Running out of space on the server because of Groupwise

One method of reducing disk space is to change the Cleanup time in client options for the postoffice.   this will move messages out of the groupwise system to the archive folder.  For example you could change the time to 30 days and all mail over 30 days would be archived.   If you have a small number of users you can then unarchive the mail back into the system.  OR, leave the new default settings and teach users to access old messages from archive.  

Another method is to copy the postoffice to another server, point the postoffice home directory to that server (in the postoffice.MTA file), backup the data, then delete it from the original server.

Of course you need a spare server with another disk space to accomplish this, but these days you could convert a workstation to a server temporarily.  hope this helps.

DO NOT just "delete" files from the OFFILES directory!!!!!!!!

OK, Remedial GroupWise. Its essentially a large database, and like any other database, controlling growth can be difficult. For this reason, and others, the GroupWise Message Stores (OFMSG, OFUSER and OFFILES) should never be placed on the SYS: Volume.

You can move the GroupWise Post Office as facutvivo suggests. Its not as easy as suggested, but its not brain surgery either. If you want to do that, then let us know and I'll walk you through it, having done it fairly recently.

What may be effective if forestalling space problems is to set the queue directories as Purge Immediate. The WPCSIN, WPCSOUT, DEFER and WORK sub-directory structures can all be set to Purge Immediate, which will cause NetWare to not bother retaining deleted files and instead immediately return the space they occupy to the pool of available disk space. These queue directories provide transient storage for E-Mail, and if not set to Purge Immediate, can result is deleted files consuming excessive amounts of disk space.

OK, why should you NOT just delete files willy-nilly from OFFILES? The files in there are just attachments, right? Its not the actual E-Mail, right, just any files that were attached?

WRONG.

Any E-Mail with a message BODY over 2KB is stored AS AN ATTACHMENT. The Message database record holds just the headers (TO:, FROM:, DATE:) and then a pointer to the file in OFFILES. Since GroupWise encrypts its message store, you have no way to be sure that a given file in OFFILES is an attachment rather than the body of an E-Mail.

Only E-Mail message bodies under 2KB in size are stored in the OFMSG directory.

WOW!!!!!

Thanks for the advice.  I learned about the offiles directory in GW 6.5 admin class.  Interesting enough when I spoke to Novell tech support a number of years ago they stated that it was okay to delete the files and run a gwcheck afterwards.  Go figure.  

Any more ideas keep them coming.

Well, yes, you CAN delete files and run a GWCHECK later to fix things. My point is that such deletions are random and unpredictable. You have just as much chance of deleting that critical E-Mail the VP got yesterday as you are to delete the invitation to someone's baby shower from last year. Instead, use GWCHECK to Expire and then Reduce. That way you have some control over what's deleted.

Thanks for the advice Psi.