Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of Zbiebu
Zbiebu

asked on

Database size

Hi,
We currently have 2 Exchange 2007 servers. Server A hosts the HT, CAS and MB roles and Server B hosts MB role only.  The plan is to move all mailboxes onto Server B. This process is almost complete.  This will leave a large empty MB Database/Storage Group.  We would still like to retain the mb db. Is there any way that this can be reduced in size, or removed and recreated. Space is an issue on this machine, which is what is driving the move.
Also, is it possible to install the remaining roles onto server b , but not have them active.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Akhater
Akhater
Flag of Lebanon image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of mrklaxon
mrklaxon

Delete and recreate is probably easiest.  If not comfortable with that then do offline defrag:
Eseutil.exe /D
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997972(EXCHG.80).aspx
This clears free space and shrinks the DB but involves rebuilding it and needs free disk space to build the temp DB.
Yes mrklaxon is correct defrag the database if you want to retain the same database.
You can install the CAS and HT on server B and stop the hub transport service and cas services.
if the db is empty there is no point in defrag, let him just delete and recreate it
Avatar of Zbiebu

ASKER

Thanks to all for the responses.  The long term plan is to replace Server A and have everything running on Server B.  I would like to shrink the DB on Server A as a short term measure to allow more room for the queue.
Thanks
Though you move all users to server b, the database size wont decrease because of the white space. You can do an offline defrag or delete the DB and recreate it.

If you have a load balancer, then make sure that you don't include server B for load balancing, that way you can have a "kind of" standby server. Or else install the roles and stop the services.

Why do you want to do it anyway?
Just follow what i told you in the first reply for that question, move all mailboxes, dismount the db, delete the edb file and mount it again that's it