Exchange 2010 came with a list of improvements and new features. To start with DAG, RBAC, OWA etc all have been hot topics for Exchange enthusiasts. In the same way a lot has been said and written about Archive & Retention enhancements primarily Archive Mailbox that have been made in Exchange Server 2010 along with discovery apart from Journaling.

Let us do a quick recap of Archive Mailbox (Personal Archive):

• An additional Mailbox that associated with a user’s primary mailbox.
• Stored in the same Database as user’s primary mailbox
• [Updated] Unlimited Quota
• With Outlook 2010 and Outlook Web App it is visible alongside the user’s primary mailbox.
• Reduces the need for PST files, users have an Online Archive
• Mails can be dragged from PST to Archive or Retention Policies can be set.
• Conversation Views are available for both mailboxes
• Searching in both Mailboxes is allowed.

What are the challenges with Archive Mailbox (at least as of today):

• Cannot be located on a different Mailbox database. No separate HA for Archive Mailbox Databases
• To move mails to Archive Mailbox automatically Retention Policies are required
• Users can play around with mails in the Archive Mailbox, i.e. delete/add/modify at will. To control this behavior Legal Hold is required
• OWA 2010 or Outlook 2010 are required for Archive Mailbox
• Archive Mailbox is only accessible when the user is Online not in Cached Mode

Exchange 2010 has separate Archive and Journaling features. As as a reference from TechNet Library:

• Journaling is the ability to record all communications, including e-mail communications, in an organization for use in the organization’s e-mail retention or archival strategy. To meet an increasing number of regulatory and compliance requirements, many organizations must maintain records of communications that occur when employees perform daily business tasks.
• Archiving refers to backing up the data, removing it from its native environment, and storing it elsewhere, therefore reducing the strain of data storage. You may use Exchange journaling as a tool in your e-mail retention or archival strategy

Why not merge Archiving and Journaling? Most of the 3rd party Archiving software’s in any case use Journaling from Exchange to do the Archiving. Weird – But can’t we have a simpler solution that would ensure Regulatory Compliance along with Archiving. What I am saying is why not merge Archiving and Journaling? A good idea would be to have this kind of a scenario (configurable to Switch ON/OFF or allow only journaling):

• When a mail is sent/received from a user’s mailbox, a copy should automatically be placed in the Archive Mailbox. This would ensure every mail is captured in the Archives (journal) as a part of retention regulations.
• User’s should be allowed to play around with mails in Primary Mailbox (ie edit/delete) but not in the Archive Mailbox (it should be a read only copy). This would ensure that archived mails not tampered with for regulatory compliance.
• There should be no configured size restriction on Archive Mailbox size, though there should be on Primary Mailbox
• Archive Mailbox should be allowed on a separate Database, though a restriction can be put in place that at least 1 copy of the Archive Mailbox Database is available in same site as Primary Mailbox Database site, for performance
• Also, how about Single Instance Storage for Archive Mailbox Database.
• Users should be allowed to access both side by side via Outlook/OWA and also search them at the same time.
• There should be Rules/Filters given to users, by which they can configure what all they want to see from the Archive Mailboxes.
• Needless to say Security of the Archive Database along with Backup Strategy is going to play an important role here.

Would this not make the life easier for administrators and users, and there would be no need for features like Retention Policies and Legal Hold? ….

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