Network Data Opinions

First, if you had Exchange you would have the same space issue.

Second, PST files should never be stored on a network file for active use. Users can corrupt their PST files and Microsoft does not support or recommend this.

So are these backups?  If so, it becomes a Company issue / policy of how much to keep. Even Archiving takes space, so if the Company says keep the current PST small and Archive, no space is saved.

Finally PST files should be local except for closing down Outlook and backing up.

These are not backups, they are live PST files- for the most part. I can understand PST files becoming corrupt on the network but they will get backed up being on the network. If I had users keep them on their local computer, I lost the ability to back them up and I don't want to individually backup local computers.

You face getting your emails corrupted this way, but the space issue is related to how much email you store live or in archives.

My guess is Management will not want to delete Archives.  Exchange local or hosted is the same.

So you need to provide space.

What do other companies do to combat people "needing" to save 10 years of email history? I know one of my options is buy more storage, but want to know what other options are out there, or what other people are doing.

Archiving solutions such as Mimecast, IBM Content Collector and Exchange Online Archiving

@tbs_mnp - Thanks and good luck with your space planning.