Moving PST Messages to exchange Inbox

[cyberal72]

Hi,
I currently have Exchange 2003 implemented.
Users are still using POP account to access email, and they are all
set up with an Exchange Mailbox that is using the pst.

Users are trying to move (drag) their email messages from the POP
inbox to the Exchange Inbox. Once the message is in the inbox, and
"send and receive" is executed, the message in the exchange inbox is
moved back to the pop inbox.
If they were to create a subfolder to the exchange mailbox, then the
messages are stores in exchange.
I know this sounds a little confusing, but I guess my question is the
following...
Why are messages not being kept in the Exchange mailbox?

Thanks,

A.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Hi,
I currently have Exchange 2003 implemented.
Users are still using POP account to access email, and they are all
set up with an Exchange Mailbox that is using the pst.

Users are trying to move (drag) their email messages from the POP
inbox to the Exchange Inbox. Once the message is in the inbox, and
"send and receive" is executed, the message in the exchange inbox is
moved back to the pop inbox.
If they were to create a subfolder to the exchange mailbox, then the
messages are stores in exchange.
I know this sounds a little confusing, but I guess my question is the
following...
Why are messages not being kept in the Exchange mailbox?

Thanks,

A.

Sounds like the PST file is the delivery location & the internet mail
account is re-downloading it.

I'd recommend setting up a new Outlook profile for each user, containing
just the Exchange mailbox - no PST file, no POP mail.
Then use file | open | outlook data file, and open the PST file.
Select & copy the items from the PST file, selecting the appropriate folder
in the Exchange mailbox, and right-click / paste.
Or select the item/folder in Outlook, and go to Edit | Copy to
Folder.....and pick the right destination in the Exchange mailbox.
I don't like dragging stuff anyway as it's too easy to get it wrong.

It's best to avoid PST files & client-based Internet mail when you have
Exchange to do this for you -

 

[cyberal72]

Hi Lanwench.
Thanks for your reply.
Seems to work, but here's the kicker...
Because of the space limitation on our Exchange Server and LAN
infrastructure (backups), we want to seperate personal emails from
business emails.
With the configuration we have presently, we will be asking our users
to move any business contacts into the "exchange" contacts, and then
create a rule that would move all emails coming from a business
contact into the "exchange" inbox.
Hope that makes sense. Please let me know if there is an easier way to
seperate business from personal messages.
(Maybe your previous suggestion will be the end all solution).
Thanks,

Al

 

[cyberal72]

One more thing to consider is the following...

Mail is still being popped into our ISP. MX still hasn't been
transferred to Exchange Server. If users are opening Outlook with the
"exchange" profile, it only checks the Exchange server for email. So
the suggested solution may only be useful once hosted ISP email is out
of picture and the need to move stuff is still required.
We would like to do this in phases and gradually move messages onto
the exchange server.

Thanks again,

Al

 

[F.H. Muffman]

Hope that makes sense. Please let me know if there is an easier way to
seperate business from personal messages.

PMFJI, but I couldn't resist this one:

1) Tell the users that the corporate email server is not to be used for
personal messages. (that's the important one)
2) Set strict prohibit sending limits on the Exchange server that prevents
the users from sending mail if it gets to big and make them responsible for
cleaning up their mail. (believe me, the inability to send mail is a great
motivator in cleaning up a mailbox)
3) Remind users that they are responsible for saving important mail from
customers.
4) Define a message retention policy that requires all mail be deleted
after X months (very common due to legal discoverability of emails).

Oh, and 5) Write good online documentation on how to keep a mailbox clean:
Don't send huge attachments, use file shares for that. Use the Large
Messages search folder to find space hogs. Use the Folder Size properties
to find other space hogs..

=)

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Hi Lanwench.
Thanks for your reply.
Seems to work, but here's the kicker...
Because of the space limitation on our Exchange Server and LAN
infrastructure (backups), we want to seperate personal emails from
business emails.

Sure. Tell users not to use their company e-mail addresses for personal
means. If you want to be nice,let them use webmail for that sort of things.

With the configuration we have presently, we will be asking our users
to move any business contacts into the "exchange" contacts, and then
create a rule that would move all emails coming from a business
contact into the "exchange" inbox.
Hope that makes sense. Please let me know if there is an easier way to
seperate business from personal messages.

This isn't a technological issue so much as a business policy one, honestly.
Stick to the config I mentioned and life will be a lot easier for everyone.

(Maybe your previous suggestion will be the end all solution).

I think the other reply put this very well also ...hope it helps.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

One more thing to consider is the following...

Mail is still being popped into our ISP. MX still hasn't been
transferred to Exchange Server.

Why wait?

If users are opening Outlook with the
"exchange" profile, it only checks the Exchange server for email.

Yep, as it should. Change the MX records asap, and look into POPCon or
POPBeamer as a (short term) interim solution while you wait for that to be
done.

So
the suggested solution may only be useful once hosted ISP email is out
of picture and the need to move stuff is still required.
We would like to do this in phases and gradually move messages onto
the exchange server.

Well, what you choose to move *in* later is immaterial; you can still change
thedelivery location now, and have Exchange handle it all.