Understanding Real-World Limits of Microsoft Exchange Storage

Your email hosting plan offers "Unlimited" storage—but what does that mean in practical terms?

What "Unlimited" Really Means

"Unlimited" typically means storage, not performance. Although you can store as much data as you'd like, the software you use daily—like Outlook and Outlook Web Access (OWA)—has real-world limitations.

Performance Limits for Outlook and OWA

• Outlook Performance: Outlook works best when mailboxes are under 10GB. Performance issues become noticeable above 50GB, including slower searches, delayed opening times, and synchronization issues.
• OWA Performance: OWA handles larger mailboxes slightly better but also experiences slowdowns when folders contain more than 100,000 messages.

What is Cached Mode?

Cached mode allows Outlook to store a local copy of your mailbox, improving performance and enabling offline access. However, large mailboxes (above 50GB) in cached mode can significantly slow down Outlook, impacting your daily workflow.

Recommendations for Optimal Email Performance

To ensure your email remains responsive and easy to use, follow these recommendations:

• Regularly clean your mailbox: Delete or archive emails you no longer need.
• Use Subfolders: Organize emails into subfolders rather than storing thousands of messages in one folder.
• Implement Archiving: Utilize our email archiving services to efficiently manage and store older emails separately from your primary mailbox.

Remember, "Unlimited" refers to storage space—not performance or ease of use. Regular email maintenance can save you time, frustration, and potential expenses related to fixing overloaded mailboxes!