Export Public Folders to PST

The best way i would suggest is using outlook. You can take a complete export and then while importing import only those folders what you need by logging into the outlook profile of a user which is homed on that server

I cannot do this because I do not one to have a giant 500GB PST to share.

EG a project manager needs to see the files from job 2020

I can just burn it to a dvd / cd and give it to them to mount. or simply transfer it over the network to their desktop.

**i do not want a giant 500 GB PST

You can export your PFs to PSTs by getting help from the below site. Then later you can import it.
http://www.exchange365.online

I will test tomorrow. THANK YOU!

Easiest way is just to drag and drop from Outlook. Its not automated but very simple and manageable.
Create a PST file.
Drag the public folder(s) you want into the pst file (make sure you are copying - not moving - press shift or ctrl key if pointerdoes not show a + sign)
Job done.

1. PST files have a physical and practical size limit depending upon the version of Outlook that you are using, i.e. pre Outlook 2003 the only choice is ANSI based PST's which have a 2GB limit and start to degrade at about 1.8GB.  Outlook 2003 - 2007 utilize UNICODE PST's and have a physical limit of 20GB and start to degrade at about the 18-19GB mark and then Outlook 2010 uses Unicode as well but the new limit with 2010 is 50GB, however I would personally stop at about the 45GB mark.

2.  Regardless of the PST format used once you reach the limit most of the time the producing product will not tell you its corrupt, the PST will just fail to open next time around, so in short post export validate the PST by  reopening it from an alternate location.  NOTE:  Be sure to have the same or better version of Outlook on the viewing destination

3. Not sure what version of Exchange you are using but if its 2003 you can use ExMerge to do the export, however, ExMerge only supports ANSI PST's so you have a 2GB limit, however, that said here is an article on how to script the creation of overflow PST's if you reach the 2GB limit http://theessentialexchange.com/blogs/michael/archive/2009/10/16/exporting-mailboxes-larger-than-2-gb-on-an-exchange-server.aspx

4. If you want to have a manageable PST set I would think your best bet would be to D&D copy to PST's so that you can determine the content within each as Exchange Freak and David suggested otherwise you will have to search through multiple PST's to find the desired data, however, if you want something to automate the export to Unicode PST's there are tools and scripts (if using exchange 2007 or 2010) that can do this, just search Google for something like "Export Public Folders to PST and overflow the PST limits"

im using exchange 2010 all of our public folders are properly labeled EG

0001 - job 1
0002 - job 2

so looking for data will be easy as we always know what job we are looking for.

I have looked for scripts to do this but it seems they only work for actual mailbox's not public folders

each public folder would be in the 0.5 gb - 3 gb range. (we run outlook 2007)

I want this automated because I want to do all of our public folders every 6 months and we have hundreds of them.

OK yeah I have not seen a script for export public folders to PST so I think your best bet would be to look for a third part tool that can do PST overflow so searching Google for something like "Export Public Folders to PST and overflow the PST limits"  will give you a few options.   Only other thing to consider would be to do by hand via Outlook every 6 months, its a pain but hey its free :-)

I think this will work. Just waiting for the demo:


abbasiftt:
You can export your PFs to PSTs using 'Exchange live export/import tool' from the below site. Then later you can import it using the same tool.
http://www.clickzones.net
Demo is fully functional for 1 day

you can download the demo from the site

it only does 1 pf export at a time. we want to test multiple. they are building it.

There is a free tool that can help you: Export Outlook Items to PST Format. You can specify date range and/or select required folders.

Addition: if you want to split by size and/or year, there is even more poweful utility (which is also free): Split Storage. This utility will produce multiple PST files in the target folder on the disk/share.

We need it to automatically create a seperate pst for each public folder

Ok, so you need to create a separate pst for each PF on a root level or for each subfolder as well?

I want to be able to select which public folders to export.

Each folder (subfolders included) would have a separate pst file named after the PF name.

I have this tool installed and would like to know how to create the batch:

"You can easily create a batch file that will create a separate PST for each PF with mentioned product!"

This is just as simple as listing your public folders in a text file and giving it to the ReliefJet Essentials' command line. For more details, refer to the product's documentation and support.

Purchased ReliefJet.

There support is amazing!
Great software!

Outlook import/export is one of the best method to export Public Folders to PST.