Exchange Database introduction
All users mailbox are stored in central file in exchange server called [exchange mailbox database
Mailbox Database is a major component of Exchange 2016 .
Exchange mailbox database is .edb file that contains
- data,
- data definitions
- , checksums,
- Flags
- and other information that make up mailboxes
Extensible Storage Engine (ESE)
Exchange uses Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) as it’s database engine.
When emails comes into Exchange server,:
- the email first comes into memory (RAM),
- then it comes to transaction logs
- and then the email is stored into exchange database.
- Transaction logfiles of a particular database records all the transaction performed on a database.
- Different set of transaction log files are created for different database.
Where Exchange Database stored ?
A mailbox database is stored as an Exchange database (.edb) file [specifically in path : C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Mailbox]
This path is NOT recommended because it is in C:\ Drive which will get full Soon
You have one of two options to move exchange Mailbox DB
- Move DB to local HDD drive in exchange server
- Move DB to remote Storage in network [ ISCSI , or SAN storage ]
We will discuss Cons and pro for each option
to understand situation : > please have a look to exchange deployment diagram for Pioneers.lab
Exchange has local HDD E:\ with 300GB storage
for remote storage :
- we have ISCSI server iscsi103.pioneers.lab with two Ethernet [172.16.100.103 for ,management ] and [172.21.100.103 for ISCSI connection ]
- on server iscsi103 we created VDisk01 with capacity 500GB and allow ONLY mail105 with IP 172.21.100.105 to access this virtual disk . for more information about ISCSI , please back to article ISCSI storage
- Mail105 with IP address 172.21.100.105 use [iscsi initiator ] to connect to iscsi target as remote storage
- now exchange server has two storage [locally with 300GB , and remotely with capacity 500GB ]
create VDisk01 on ISCSI Server
in this section we will create virtual Disk called VDisk01 on iscsi server iscsi103.pioneers.lab and allow ONLY exchange server with IP address 172.21.100.105 to this virtual disk
let’s go
Exchange ISCSI initiator
in this section we will configure exchage server to connect to iscsi target and use remote Vdisk01
move exchange database to ISCSI storage
now we have two options
- move exchange DB to local storage E:\
- move exchange DB to remote storage F:\
for process : both option seem the same
Verify Moving Exchange Database
as we do always in pioneers.lab > it’s time to verify moving DB
conclusion
Exchange DB store ALL mailbox and other items
the default exchange database location in C:\ Drive C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Mailbox\DB_Name.edb
this location is NOT recommended since C:\ Drive will get full soon > and windows OS will stop working
we have two option to move Exchange DB : either to local HDD or remote Storage [ ISCSI or SAN ]
in our article above we see how to configure ISCSI server and configure exchange server as ISCSI initiator to connect to virtual disk in ISCSI target
for ore information about ISCSI please back to our article part one Here and Part Two her
