Exchange Server Forums

Avoid Offline Defarg... An alternate wayout!

Users viewing this topic: none

Logged in as: Guest

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Microsoft Exchange 2003] >> Information Stores >> Avoid Offline Defarg... An alternate wayout!

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Avoid Offline Defarg... An alternate wayout! - 10.May2007 6:28:44 AM

vsin11

Posts: 179
Joined: 2.Apr.2007
Status: offline

While going for an offline defragentation, there are many concerns like large database size. The approximate speed by which offline defrag runs is 6-7GB/Hour. This can result in a huge amount of downtime considering large database size.

An alternate way of removing the fragmented space from the database with very less downtime is to move mailboxed out of the mailbox store to the new one. Here are the steps:

1)      1) Moving all mailboxes from MBX store1 to MBX store2
2)      2) Deleting MBX store1
3)      3) Recreating a blank MBX store1
4)      4) Moving mailboxes back from MBX store2 to MBX store1

      Here we�re actually talking about a complete new MBX store1 and it will have no whitespaces. Hence moving mailboxes from MBX store2 to this new MBX store1, you avoid an offline defrag on MBX store1.

_____________________________

Vinay Pal Singh
http://smarthost.blogspot.com

Post #: 1

Featured Links*

RE: Avoid Offline Defarg... An alternate wayout! - 10.May2007 11:26:43 AM

fullman

Posts: 23
Joined: 26.Jul.2005
From: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Status: offline

Thanks for this... I'm actually facing a problem now where the main system drive (that has the information stores) has 10gb remaining, and the backup drive/archive information store has 35gb remaining.

In the article explaining an offline defrag, it says to make sure I have 110% free disk space per information store, which means I'd have to have 37.5gb free on the main drive.

I had my employees archive all their email (we've never had to enforce that policy before as we were a small company), so the actual mailbox space would be a lot less than 25gb, but Exchange isn't reducing the database size at all.

If I use the method you explained above, I won't have to worry about that 110% free space because I'm simply moving mailboxes around, right?

(in reply to vsin11)

Post #: 2

RE: Avoid Offline Defarg... An alternate wayout! - 11.May2007 12:22:47 AM

vsin11

Posts: 179
Joined: 2.Apr.2007
Status: offline

Yes, if you follow this method you dont have to worry for 110% free space.

Alternatively if you still want to do offline defrag, it is not necessary that you need to have 110% free space in the same drive as information store reside. You can have that in any drive and use that to create the temp file by using /t switch with eseutil command.
So in your case, you can have the temp file created in your backup drive while doing offline defrag. e.g. eseutil /d <database edb> /t <temp edb>

The first method of moving mailbox to another newly created mailbox store will work as good.

Thanks.

_____________________________

Vinay Pal Singh
http://smarthost.blogspot.com

(in reply to fullman)

Post #: 3