Applies to: Exchange Server 2010 SP3, Exchange Server 2010 SP2

Topic Last Modified: 2012-07-23

This topic explains how to use the Exchange Management Console (EMC) or the Exchange Management Shell to configure mailbox storage quotas for a mailbox. Storage quotas allow administrators to control the size of mailboxes and manage the growth of mailbox databases.

Note:
Storage quotas can also be configured on a per-database basis. The quotas configured for a mailbox database apply to all mailboxes in that database, unless the mailbox is configured to not use mailbox database defaults. For details, see Configure Mailbox Database Properties.

When a mailbox size reaches or exceeds a specified storage quota limit, Exchange sends a descriptive notification to the mailbox owner.

Important:
The message associated with the Issue warning quota won’t be sent to the user unless the value of the quota is greater than 50% of the value specified in the Prohibit send quota. For example, if you set the Prohibit send quota to 8 MB, you must set the Issue warning quota to at least 4 MB. If you don’t, the Issue warning quota message won’t be sent.

Looking for other management tasks related to user mailboxes? Check out Managing User Mailboxes.

Use the EMC to configure storage quotas for a mailbox

You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "Recipient Provisioning Permissions" section in the Mailbox Permissions topic.

  1. In the console tree, navigate to Recipient Configuration > Mailbox.

  2. In the result pane, select the mailbox user for whom you want to configure storage quotas.

  3. In the action pane, under the mailbox user's name, click Properties.

  4. In <Mailbox User Name> Properties, click the Mailbox Settings tab.

  5. Click Storage Quotas, and then click Properties.

  6. In Storage Quotas, clear the Use mailbox database defaults check box, and then complete the following fields:

    • Issue warning at (KB)   Use this check box and use the corresponding text box to specify the maximum storage limit in kilobytes (KB) before a warning is issued to the mailbox user. The value range is from 0 through 2,147,483,647 KB. If the mailbox size reaches or exceeds the value specified, Exchange sends a warning message to the mailbox user.

    • Prohibit send at (KB)   Use this check box and use the corresponding text box to specify a prohibit send limit in KB for the mailbox. The value range is from 0 through 2,147,483,647 KB. If the mailbox size reaches or exceeds the specified limit, Exchange prevents the mailbox user from sending new messages and displays a descriptive error message.

    • Prohibit send and receive at (KB)   Use this check box and use the corresponding text box to specify a prohibit send and receive limit in KB for the mailbox. The value range is from 0 through 2,147,483,647 KB. If the mailbox size reaches or exceeds the specified limit, Exchange prevents the mailbox user from sending new messages and won't deliver any new messages to the mailbox. Any messages sent to the mailbox are returned to the sender with a descriptive error message.

  7. Click OK to return to the Mailbox Settings tab.

  8. Click OK.

Use the Shell to configure storage quotas for a mailbox

You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "Recipient Provisioning Permissions" section in the Mailbox Permissions topic.

This example sets the warning, prohibit send, and prohibit send and receive limits for John Smith's mailbox to 200 megabytes (MB), 250 MB, and 280 MB respectively.

Note:
To make sure that the custom settings for the mailbox are used rather than the mailbox database defaults, you must set the UseDatabaseQuotaDefaults parameter to $false.
Copy Code 
Set-Mailbox -Identity jsmith@contoso.com -IssueWarningQuota 209715200 -ProhibitSendQuota 262144000 -ProhibitSendReceiveQuota 293601280 -UseDatabaseQuotaDefaults $false

For detailed syntax and parameter information, see Set-Mailbox.