Hello all:

We upgraded the hard drives in our Exchange 2003 server to accomodate more
space for our mailboxes. We recently upgraded from 2000 and it is my
understanding that the size of the databases can grow to 72GB with 2003 (up
from the 16 in 2000).

However, after restoring the IS to the new drives our stm file grew
exponentially (from 1GB to 14GB) and now the IS dismounts itself randomly
saying that at 19GB we are over the limit.

So really we have two issues, the large stm and now the dismounting of the
store, which I don't think should be happening at all.

Thanks.

The size ofthe STM file is really a fuction of how the user connects and
where the message is sent.  Messages in MIME format are stored in the STM.
Attachments are generally stored in the STM.  If an iunbound SMTP message
goes to a recipent on your store who uses a MAPI client to connect, then a
subset of attributes are "promoted" to the EDB.  If a MAPI client sends to a
MAPI client, then only a subset of attributes end up in the STM (
attachments mainly).  If a Webdav, pop3 or imap client connects, then the
message is stored in the STM and a subset of attributes are promoted to the
EDB. And on and on....  I would say that you have more OWA or ther webdav,
pop3 or imap users is the reason the STM is growing.

It's the logical size of the database that matters when considering limits,
not the physical size.  The logical size does include items within the
deleted items retention period.  To raise the limit to 75 GB in Exhcange
2003 SP2, you have to make a registry change; it doesn't happen
automagically.  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912375/en-us


If you were running Exchange server 2003 Enterprise, you could fully promote
all items to the EDB by creating a new store and moving all the mailboxes to
it (movemailbox fully promotes all items to the edb)  If you're in the midst
of migrating clients to MAPI, it's something to consider.  In your case,
it's moot.


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