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Mailbox store database file stored on network drive

[This topic is intended to address a specific issue called out by the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool. You should apply it only to systems that have had the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool run against them and are experiencing that specific issue. The Exchange Server Analyzer Tool, available as a free download, remotely collects configuration data from each server in the topology and automatically analyzes the data. The resulting report details important configuration issues, potential problems, and nondefault product settings. By following these recommendations, you can achieve better performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime. For more information about the tool or to download the latest versions, see "Microsoft Exchange Analyzers" at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=34707.]

Topic Last Modified: 2010-07-28

The Microsoft® Exchange Best Practices Analyzer Tool queries the Active Directory® directory service to determine the value for the msExchEDBFile attribute of each mailbox store object. This attribute specifies the location of the database files used by this mailbox store.

The Exchange Server Analyzer also queries Active Directory to determine the count of the values listed in the homeMDBBL attribute of each mailbox store on this server. The count of this attribute represents the number of mailboxes in the mailbox store. The Exchange Server Analyzer can then calculate the total number of mailboxes managed by the server.

If the Analyzer tool finds that the msExchEDBFile attribute starts with "\\" on a computer that is running Exchange Server and that has more than 50 mailboxes, an error is displayed.

This error indicates that the database files for a mailbox store are being stored on a network share. An msExchEDBFile attribute that starts with "\\" indicates that the log file path uses a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path. We do not recommend this practice because interruptions in network connectivity can cause database errors. This can result in lost data or corrupted databases. It is recommended that you correct this problem as soon as possible.

To move the database files to a new drive in Exchange Server 2007 or in an earlier version

In Exchange System Manager, expand the Exchange server object on which the store resides, expand the appropriate storage group container, right-click the mailbox store object that you want, and then click Properties.
Specify new file locations on the Database tab of the Properties dialog box.

For more information about how to move the database files to a new drive in Exchange Server 2010, see Move the Database Path.

For more information about Exchange Server database files, see the following Exchange Server 2003 topics:

Managing Mailbox Stores and Public Folder Stores in the Exchange Server 2003 Administration Guide
Understanding the Exchange Server 2003 Store in Working with Exchange Server 2003 Stores

For more information about using Exchange Server with network drives, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

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