Hi everyone. I have a simple question (i think). Our exchange server is currently has 2 databases. in the 'limits' settings for each database (server config->mailbox->database management->right click the database->properties->limits), the 'keep deleted items for (days)' setting is currently set to 90 days. I've noticed that this seems to be a rather large retention period and my database file is way larger than the cobined size of all the mailboxes.My question is:does this setting refer to the actual items the user sees in their deleted items folder, or is thissetting referring to the items that have been 'hard deleted', removed by the user from their deleted items folder (right clicking deleted items and selecting 'empty deleted items'), or both?i can't seem to find a straight forward answer. if it only refers to the hard deleted items, i can set it to something much lower, but we still have users (the boss included) that have a pile of emails in there deleted items folder and refer to it from time to time...... i know, this is a terrible practice and im trying to get them to change this. and because of this, i would have to leave this setting at something silly like 90 days. Right now the total size of the TotalDeletedItemSize value for all mailboxes is 45GB+ which is more than 2x the size of the TotalItemSize value........which seems crazy.thanks for any answersColin

Hi Colin,the setting "keep deleted items" only counts for items that are deleted out of the mailbox. If your users dont delete anything out of there deleted items folder your database size would nearly the size of all mailboxes (minus single instance). 90 Days is a lot of stuff, we keep them 30 days. If anything is missed after a longer time it was not that important or we use the backup.hope this helps.Viele Gre Walter Steinsdorfer MVP Exchange Server http://msmvps.org/blogs/wstein

Hi Walter,Thanks for the info. Most of my users keep their deleted items folder clean, its just a few that are still in the bad habit of using it as a store for old email. I just didn't want the owner to come in and find that his deleted items folder only has 14 days of stuff in there.So just so im clear, the 'keep deleted items' setting only clears out the mail that has already been removed from the deleted items folder, email in the deleted items folder doesn't get touched regardless of how old it is?Thanks againColin

So just so im clear, the 'keep deleted items' setting only clears out the mail that has already been removed from the deleted items folder, email in the deleted items folder doesn't get touched regardless of how old it is? Yes, emails in actual deleted items folder of outlook don't get touched unless you have any Messaging Record Management policy applied to purge/delete items from default folders (including Deleted Items folder). About 'keep deleted items' : I agree with Walter, it is the size of emails available in dumpster, which are hard-deleted from deleted items. Default retention period is 30 days set by Exchange server and it would have changed by somebody in your environment to 90 days. You can use PerfMon to get total size of dumpster on a server or SG with below counter but it is difficult to get for individial mailbox. MSExchangeIS Mailbox\Total Size of Recoverable Items Amit Tank | MVP - Exchange | MCITP:EMA MCSA:M | http://ExchangeShare.WordPress.com

Supplement: Deleted Item Retention: Allows you to recover items after they have been removed from the Deleted Items folder or hard-deleted --------Refer to <Configuring Deleted Mailbox and Deleted Item Retention>

Perfect, thanks for clearing this up for me everyone.Colin