Exchange 2010 brings in a change the way Mailbox Databases are grouped. Mailbox Databases are no more associated with Storage Groups and Servers, instead they are managed as a part of the Organization. This also means that all Mailbox Database Names need to be Unique across the Exchange Organization.

As with earlier versions, when you install the first Exchange 2010 Server a Default Mailbox Database is created and to maintain the Uniqueness a random number is added to the Mailbox Database name.

After moving the Mailboxes from the Default Mailbox Database via EMC to a newly created Mailbox Database, when Administrators try to delete the Default Mailbox Database, it results in a error as follows:

The mailbox database ‘E-DB01′ cannot be deleted. Error: This mailbox database contains one or more mailboxes or arbitration mailboxes. To get a list of all mailboxes in this database, run the command Get-Mailbox -Database . To get a list of all arbitration mailboxes in this database, run the command Get-Mailbox -Database -Arbitration. Before you can remove this mailbox database, you must disable, move or remove user mailboxes and move arbitration mailboxes.

This is due to fact that there are still Arbitration Mailboxes in the Default Mailbox Database, which are not Managed/Moved from the Exchange Management Console (EMC). Arbitration mailboxes are a part of Moderated Transport feature of Exchange Server 2010 are used for managing approval workflow like distribution group membership approval.

So how do we go about moving Arbitration Mailboxes and Deleting the Default Database.

For the purpose of this Example, the Database details are as follows:

• Default Database Name: E-DB01
• New Database Name: E-DB02
• Database to be deleted E-DB01
• It is assumed that all Mailboxes that you can view in Exchange Management Console (EMC) for E-DB01 have been already moved to E-DB02. This would move all Mailboxes except the Arbitration Mailboxes like System & Federation Mailboxes

  In order to be able perform the activities please ensure that, you have necessary Permissions in the Exchange Organization.

The activities that we need to perform are as follows:

• Start Exchange Management Shell on the Exchange Server
  Note: Keep the default Mailbox Database name handy (in this example E-DB01)
• Run the command
  

  Get-Mailbox –Database “E-DB01” –arbitration | ft –wrap –auto

  
  
  

  Tip: If you don’t use ft –warp –auto, you will not be able to see the full mailbox names.

  
  
  
• Note down the 3 Mailbox Names in a Notepad from the prev ious cmdlet for each of the system and fed eratedemail mailboxes.
  
  
• Run the command 
  

  New-MoveRequest –Identity “SystemMailbox{abcdeotrnsdosd-thedefaultname-nsdfrnfsfdsds}”

  
  
  Repeat the command for all 3 Mailboxes 
  
  
• Once all the 3 mailboxes have been successfully queued, run Get-MoveRequest | Fl, to ensure status for each of the system and federatedemail mailboxes is Completed. Make sure Status :COMPLETE for each mailboxes with RecipeintTypeDetails: ArbitrationMailbox. (as per screenshot) 
  
  
• Run the Command to get a list of all move requests. You will see other Mailboxes also there, which were moved earlier
  

  Get-MoveRequest –SourceDatabase “E-DB01”

   
  
  

  Important: The Move Requests need to be removed, before the Database can be deleted otherwise there will remain pointers to Source Database in Active Directory. The Move Requests associated with the Source Database (default Mailbox Database) would be erroneously be Stale, if the Source Database (default Mailbox Database) is Deleted/Removed while Move Requests were still present

  
  
  
• Run the cmdlet 
  

  Remove-MoveRequest “SystemMailbox{abcdeotrnsdosd-thedefaultname-nsdfrnfsfdsds}”

   
  
  

  Repeat the same command for all Arbitration and other Mailboxes that you got as via Get-MoveRequest command.

• Once Remove-MoveRequest cmdlet has been run for all Mailboxes, please run Get-MoveRequest –SourceDatabase “E-DB01” to ensure that no Move Requests are pending.
• Start Exchange Management Console and delete the default Mailbox Database 
  
  
  
  

You are now all set.

• Get-Mailbox
• New-MoveRequest
• Get-MoveRequest
• Remove-MoveRequest
  
  

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