matanguay
asked on
Transfering the MS Exchange DB from Drive C to Drive D
Hi,
I have known for a while that my MS Exchange db had to be moved, but I posponed as much as I could, to avoid potential problems that could occur from doing so.
The setup was done prior to me being hired here, and the guy before me, not knowing what he was doing, setup the Ms Exchange DB on the C drive, with only a few gigs free and let the D and E drive empty with 50 gig free each.
I now have only 5 gig left on my C drive and need to move my DB.
I will obviously start with an offline backup of the Exchange DB, then move the file using the ms tools, then turn the services back online. I looked up other places and found some info on how to do it, but I prefer to ask the EE community to get a good feeling on how to do it.
What I need help with is this :
What is the Ms command to move the Exchange db and what security precautions should I take, and is there any verifications I need to do after moving it ?
Thanks !
I have known for a while that my MS Exchange db had to be moved, but I posponed as much as I could, to avoid potential problems that could occur from doing so.
The setup was done prior to me being hired here, and the guy before me, not knowing what he was doing, setup the Ms Exchange DB on the C drive, with only a few gigs free and let the D and E drive empty with 50 gig free each.
I now have only 5 gig left on my C drive and need to move my DB.
I will obviously start with an offline backup of the Exchange DB, then move the file using the ms tools, then turn the services back online. I looked up other places and found some info on how to do it, but I prefer to ask the EE community to get a good feeling on how to do it.
What I need help with is this :
What is the Ms command to move the Exchange db and what security precautions should I take, and is there any verifications I need to do after moving it ?
Thanks !
ASKER
version is 2003 .. sorry about that
ASKER
I want to transfer the whole thing.
What is the folder containing the db again .. I don't remember.
What file verification should I do after doing so ? .. should I defragment .. since it was never done in over a year ...
What is the folder containing the db again .. I don't remember.
What file verification should I do after doing so ? .. should I defragment .. since it was never done in over a year ...
ok, several of the links i posted were for 2000, but it's the same process. i believe the petri link even says 2000/2003. I've done this many times myself with no issues.
Kris.
Kris.
read through the articles i posted, when you look in the ESM at the place where you'll actually tell the file to move you'll see it's path. as for where you're moving it to, it can go anywhere on the D: you'd like it to go. I usually do D:\Exchsrvr\database name as my standard.
as for file verification, if the stores mount and you can access you're mail that's pretty much all the verification you need.
as for defragmenting, how large is your store?
Kris.
as for file verification, if the stores mount and you can access you're mail that's pretty much all the verification you need.
as for defragmenting, how large is your store?
Kris.
ASKER
it is about 5 gig
the EDB file is about 5gig and the STM file is about 1.5gigs
What do you suggest ?
the EDB file is about 5gig and the STM file is about 1.5gigs
What do you suggest ?
how many users do you have on the system?
ASKER
employees : 40
mailboxes : total of 85 (a lot of public mailboxes for our online business website ...)
mailboxes : total of 85 (a lot of public mailboxes for our online business website ...)
ASKER
its not that much but users are starting to use Exchange to store everything and the do not delete their emails anymore .. .. some **** happened and they prefered to keep everything instead of deleting as they come ...
well, that might be fine for now, but that's going to cause big problems down the road. performance will start to decrease, Outlook will take forever to open, etc.
also, with no mail limits you leave yourself prone to more damage if a virus happens to get loose in your mail system. i would work immediately with senior mgmt to develop a comprehensive mail usage and storage policy that includes mailbox size limits. even if the limit is 1 gig, a high limit is better than no limit at all. then work on training to show people how to delete their sent items, deleted items, save large attachments, etc. remember, it costs money to store this stuff. also remember that recovery time is directly related to database size.
another thing to consider, if you're working with the standard version of Exchange you have a database size limit of 16 gigs. If you hit this limit (edb and stm combined, i think), your database will shut down.
but anyways, 5 gig isn't that large, and if no one is deleteing anything it's unlikely you have a lot of free to space to recover anyway (which is what a defrag does). I would hold off on that for now.
hth,
Kris.
also, with no mail limits you leave yourself prone to more damage if a virus happens to get loose in your mail system. i would work immediately with senior mgmt to develop a comprehensive mail usage and storage policy that includes mailbox size limits. even if the limit is 1 gig, a high limit is better than no limit at all. then work on training to show people how to delete their sent items, deleted items, save large attachments, etc. remember, it costs money to store this stuff. also remember that recovery time is directly related to database size.
another thing to consider, if you're working with the standard version of Exchange you have a database size limit of 16 gigs. If you hit this limit (edb and stm combined, i think), your database will shut down.
but anyways, 5 gig isn't that large, and if no one is deleteing anything it's unlikely you have a lot of free to space to recover anyway (which is what a defrag does). I would hold off on that for now.
hth,
Kris.
ASKER
I heard it was more stable and easier to use a doslike application given with Exchange 2000-2003 that allows to move the DB folder instead of doing it through the interface ...
do you know something about taht ?
do you know something about taht ?
I have never heard of this. I would think if something like this existed there would be a link to it in the MS article i posted on how to move databases. I also have never seen\heard of it whilst studying for the Exchange related exams, and have never seen reference to it on this site. When I've moved databases i've used the procedures outlined in the MS article I posted and have never had an issue.
if anyone had anything to add to what i've posted, i hope they would've done so by now. that's usually how it works anyways.
let me know if you have any more questions,
Kris.
if anyone had anything to add to what i've posted, i hope they would've done so by now. that's usually how it works anyways.
let me know if you have any more questions,
Kris.
ASKER
well good enough
as per all the related articles, here is what I plan to do :
The night before the move :
1. Usual Online backup (backup exec with exchange agent)
The day of the move :
1. Shutdown exchange services
2. Offline backup (backup complete EXCHANGE folder)
3. Restart exchange services
4. go in properties, and change location
5. Shutdown services
6. Move files
7. Restart Services
8. Test mail access (with at least 5 user mailboxes)
9. Shutdown services (again)
10. Defragment DB
11. Restart services
12. Put a 500megs limit to everyone, 1gig to managers and myself - from the active directory
Would that be good ??
as per all the related articles, here is what I plan to do :
The night before the move :
1. Usual Online backup (backup exec with exchange agent)
The day of the move :
1. Shutdown exchange services
2. Offline backup (backup complete EXCHANGE folder)
3. Restart exchange services
4. go in properties, and change location
5. Shutdown services
6. Move files
7. Restart Services
8. Test mail access (with at least 5 user mailboxes)
9. Shutdown services (again)
10. Defragment DB
11. Restart services
12. Put a 500megs limit to everyone, 1gig to managers and myself - from the active directory
Would that be good ??
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ASKER
Even if I closed it and gave you the points, can you please tell me how to put a policy limit in Exchange.
Thanks !
Thanks !
Here's the link on how to do it:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;319583
The link above shows you how to manually set the policy on an individual store, which is fine if you only have 1 store. Setting limits in AD will override the store policy, which is exactly what you need.
In my org we set the warning limit slightly below the send limit is the actualy mailbox size limit, the send/receive limit is much higher than the send limit, because we don't wan't to prevent people from receiving mail if they're out on vacation, whatever, and hit their limit. But preventing sending is a great way to get them to clean up. It also will help prevent the spread of viruses.
hth,
Kris.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;319583
The link above shows you how to manually set the policy on an individual store, which is fine if you only have 1 store. Setting limits in AD will override the store policy, which is exactly what you need.
In my org we set the warning limit slightly below the send limit is the actualy mailbox size limit, the send/receive limit is much higher than the send limit, because we don't wan't to prevent people from receiving mail if they're out on vacation, whatever, and hit their limit. But preventing sending is a great way to get them to clean up. It also will help prevent the spread of viruses.
hth,
Kris.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q257184
http://www.petri.co.il/move_exchange_stores_to_a_different_disk.htm
http://www.smallbizserver.net/Default.aspx?tabid=60
This is a pretty straightforward, easy process. Just make sure you have a good backup and it's really no sweat. Are you leaving the logs on your D: drive? Make sure you keep an eye on disk space on that drive and that your periodically clear out your badmail directory:
http://hellomate.typepad.com/exchange/2003/07/dealing_with_ba.html
hth,
Kris.