Exchange Database And Defrag
2009-08-22 Initial Post
Exchange Server 2003 and 2007
You should realize that when you defrag a database offline using ESEUtil /D, data is moved to different locations within the database and the database page numbers are thus changed. It’s important that you immediately make a full backup after the defrag has completed. The reason for this is because previous backups will be incompatible now that the page numbers within the database have changed. It’s basically like you’ve created a new database.
Since Exchange performs a daily online defrag, an offline defrag is NOT necessary under normal circumstances, so read up on when it’s recommended to perform an offline defrag. See http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997972.aspx.
Note that in Exchange 2003, both the .EDB and .STM files are defragged by ESEUtil. Exchange 2007 doesn’t utilize .STM files, so only the .EDB files are defragged.
