Centralizing&backup of users` Emails

[rafi]

Hello
My e2k network has 10 excecutives to whom I must limit
mailbox size to 100MB.Their Emails occupy 2 GB each.
On order to have a backup of their PST files- I hold the
PSTs on a mirrored volume on the e2ksvr (which is a DC)-
this is more applicable then a tape across the net.
The problem is that A:the PSTS are too big (more than 1
GB is unreliable according to MS) and B: I have only 1 GB
available for every executive on the server for a PST
file.
I have bad experience with Autoarchive.
The excecutives want all emails to be on a single
tree/branch at their Outlook2k, and it has to be backed up-
at least as a mirror set.
HOW do I achieve these 2 goals?
How is it in YOUR e2k network?
TIA

 

[no one]

have them clean out their dam__ed e-mails. Storing a gig
of old mail is asinine no matter who the exec is. I'll
bet George Bush doesn't archive THAT much crap.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

"Archiving" and "simple" and "inexpensive" do not belong in the same
sentence. There are many options out there if your budget allows. Look at
KVS for one.

Autoarchive to local PST is a BAD idea - MS doesn't support or recommend
accessing PST files on a LAN/WAN connection - you'll have performance
problems and likely data corruption/loss.

See http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq_appxf.htm for a nice rant on PST
files.

IMO, I think those are enormous mailboxes and they really need to delete
some mail, but to be honest, you're better off leaving the stuff in the
mailboxes - adding more disks to your E2k box, implementing deleted item
retention, running good online backups of Exchange to tape nightly, and
practicing your recovery skills to a standby server on a regular basis....

If you must use PSTs, burn a copy to CD and give it to them - note that a)
the PST size must be under 2GB - 1.8 is the true limit - and b) they can't
open PST files from a CD, but must copy them to their hard drive and remove
the read only file attribute.

Note also - Exchange questions are best posted to
microsoft.public.exchange.admin - this isn't really a networking question.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

You're presuming he knows how to use e-mail. <g>