.

 

[neutec]

is there software that will automatically move mail from a mailbox and archive it

 

[NortonES2]

EAS from Zantaz will automatically archive email for you.

http://www.exchangearchivesolution.com/

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[Marcs41]

There is a cheap (free) way too when handling users.
Fake a server crash now and then for at least 30 minutes, next blame the users again and again for using too much space. Bring it repeatedly to managements attention.

Either no-one cares .. or you get the users to comply, or they invest in upgrades.

Why am I saying this? There is nothing so annoying than users who just will never accept that even technology has limits, and that YOU can only provide them with what you have at your disposal.
All this falls under 'User Education', the soft, or the hard way ;-)

Marc
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[sneekn]

The way I manage their size is create Personal folders and point that folder to your file server, I map a U: drive for every user to keep their crap in. Train them how to Create folders (within personal folders) and move them to it.

It's a simple way if you have a file server big enough.

If not then let them keep getting the System Admin notices until they are locked and cant send or recieve then they will realize it's not you it's the server...

If that doesnt work tellem YOUR FIRED! ;p