All exchange admins like to keep their environment clean, with naming standards, uniform paths for database and log files etc. Every time an Exchange 2010 setup is run, a mailbox database is created with a name “Mailbox Database” + random numbers to make it unique. For example, the mailbox database name in my case is “Mailbox Database 1595672084”
Like everyone else, I would like to keep my database names standardized. In my case, I would like my databases to be named DB1, DB2 etc. So, what do I do with my first database? What I see is that admins create a new database with the required name, move all mailboxes, play with moving arbitration mailboxes and finally delete the first database.
While that is a way of achieving the target, you can also tweak the mailbox database settings and bring everything to standard. Let me explain. Two things we need to deal with is to change the database and log file path to the required LUNs and have a standard name for the database.
In order to move the database path, launch EMC and navigate to Organization Configuration-> Mailbox-> Database Management. Right click the database and select “Move Database Path”.
Delete the existing database & log file path and type in the required LUNs and click “Move”. There is no “Browse” button. That takes care of the first requirement.
Now, to get the name changed from the random name to DB1, right click the database and select properties (there is no rename option!).
In the “General” tab, delete the existing entry and change the database name to DB1 and click OK.
That’s it. You now have a database with a standard name and database path. No need to create a new database, play with moving normal and arbitration mailboxes to a different database and delete the first one!
could you please explain me how to move rename and move default mailbox database and log files using EMS, Thanks.
Hi Rajan,
If you want to script this, you can use the EMC as explained and click on the PowerShell icon on the bottom left hand corner of the wizards. That will expose the commands.
Thanks
Rajith — Superb Blog, Keep up the Good Work.
Thx
Thanks Sami
This is how I change the log location after the mailbox database is created. How can we change the default location of the logs. I found how to do it for the mailbox database using ADSI Edit, but not sure how to change default location of logs. Do you know?
Greg,
Use the move database path option when you right click a database in the EMC. No need to play with ADSIEdit for that ;)
Thanks.
Nice blog!
Thanks.
Brilliant Idea! Thanks for the post. I already had the store on the right drive but I was still able to rename it by typing in a different folder to move it to plus changing the description field.