Does Size Really Matter? (Continued)

Previously we showed that when it comes to monitors, size does matter. It turns out the same goes for your local and Exchange PST file. PST (Personal Storage Table) files are “used to store local copies of messages, calendar events, and other items within Microsoft Microsoft Exchange Client, Windows Messaging, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Outlook Express” (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.pst). Bloated PST files can be the cause of frustrating and productivity-draining problems like momentary stops during typical operations … including reading, moving, or deleting e-mail messages (source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932086). If your PST file is approaching 2 GB, Outlook could come to a stand-still. What would that do for your productivity?

On the server-side of things, if your Exchange message store or mailbox quota is close to capacity, problems beyond mere annoyance can pop-up, including temporary or even permanent rejection of messages sent into your organization, and problems sending mail. With multiple copies of the same message and attachments finding a home in the Exchange Server, these problems may be closer than you think. So what’s the solution?

Altria Systems’ best practice is to use a Message Archiving from Spam Soap to solve these problems, as well as a host of others. With Message Archiving from Spam Soap, you are able to set an local automatic deletion policy, while always maintaining a copy of your messages that are continually available online. An automatic deletion policy will eliminate a problem before it arises. The net result is a consolidated message store where messages and attachments are only stored once, and a mail server and mail clients that are freed up to run at their most efficient levels. This allows you to get the most out of Exchange and Outlook so that your productivity is helped, not hindered, by your most vital communication tool.

Does size matter? In this case it does, although it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.