The_Unbeliever
Honorary Master
For all those of you wanting to implement Exchange 2003 in your environment, please do take note of the following caveats :
1. There IS a file size limit of 16Gb on the mail server's database. Which means should the file limit exceeds 16Gb, you won't be able to connect to the Exchange server via Outlook. There are three ways to bypass this limitations, the one is to add an entry to the Registry, allowing a maximum size limit of 17Gb, but only for emergencies. The other is to install SP2 - this will allow you 18Gb up to 72Gb with a registry hack. You should read the M$ documentation BEFORE proceeding with those steps. The third is to cough up for Exchange 2003 Enterprise.
2. Enforce mailbox size limits - this is highly recommended.
3. Create a PST file for local mail storage on the users' own computers.
4. Read deployment documentation and make sure you UNDERSTAND what's going on before rushing off to install Exchange 2003 on your server. There are LOTS of issues that you should know BEFORE installation. The guys who've installed Exchange neglected to do this.
5. Partition size - rule of thumb for the Exchange partition size - Database size twice plus extra 500Mb for log files. Which means, 34Gb (twice 17Gb) plus extra 500Mb equals to 34500Mb (or 34.5Gb). Make it 40Gb in size or larger just to be on the safe side. (Should you use Exchange Enterprise, increase the partition size as well). I had to map a network drive and defrag the database to my workstation because of space constraints on the file server. Not very nice. And while you're at it, put it on its own partition, not on the Windows partition, or on any other shared partition, to avoid disk space issues. (The idea is to think ahead and ensure that you have got enough disk space in order to do maintenance).
Trust me, I've learnt the hard way.
Our Exchange 2003 was installed - without any mailbox size limitations. The database bombed out last week, the database file just disappeared, and it was a painful restoration process - we had to get a technician out to fix the problems we've had with the server. Then, recently it bombed out again. This time the file size was 16Gb, and the store was not mounting at all. Luckily I could get it to mount (after applying the temporary fix from Microsoft), and deleted a few of the fattest mailboxes I could find. Then, I mapped a network drive in order to defrag the database. All in all it was a lot of wasted time which could have been prevented by the use of mailbox size limit enforcement.
Hope this will help if you're planning on an Exchange 2003 deployment.
Regards
Librarian
/edit : Was in a funk yesterday, used Mb instead of Gb... <doh> thanks goes to Claymore who've pointed it out...
1. There IS a file size limit of 16Gb on the mail server's database. Which means should the file limit exceeds 16Gb, you won't be able to connect to the Exchange server via Outlook. There are three ways to bypass this limitations, the one is to add an entry to the Registry, allowing a maximum size limit of 17Gb, but only for emergencies. The other is to install SP2 - this will allow you 18Gb up to 72Gb with a registry hack. You should read the M$ documentation BEFORE proceeding with those steps. The third is to cough up for Exchange 2003 Enterprise.
2. Enforce mailbox size limits - this is highly recommended.
3. Create a PST file for local mail storage on the users' own computers.
4. Read deployment documentation and make sure you UNDERSTAND what's going on before rushing off to install Exchange 2003 on your server. There are LOTS of issues that you should know BEFORE installation. The guys who've installed Exchange neglected to do this.
5. Partition size - rule of thumb for the Exchange partition size - Database size twice plus extra 500Mb for log files. Which means, 34Gb (twice 17Gb) plus extra 500Mb equals to 34500Mb (or 34.5Gb). Make it 40Gb in size or larger just to be on the safe side. (Should you use Exchange Enterprise, increase the partition size as well). I had to map a network drive and defrag the database to my workstation because of space constraints on the file server. Not very nice. And while you're at it, put it on its own partition, not on the Windows partition, or on any other shared partition, to avoid disk space issues. (The idea is to think ahead and ensure that you have got enough disk space in order to do maintenance).
Trust me, I've learnt the hard way.
Our Exchange 2003 was installed - without any mailbox size limitations. The database bombed out last week, the database file just disappeared, and it was a painful restoration process - we had to get a technician out to fix the problems we've had with the server. Then, recently it bombed out again. This time the file size was 16Gb, and the store was not mounting at all. Luckily I could get it to mount (after applying the temporary fix from Microsoft), and deleted a few of the fattest mailboxes I could find. Then, I mapped a network drive in order to defrag the database. All in all it was a lot of wasted time which could have been prevented by the use of mailbox size limit enforcement.
Hope this will help if you're planning on an Exchange 2003 deployment.
Regards
Librarian
/edit : Was in a funk yesterday, used Mb instead of Gb... <doh> thanks goes to Claymore who've pointed it out...
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