Archiving to external storage with Exchange Server Archiver

When you use Exchange Server Archiver to archive your Exchange mailboxes, each archived message body and attachment is stored as a file in a folder called the Archive Store. Exchange Server Archiver uses a Storage Service to store and retrieve the archived messages.

If you want your archived messages to be stored on external storage, you can create your Archive Stores on a NAS (network attached storage) unit. Format the NAS unit as NTFS, ext3, or similar; you are recommended not to format the NAS unit as FAT, because this limits the number of files per folder.

When you use a NAS unit, the Archive Store is located on a different computer from the Storage Service. You are therefore recommended to move the Archive Store database file (meta.db) from the NAS unit to the Storage Service computer to improve reliability. For more information, see Moving an Archive Store database.

If you are not using a NAS unit for the Archive Stores, you are recommended to create the Archive Stores on the same computer as their host Storage Service; if you create the Archive Stores on a computer that is remote from the Storage Service, this may affect performance and reliability.

Indexing Service

When you have created an Archive Store on a NAS unit or remote computer, you must add the Archive Store directory to the Indexing Service manually. (Exchange Server Archiver cannot add the directory automatically, because the Indexing Service requires authorization for the UNC path.) If you do not do this, searching for archived messages will not work correctly.

To add the directory, in the Indexing Service Manager:

Expand the Exchange Server Archiver catalog.
Right-click Directories, click New, and then click Directory.
Enter the details of the directory, including the User Name and Password.
Under Include in Index ensure that Yes is selected, and click OK.

Security for external storage

If you choose to use a NAS unit for your Archive Stores, you are recommended to 'lock down' the external storage unit, granting Read and Write permissions only to: