• Posted by:
• tony.aquino
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An exchange database limit was reached and had advise the customer to start deleting or archiving messages to cut it down before the database start to shut itself down.

A couple of things to expand from that statement. First the limit. The old 2003 version can hold up to 75 GB maximum on service pack 2. Beyond that, it will dismount itself to protect itself from overpopulation(to make it simpler). Second, deleting messages will not necessarily remove them immediately even if you deleted them from the deleted items or trash afterwards. Exchange server has settings for retention of deleted items and mailboxes for recovery purposes. Default I think is 14 days. So for those who needed a rush, it can’t be done unless the retention days are altered prior to deleting the messages. That goes the same when you archive then delete. Though archive will copy it out of the database, it will delete the message and same thing applies. So it takes a combination of maintenance and watchful eye to look after this version of exchange.

Version 2007 and above does not have this 75 GB limit anymore. For those who don’t have anyone looking after their mail database and small enough, this is nothing. But for those who easily reach that limit before, it was a nightmare.