Understanding Mail Archiving in Exchange 2010
It's the classic user vs. administrator battle of e-mail archiving. The administrators implement mailbox size limitations to control the overall size of mailbox databases or even policies which control the age of items in the mailbox. The users answer by archiving e-mail and folder structures into the .pst file which is stored on their local computer. Then users complain because they don't have access to the pst files from home or remote locations when using Outlook Anywhere or Outlook Web Access. The administrators, if they are sympathetic, will then take the time to relocate the .pst file to a home directory with is accessible to a user from a remote location depending on how they are connected. In other situations the users are told that nothing can be done, and archived email will not be accessible from remote computers. In some instances the archive files become very large and get corrupted causing a hassle for both the administrators and the users. When will this end?
The beginning of the solution to this problem would be to eliminate the use of personal folder files (PST) because of the inherent qualities of those files. PST files are stored locally on the client computer or remotely on network shares and accessed only by the full Outlook client. Therefore they are inherently limited to being used in specific scenarios. Never, regardless of the administrators' efforts, will the archived email be accessible using Outlook Web Access when using personal folder files. These files are also susceptible to corruption causing a lot of headache on both ends of the situation. So the solution would be to provide a user archive that is accessible to users, i.e. stored on the mail server.
Microsoft Exchange 2010 introduces this archive functionality for the first time without the use of third-party software by creating the ability to use an archive mailbox. An archive mailbox is a separate mailbox created for each user in the same mailbox database as the original user. The archive mailbox is accessible both in the Outlook 2010 client as well as the Outlook web access program immediately after it is created. Users may automatically archive email into this location or may choose to manually drag and drop pertinent data into the mail archive before such time as it expires and is deleted from their mailboxes. From the user perspective the mail archive is as easy to access as their standard mailbox and no additional restrictions exist. From the administrator's perspective the archive mailbox can be created when the user is created or at a later time and both functions can be performed using either the graphical EMC or the command line EMS depending on the preference of the administrator. Additionally administrative quotas, or size limits, may be placed independently on the mailbox itself and the archive mailbox. Administrators can use EMS to determine which quotas are in place, to modify those quotas, and to examine the amount of information that is stored in each location.
Some may look at this archive solution with some negative vibes due to the fact that the archive mailbox is stored in the same location as the production mailbox, i.e. same database and same disks. However, the true reason for implementing the archive mailbox is less likely to be for recovery or increased storage. The real reason is to give users the extra storage space they want to have while still making it accessible to them regardless of the client they use to connect. Storage space is really no longer at a premium these days, and with Exchange 2010's changes to the database structure lower speed client-level drives will become more prevalent in Exchange mailbox servers. For this reason the size of mailbox databases will most likely increase due to low cost storage. With the use of database availability groups and the high availability through database replication that they provide, there is less of a requirement to keep the size of databases down due to backup and restore requirements. Thus the location of the archive mailbox does not hurt recoverability due to the fact that several database copies can exist. The archive mailbox is for the primary purpose of providing the user with an area to store certain pertinent data that needs to be retained past the expiration limits and beyond the storage limits put in place by Exchange administrators. It also provides administrators a way to finally escape the dreaded use of the PST files. It's a win-win solution for all those involved!
About K Alliance:
K Alliance is an e-learning solutions provider of high quality training courseware, featuring the best certification training, IT training, desktop application training and soft skills training available. Our Microsoft Exchange 2010 training videos brings to light the new features of Exchange 2010, including better security models, enhanced mailbox resiliency, a much greater choice of storage options, the Web based Exchange Control Panel, and so much more. Microsoft Exchange Server training delivers the entire comprehensive course of mail integration, scalability, security protection, and the many advantages of Unified Messaging. A great benefit, especially for remote users, always on-the-go professionals and those in the field, our MCTS Exchange Server 2010 Configuration CBT courseware provides the exact quality training as our online videos, with certified, experienced instructors leading the way. Our certifying training in MCITP Enterprise Messaging Administrator 2010 greatly assists professionals on the way up the ladder of success and future advancement.
If you would like to receive permission to use our articles on your webiste, you may contact us at permission@kalliance.com.
