Exchange Server 2010 Database Files

Exchange Server 2003 and earlier versions use .stm (streaming) file for storing MINE-formatted messages. With Exchange Server 2007 and 2010, all messages and attachments are stored in the primary database file for each mailbox or public folder database. Exchange Server 2010 does not use a .stm file because content conversion is no longer performed on Mailbox servers but is instead performed on CAS (Client Access Servers).

There are two types of Exchange databases:-

1. Mailbox database contains Mailboxes

2. Public folder database contains Public Folders

Each database has a primary database file (.EDB) and other dependency and transactional log files as shown below.

These files are used as follows:

· Primary data file (Database.edb) this is the physical database file that holds data store contents. By default, the name of this data file is the same as the name of the associated data store. However, we can rename a database without renaming the database file.

· Checkpoint file (E##.chk) this file keep tracks the point up to where transactions in the log file have been committed to databases. The name of the checkpoint file is taken from the database prefix.

· Temporary data (Tmp.edb) A temporary location for processing transactions.

· Current log file (E##.log) A file that contains a record of all changes that have yet to be committed to the database. Generally, the name of the log file is derived from the database prefix.

· Secondary log files (E##00000001.log, E##00000002.log,) these are additional log files that are created as needed. Up to a billion of unique log files can be created for each database.

· Reserve log files (E##Res00001.jrs, e##Res00002.jrs, ) these files are used to reserve space for additional log files if the current log file becomes full.

On a Mailbox server, we can find these files in a per-database sub-folder of the %SystemRoot%\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\Mailbox folder.