XADM: How to Set Up a Private Information Store Only Server

This article provides steps to remove the public information store completely from an existing Exchange Server computer to make it a private information store only server. A private information store only server is a dedicated mailbox server. A private information store only server cannot store public folders.

The main reason to create a private information store only server is to reduce traffic on the server by removing the server from participation in public folder hierarchy replication, which is message-based traffic. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

To remove the public information store to create a private information store only server:

1.	Start the Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator program and connect to the Exchange Server computer from which you want to remove the public information store.
2.	Open the Private Information Store properties and click the General tab to specify the new public folder server. This is the server on which all of the top-level public folders that are created by users who have home mailboxes on this server are stored. The public folder server is also the server on which the users on this private information store view the public folder hierarchy.
3.	Make sure that any existing folders in the public information store are rehomed to another public folder server in the site: a. Click the public folder that you want to rehome, and then click Properties on the File menu. b. Click the Replicas tab, and then move the server name of the server that you want to rehome the public folder to from the left pane under Servers to the right pane under Replicate Folders to. c. Click the Advanced tab, and then click the new home server in the Home Server list. d. If the server is the first server in the site, ensure that you move the system folders in the Pub.edb database to another server in the site by performing the steps in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 152959 XADM: How to Remove the First Exchange Server in a Site e. If you want the server to run the Event service, ensure that you move the EventConfig_server_name folder for the server to another server in the site.
4.	Start Performance Optimizer (Perfwiz.exe), and then click to clear the Public Store check box.
5.	In the Administrator program, delete the Public Store object under the server name.
6.	To make sure that the public information store has been deleted, quit the Administrator program. Stop the information store by using Control Panel, Services.
7.	Restart the information store service.
8.	Restart the Administrator program and make sure that the public information store object is not displayed under the Server object.
9.	Do not remove the Pub.edb database in the Exchsrvr\Mdbdata folder. You cannot run Performance Optimizer at a later date to move Exchange Server files because Performance Optimizer requires a consistent Priv.edb and Pub.edb database to work.

NOTE: You cannot remove the public information store from every server in the site. There must be at least one Exchange Server computer that has a public information store in every Exchange Server site.

However, you can remove the private information store from every server in the site. These are dedicated public folder sites.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: