Export-Mailbox

[This topic's current status is: Content Complete.]

Applies to: Exchange Server 2010* *Topic Last Modified: 2009-07-07

Use the Export-Mailbox cmdlet to move the contents of a mailbox to a specified mailbox folder.

Syntax

    export-Mailbox -Identity <MailboxIdParameter> [-AllContentKeywords <String[]>] [-AttachmentFilenames <String[]>] [-BadItemLimit <Int32>] [-Confirm [<SwitchParameter>]] [-ContentKeywords <String[]>] [-DeleteAssociatedMessages <SwitchParameter>] [-DeleteContent <SwitchParameter>] [-EndDate <DateTime>] [-ExcludeFolders <MapiFolderPath[]>] [-GlobalCatalog <Fqdn>] [-IncludeFolders <MapiFolderPath[]>] [-Locale <CultureInfo>] [-MaxThreads <Int32>] [-RecipientKeywords <String[]>] [-SenderKeywords <String[]>] [-StartDate <DateTime>] [-SubjectKeywords <String[]>] [-ValidateOnly <SwitchParameter>] [-WhatIf [<SwitchParameter>]]
    export-Mailbox -Identity <MailboxIdParameter> -TargetFolder <String> -TargetMailbox <MailboxIdParameter> [-AllContentKeywords <String[]>] [-AllowMerge <SwitchParameter>] [-AttachmentFilenames <String[]>] [-BadItemLimit <Int32>] [-Confirm [<SwitchParameter>]] [-ContentKeywords <String[]>] [-DeleteAssociatedMessages <SwitchParameter>] [-DeleteContent <SwitchParameter>] [-EndDate <DateTime>] [-ExcludeFolders <MapiFolderPath[]>] [-GlobalCatalog <Fqdn>] [-IncludeFolders <MapiFolderPath[]>] [-Locale <CultureInfo>] [-MaxThreads <Int32>] [-RecipientKeywords <String[]>] [-SenderKeywords <String[]>] [-StartDate <DateTime>] [-SubjectKeywords <String[]>] [-ValidateOnly <SwitchParameter>] [-WhatIf [<SwitchParameter>]]
    export-Mailbox -Identity <MailboxIdParameter> -PSTFolderPath <LongPath> [-AllContentKeywords <String[]>] [-AttachmentFilenames <String[]>] [-BadItemLimit <Int32>] [-Confirm [<SwitchParameter>]] [-ContentKeywords <String[]>] [-DeleteAssociatedMessages <SwitchParameter>] [-DeleteContent <SwitchParameter>] [-EndDate <DateTime>] [-ExcludeFolders <MapiFolderPath[]>] [-GlobalCatalog <Fqdn>] [-IncludeAssociatedMessages <SwitchParameter>] [-IncludeFolders <MapiFolderPath[]>] [-Locale <CultureInfo>] [-MaxThreads <Int32>] [-RecipientKeywords <String[]>] [-SenderKeywords <String[]>] [-StartDate <DateTime>] [-SubjectKeywords <String[]>] [-ValidateOnly <SwitchParameter>] [-WhatIf [<SwitchParameter>]]

Parameters

Parameter Required Type Description

Identity

Required

Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.MailboxIdParameter

The Identity parameter specifies the mailbox from which to export contents. You can use the following values:

  • Alias
  • SMTP address
  • Display name

If the Get-Mailbox command object is piped, this parameter isn't required.

PSTFolderPath

Required

Microsoft.Exchange.Data.LongPath

The PSTFolderPath parameter specifies the path of the .pst file to which data is exported.

TargetFolder

Required

System.String

The TargetFolder parameter specifies the top-level mailbox folder that's created on the mailbox specified by the TargetMailbox parameter. This folder contains a subfolder called Recovered Data - <source mailbox alias> - <date time stamp>. The subfolder contains the exported data. If the target folder that you specify already exists on the target mailbox, the exported data is added to the existing folder. If the target folder doesn't exist, it's created.

TargetMailbox

Required

Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.MailboxIdParameter

The TargetMailbox parameter specifies the mailbox where the target folder is created. The mailbox that you specify must exist for the command to complete successfully.

AllContentKeywords

Optional

System.String[]

The AllContentKeywords parameter specifies the keywords of the content to include in the move. If the command finds a keyword that you specify in the message body, attachment content, or subject, it exports those messages.

Note

This is different from using both the ContentKeywords and SubjectKeywords parameters. If you use both the ContentKeywords and SubjectKeywords parameters, the command exports only those messages that have both the keyword that you specify for the ContentKeywords parameter in the message body or attachment content, and the keyword you specify for the SubjectKeywords parameter in the subject.

AllowMerge

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The AllowMerge parameter specifies that the content that's exported is merged into the target folder to avoid duplicates. If you specify the AllowMerge parameter, the name of the subfolder to which content is exported doesn't include a date-time stamp. You can export data to the same target folder and subfolder multiple times by using the AllowMerge parameter.

AttachmentFilenames

Optional

System.String[]

The AttachmentFilenames parameter specifies the filter for attachments. You can use wildcard characters in the string. For example, you can use *.txt to export items that have a .txt extension.

BadItemLimit

Optional

System.Int32

The BadItemLimit parameter specifies the number of corrupted items in a mailbox to skip before the export operation fails.

Confirm

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The Confirm switch causes the command to pause processing and requires you to acknowledge what the command will do before processing continues. You don't have to specify a value with the Confirm switch.

ContentKeywords

Optional

System.String[]

The ContentKeywords parameter specifies the keywords of the content to include in the move. If the command finds a keyword that you specify in the message body or in the attachment content, it exports those messages.

DeleteAssociatedMessages

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The DeleteAssociatedMessages parameter specifies that associated messages are deleted. Associated messages contain hidden data with information about rules, views, and forms.

If you use the DeleteAssociatedMessages parameter and don't specify the TargetMailbox and TargetFolder parameters, or the PSTFolderPath parameter, no content is exported.

DeleteContent

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The DeleteContent parameter specifies the option to delete the content from the source mailbox after it has been exported to a folder. The source folder isn't deleted.

EndDate

Optional

System.DateTime

The EndDate parameter specifies the end date for filtering content that's exported from the source mailbox. Only items in the mailbox whose date is prior to or the same as the end date are exported. When you enter a specific date, use the short date format defined in the Regional Options settings configured on the local computer. For example, if your computer is configured to use the short date format mm/dd/yyyy, enter 03/01/2010 to specify March 1, 2010.

ExcludeFolders

Optional

Microsoft.Exchange.Data.MapiFolderPath[]

The ExcludeFolders parameter specifies the list of folders to exclude during the export.

GlobalCatalog

Optional

Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Fqdn

The GlobalCatalog parameter specifies the global catalog to use to search for the target mailbox.

IncludeAssociatedMessages

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The IncludeAssociatedMessages parameter specifies that associated messages are included in the export. Associated messages contain hidden data with information about rules, views, and forms. By default, associated messages aren't included in an export.

IncludeFolders

Optional

Microsoft.Exchange.Data.MapiFolderPath[]

The IncludeFolders parameter specifies the list of folders to include during the export.

Locale

Optional

System.Globalization.CultureInfo

The Locale parameter specifies the locale of messages to export. The command exports only messages with the locale that you specify.

MaxThreads

Optional

System.Int32

The MaxThreads parameter specifies the maximum number of threads to use. The default value is 4.

RecipientKeywords

Optional

System.String[]

The RecipientKeywords parameter specifies recipient e-mail addresses or display names. If the command finds a message with a recipient that's the same as the recipient keyword that you specified, it exports the message.

If the recipient keyword that you specify is the same as a distribution group that's a recipient of a message, the message is exported. The command doesn't expand distribution groups to compare the recipient keywords that you specify to the members of a distribution group that's a recipient of a message.

SenderKeywords

Optional

System.String[]

The SenderKeywords parameter specifies sender e-mail addresses or display names. If the command finds a message with a sender that's the same as a sender keyword that you specify, it exports the message.

StartDate

Optional

System.DateTime

The StartDate parameter specifies the start date for filtering content that's exported from the source mailbox. Only items in the mailbox whose date is later than the start date are exported. When you enter a specific date, use the short date format defined in the Regional Options settings configured on the local computer. For example, if your computer is configured to use the short date format mm/dd/yyyy, enter 03/01/2010 to specify March 1, 2010.

SubjectKeywords

Optional

System.String[]

The SubjectKeywords parameter specifies the keyword filters for subjects of items in the source mailbox.

ValidateOnly

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The ValidateOnly parameter provides the option to validate the export without exporting the data. The ValidateOnly parameter validates any prerequisites for the command.

Note

If you run the Export-Mailbox command with this parameter, the command doesn't apply any filters to the messages. It only checks whether the source and target mailboxes exist.

WhatIf

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The WhatIf switch instructs the command to simulate the actions that it would take on the object. By using the WhatIf switch, you can view what changes would occur without having to apply any of those changes. You don't have to specify a value with the WhatIf switch.

Detailed Description

You can't export data from a mailbox in one forest to a mailbox in a different forest. The source and target mailboxes must be in the same forest.

You can use the Export-Mailbox cmdlet to export data to either a folder or a .pst file. The source and target mailboxes must be on a server running Microsoft Exchange Server 2010.

To export data from a .pst file, you must run the Export-Mailbox cmdlet against an Exchange server that has the 64-bit version of Microsoft Outlook 2010 installed. We recommend that you run the command on a dedicated Exchange server that doesn't have any mailboxes.

The Export-Mailbox cmdlet exports all empty folders and special folders to the target location. The special folders are the following:

  • Inbox
  • Deleted Items
  • Drafts
  • Junk E-mail
  • Outbox
  • Sent Items
  • Journal
  • Calendar
  • Contacts
  • Notes
  • Tasks

Note

Exchange 2010 doesn't export dumpster data.

Note

If you use any keyword parameters, the Export-Mailbox cmdlet first exports all the messages, and then searches the target mailbox for messages that meet the keyword criteria. Messages that were in the dumpster on the source mailbox are converted to regular messages on the target mailbox and are also searched for keywords. The Export-Mailbox cmdlet then deletes messages on the target mailbox that don't match the keyword criteria. If you use the DeleteContent parameter, the Export-Mailbox cmdlet then deletes the messages that match the keyword criteria from the source mailbox.

You need to be assigned permissions before you can run this cmdlet. Although all parameters for this cmdlet are listed in this topic, you may not have access to some parameters if they're not included in the permissions assigned to you. To see what permissions you need, see the "Import\Export mailbox" entry in the Mailbox Permissions topic.

Input Types

Return Types

Errors

Error Description

 

Exceptions

Exceptions Description

 

Examples

EXAMPLE 1

This example exports the contents of the mailbox of user john@contoso.com to the folder MyData on the mailbox ExportMailbox.

Export-Mailbox -Identity john@contoso.com -TargetMailbox ExportMailbox -TargetFolder MyData

EXAMPLE 2

This example uses filters to specify which items in the source mailbox to include in the export. This example exports all items from the mailbox of user contoso\john that have the keyword "merger" in the message body or in the content of an attachment, have the string "orgchart" within the attachment file name, and have a date that's later than March 1, 2010 at 12:01:00 P.M.

Export-Mailbox -Identity contoso\john -TargetMailbox ExportMailbox -TargetFolder MyData -ContentKeywords "merger" -AttachmentFilenames "*orgchart*" -StartDate "03/01/2010 12:01:00"

EXAMPLE 3

This example finds and deletes items from a mailbox. This example first gets all the mailboxes on database DB1 and searches for items that contain the string "Virus message" in the subject. It exports the items to another mailbox and deletes those items from the source mailbox.

Get-Mailbox -Database DB1 | Export-Mailbox -TargetMailbox ExportMailbox -TargetFolder VirusData -SubjectKeywords "Virus message" -DeleteContent

EXAMPLE 4

This example pipes the output from the Get-User command to the Export-Mailbox command. This example also excludes two folders from the export. The items in the Junk E-mail and Contacts folders in John's mailbox aren't exported to the target mailbox ExportMailbox.

Note

You can also pipe the output from the Get-Recipient or Get-Mailbox cmdlets to the Export-Mailbox cmdlet.

Get-User john | Export-Mailbox -TargetMailbox ExportMailbox -TargetFolder MyData -ExcludeFolders "\Junk E-mail","\Contacts"

EXAMPLE 5

This example exports the contents of the mailbox of user john@contoso.com to a .pst file called john.pst located at C:\PSTFiles.

Export-Mailbox -Identity john@contoso.com -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles\john.pst

EXAMPLE 6

This example exports data from all the mailboxes of users in the Marketing organizational unit. The data from each mailbox is exported to a separate .pst file located at C:\PSTFiles. The name of each .pst file is <alias>.pst. The messages exported are those whose recipients include either tony@fabrikam.com or christine@fabrikam.com.

Get-Mailbox -OrganizationalUnit Marketing | Export-Mailbox -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles -RecipientKeywords "tony@fabrikam.com","christine@fabrikam.com"