Why are Exchange Server MDBDATA log files important?

What are the transaction log files located in the MDBDATA folder within the Exchange server folder (Exchsrvr\MDBDATA) used for? Do we need to keep the MDBDATA log files or can we delete them?

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MDBDATA log files are transaction log files which are an integral part of your Exchange database. For example, if your database ever fails and you have to recover from backup, the MDBDATA transaction log files can (under normal conditions) be replayed to bring your Exchange database to its most-recent state. As such, MDBDATA log files should never be deleted.

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Related information from SearchExchange.com:

  • Tip: How to manually (and safely) purge Exchange Server transaction logs
  • Expert Advice: Move transaction logs and databases to a new hard drive
  • Reference Center: Exchange backup and disaster recovery resources
  • Reference Center: Exchange transaction log tips and resources
  • This was first published in August 2007

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