This article applies to:
- Trustwave MailMarshal (SEG)
- Trustwave ECM/MailMarshal Exchange 7.X
Question:
- How can I create a new SQL database for MailMarshal?
- My database has reached the SQL Express size limit of four (or 10) gigabytes, how do I proceed?
Background:
MailMarshal stores configuration and logging data in a Microsoft SQL database. If you are using the free SQL Express versions of SQL, each database is limited in size. If the database reaches the limit:
- Logging records and configuration changes cannot be added. Logging records are retained on each processing server for later use.
- New messages received do not display in the Console or reports.
If your database is full, the first option is to reduce quarantine and logging retention using the Configurator. You might also be able to increase the allowed size by moving the database to SQL 2008 R2 Express or above.
Note: If you are experiencing errors and the database does not appear to be over size, contact Trustwave Technical Support. DO NOT create a new database in this case. Doing so is unlikely to fix any underlying problem and can only introduce new issues.
If you want to preserve the entire existing database for reporting on historical data, it is possible to create a new database for future logging and configuration. In most cases once a new database is created, all the delayed logging records will be inserted and no data will be lost.
CAUTION: Changing the MailMarshal database is a major step that you should not take lightly. Read and understand this entire article before starting, and plan your steps carefully.
- It is not possible to create unified reports over two databases.
- If you use SQM, you will need to migrate SQM user information and user Safe Sender and Blocked Sender lists separately. See Q10406.
- To minimize disruption, after creating the new database, complete the SQM user migration before re-joining nodes to the array. This avoids the need to re-create the file containing user Safe and Blocked Sender listings on each processing node.
- It is not possible to view and action messages from the old database using the Console.
- You might be able to import these messages into the new database with the Quarantine Sync tool. See details in the Notes section below.
- However use of this tool is complex and in many cases this will immediately cause the new database to reach the size limit.
- If you reach the size limit repeatedly you should consider purchasing SQL Server. The commercial version does not artificially limit database size.
Procedure:
Follow the steps below to create a new database for MailMarshal:
- Back up the MailMarshal Configuration. For more information see Trustwave Knowledgebase article Q10928: When and how should I back up my MailMarshal configuration?
- On the MailMarshal Array Manager server, open the MailMarshal Server Tool (found in the MailMarshal > MailMarshal Tools group on the Start menu).
- Select the Database tab.
- For MailMarshal SMTP 6.7 and below: Click Change.
- Change the Database Name to a new name and click OK or Apply. You should be asked if you want to create the database. Click Yes.
- Note: If you are asked to overwrite or use an existing database, click No and start again with a different database name (unless you have already verified this information and intend to overwrite).
- You can also create the database on a new server or instance. See Help for details. You should have already verified connectivity and credentials before you attempt to use a different server or instance.
- Once the database is created, on the main window of the Server Tool click Apply.
- To use the new database, you must restart MailMarshal services. Depending on the product version, you may be prompted to restart services. If not prompted, select the General tab and click Restart Running Services.
- Close the Server Tool.
- Restore configuration from the backup you made.
- Commit the configuration.
- If you want to migrate SQM user lists, do so now. See Q10406.
- For each email processing server in the array, use the Server Tool to rejoin the array. If you have a single-server installation, you still need to perform these steps.
- Log on to each server and run the MailMarshal Server Tool.
- Select the Array/Node Communication tab (or Node > Array tab)
- For MailMarshal SMTP 6.7 and below: click Change.
- Click Join Array and enter the Username, Password and Domain details to connect to the Array Manager (typically, any account in the Administrators group on the Array Manager computer).
- Click OK and restart services as prompted. Exit the Server Tool.
You may wish to use the Quarantine Sync tool to populate the new database with your quarantined mail. However, this will consume significant space in the new database.
Notes:
- It is essential to back up and restore the configuration. All policy rules and elements will be lost if not imported after the new database has been created.
- If your database constantly reaches the size limit, you should upgrade to the commercial version of SQL Server. The commercial version does not artificially limit database size.
- You may wish to purge records from the database rather than create a new one. See Trustwave Knowledgebase article Q10403.
- To migrate SQM user and safe/blocked sender information, see Q10406. See also the description in Cautions above.
- If you plan to re-import messages to the new database using the Quarantine Sync tool, to ensure that messages are available you may need to make changes to the database or existing email file names. See Q10411.
- If you do create a new database, you can still report on the earlier mail by connecting MailMarshal Reports or Marshal Reporting Console to the old database.