Through this blog is explained the different ways to transfer Exchange server mailboxes to PST files. This is because it is generally the requirement of its account holders to have their Exchange data available on desktop all the time and Outlook is the most suited program for the purpose; because Exchange is the server for Outlook client. There can be several causes for different users to copy Exchange mailboxes to PST files but that does not really affect the ways to get them converted.

What actually matters is the version of Exchange whose mailbox data has to be moved, this is due to the fact that there are different releases of Exchange and the ways to migrate vary depending on the edition of the ES. This blog specifically focuses on the method that should be employed to convert Exchange 2010 mailbox to PST file, however you will also get to know a solution that applies for all releases.

How to Export Mailbox in Exchange 2010?

In Exchange 2007, the Export-Mailbox cmdlet is a good and easy way out to take emails and dump it into PST file type. All you have to do is to provide yourself full access to the mailboxes to be exported and then run the cmdlet. But this method is not available in ES 2010; its Service Pack 1 as well as SP 2 and 3 introduce a new method for exporting mailboxes called “New- Mailbox Export Requests.” This new method replaces the older “Export-Mailbox command” that is available with 2007.

New-MailboxExportRequest cmdlet – A mailbox export request is a procedure utilized to export either archive data or to convert Exchange 2010 mailbox to PST file format. Users can create more than one mailbox export request per mailbox but each request must have a unique name. Thereafter MS Exchange automatically generates up to 10 unique names for a mailbox. So, to create more than 10 export requests for a mailbox it is necessary to specify a unique name if any request is made.

Imp Note: Although multiple export requests per mailbox at one time can be created, users can make only one request at a time per PST file. This is due to the fact that the PST file is locked as in-use when the request begins to run.

Also, Exchange Management Console popularly known as EMC can also be used to create a mailbox export request but then Exchange Management Shell should be used in such cases.

Prerequisites

1. To move data from mailbox or archive folder, it is required to first create a network shared folder.
2. It also requires granting read/write permission to the group Exchange Trusted Subsystem to the network share where the mailbox is to be export. If you don’t grant this permission, you’ll receive an error message stating that Exchange is unable to establish a connection to the target mailbox.

Drawbacks

1. When this utility is used to export a mailbox to a .pst file is used, one of the limitation is that the PST file can be opened and viewed only by using Outlook 2010 or newer releases.
2. This procedure does not work if the EDB file mailbox of ES is damaged and this is a huge setback.
3. This process is applicable only for Exchange Server 2010.

Apt Tool for EDB Mailbox Data Migration

Due to the above mentioned limitations, either the process fails or is avoided. Hence, as a rescue, external tools gain demand that crosses all limits and boundaries to successfully convert Exchange 2010 mailbox to PST file type.

Author Bio: 

Stephanie Moore is a developer and a keen techie working with Exchange Services, Inc. She has written number of information rich articles regarding Exchange EDB to PST Converter Tool & issues.