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Reporting on the age of content in mailbox folders and across an Exchange Server via a script

Like many of us the age of the content in mailboxes is constantly aging the usefulness of aged content on expensive storage is an always a elemental question for those people who are grasping at trying to manage mail-store usage. If your still running Exchange 2000 then you maybe battling with a very finite amount of storage asking your service provider to please make it last another six months (why me!!). So if this is the case you need to arm your users (and yourself) with maybe a little more information about where the storage in your mailboxes is being used and where the growth curves have happened over the years they have been commanding the storage in their mailbox.

So enter this script, what this script does is scans every single item in a mailbox and looks at the creation date of this item. It then aggregates the size of the item and the item count into one of 3 categories 0-1 year old , 1-2 years old and over 2 years old. The script then produces a little html report that shows for each folder what this size of and total number of items are in this folder over these three time periods.

The time it takes to scan every item in a mailbox means that if you have large mailboxes this script will take a very long time to run. On a server with a large number of mailboxes it probably not practical. But it can be handy to get a farily detail report on a single mailbox and it can be good on a small mail server with not too many mailboxes if you have time to run it. The script itself uses WebDAV to search firstly the folder hierarchy and then search each individual folder. I’ve come up with two versions of the script the first Is a version that uses Form Based Authentication and just scans one configured mailbox. The other version takes the servername of a sever you want to run it against as a commandline parameter and then querys for all mailboxes that are visible in the GAL on this server. It connects to and scans every mailbox using the Admin virtual root which means the script can run with delegated Exchange admin rights.

The FBA version of the script creates a htm report for the user it’s configured to run against in the c:\temp directory of the server. The server version creates a separate report for each user it runs against and creates one report that shows the totals for every mailbox across each time period.

To use the FBA version you need to configure the authentication details to use for the synthetic form logon and the mailbox and server you want to connect to in the following line

snServername = "servername.com"
mnMailboxname = "mailboxname"
username = "username"
domain = "domain"
strpassword = "password"


To run the ageautserver.vbs script it takes one command line parameter which is the name of the server you want to run it against (eg cscript ageautserver.vbs servername). By default the script isn’t using SSL which may mean you need to adjust the following line if you are using SSL on the ExAdmin Directory

Eg change

falias = "http://" & servername & "/exadmin/admin/" & dpDefaultpolicy & "/mbx/"

to

falias = "https://" & servername & "/exadmin/admin/" & dpDefaultpolicy & "/mbx/"

The script is pretty verbose which could be cut down because it was such a long running script I kind of preferred that it at least told me what it was doing while it was taking so long.

I’ve put a downloadable version of the code here the server version looks like

on error resume next
Servername = wscript.arguments(0)
treport = "<table border=""1"" width=""100%"">" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & " <tr>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">Mailbox
Name</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080"" colspan=""2""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">Over 2 Years Old</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080"" colspan=""2""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">1-2 Years Old</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080"" colspan=""2""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">0-1 Years Old</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "</tr>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & " <tr>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">&nbsp;</font></b></td>"
& vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">#Messages</font></b></td>"
& vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">Size(MB)</font></b></td>"
& vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">#Messages</font></b></td>"
& vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">Size(MB)</font></b></td>"
& vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">#Messages</font></b></td>"
& vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">Size(MB)</font></b></td>"
& vbcrlf
treport = treport & "</tr>" & vbcrlf
set req = createobject("microsoft.xmlhttp")
set com = createobject("ADODB.Command")
set conn = createobject("ADODB.Connection")
Set iAdRootDSE = GetObject("LDAP://RootDSE")
strNameingContext = iAdRootDSE.Get("configurationNamingContext")
strDefaultNamingContext = iAdRootDSE.Get("defaultNamingContext")
Conn.Provider = "ADsDSOObject"
Conn.Open "ADs Provider"
polQuery = "<LDAP://" & strNameingContext & ">;(&(objectCategory=msExchRecipientPolicy)(cn=Default
Policy));distinguishedName,gatewayProxy;subtree"
svcQuery = "<LDAP://" & strNameingContext & ">;(&(objectCategory=msExchExchangeServer)(cn="
& Servername & "));cn,name,legacyExchangeDN;subtree"
Com.ActiveConnection = Conn
Com.CommandText = polQuery
Set plRs = Com.Execute
while not plRs.eof
for each adrobj in plrs.fields("gatewayProxy").value
if instr(adrobj,"SMTP:") then dpDefaultpolicy =
right(adrobj,(len(adrobj)-instr(adrobj,"@")))
next
plrs.movenext
wend
wscript.echo dpDefaultpolicy
Com.CommandText = svcQuery
Set Rs = Com.Execute
while not rs.eof
GALQueryFilter = "(&(&(&(& (mailnickname=*)(!msExchHideFromAddressLists=TRUE)(|
(&(objectCategory=person)(objectClass=user)(msExchHomeServerName=" &
rs.fields("legacyExchangeDN") & ")) )))))"
strQuery = "<LDAP://" & strDefaultNamingContext & ">;" & GALQueryFilter &
";displayname,mail,distinguishedName,mailnickname,proxyaddresses;subtree"
com.Properties("Page Size") = 100
Com.CommandText = strQuery
Set Rs1 = Com.Execute
while not Rs1.eof
report = "<table border=""1"" width=""100%"">" & vbcrlf
report = report & " <tr>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">Folder Name</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""
colspan=""2""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">Over 2 Years Old</font></b></td>" &
vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""
colspan=""2""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">1-2 Years Old</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""
colspan=""2""><b><font color=""#FFFFFF"">0-1 Years Old</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "</tr>" & vbcrlf
report = report & " <tr>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">&nbsp;</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">#Messages</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">Size(MB)</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">#Messages</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">Size(MB)</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">#Messages</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"" bgcolor=""#000080""><b><font
color=""#FFFFFF"">Size(MB)</font></b></td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "</tr>" & vbcrlf
falias = "http://" & servername & "/exadmin/admin/" & dpDefaultpolicy & "/mbx/"
for each paddress in rs1.fields("proxyaddresses").value
if instr(paddress,"SMTP:") then falias = falias & replace(paddress,"SMTP:","")

next
ReDim tresarray(1,6)
wscript.echo falias
call RecurseFolder(falias)
report = report & "</table>" & vbcrlf
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
set wfile = fso.opentextfile("c:\temp\" & rs1.fields("mail").value &
".htm",2,true)
wfile.write report
wfile.close
set wfile = nothing
treport = treport & "<tr>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"">" & rs1.fields("mail").value &
"&nbsp;</td>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"">" & tresarray(0,1) & "&nbsp;</td>" &
vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"">" &
FormatNumber(tresarray(1,1)/1024/1024,2) & "&nbsp;</td>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"">" & tresarray(0,2) & "&nbsp;</td>" &
vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"">" &
FormatNumber(tresarray(1,2)/1024/1024,2) & "&nbsp;</td>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"">" & tresarray(0,3) & "&nbsp;</td>" &
vbcrlf
treport = treport & "<td align=""center"">" &
FormatNumber(tresarray(1,3)/1024/1024,2) & "&nbsp;</td>" & vbcrlf
treport = treport & "</tr>" & vbcrlf
rs1.movenext
wend
rs.movenext
wend
rs.close
set conn = nothing
set com = nothing
treport = treport & "</table>" & vbcrlf
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
set wfile = fso.opentextfile("c:\temp\mailboxage.htm",2,true)
wfile.write treport
wfile.close
set wfile = nothing
set fso = nothing

Public Sub RecurseFolder(sUrl)

req.open "SEARCH", sUrl, False, "", ""
sQuery = "<?xml version=""1.0""?>"
sQuery = sQuery & "<g:searchrequest xmlns:g=""DAV:"">"
sQuery = sQuery & "<g:sql>SELECT ""http://schemas.microsoft.com/"
sQuery = sQuery & "mapi/proptag/x0e080003"", ""DAV:hassubs"" FROM SCOPE "
sQuery = sQuery & "('SHALLOW TRAVERSAL OF """ & sUrl & """') "
sQuery = sQuery & "WHERE ""DAV:isfolder"" = true and ""DAV:ishidden"" = false
and ""http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/x36010003"" = 1"
sQuery = sQuery & "</g:sql>"
sQuery = sQuery & "</g:searchrequest>"
req.setRequestHeader "Content-Type", "text/xml"
req.setRequestHeader "Translate", "f"
req.setRequestHeader "Depth", "0"
req.setRequestHeader "Content-Length", "" & Len(sQuery)
req.send sQuery
Set oXMLDoc = req.responseXML
Set oXMLSizeNodes = oXMLDoc.getElementsByTagName("d:x0e080003")
Set oXMLHREFNodes = oXMLDoc.getElementsByTagName("a:href")
Set oXMLHasSubsNodes = oXMLDoc.getElementsByTagName("a:hassubs")
For i = 0 to oXMLSizeNodes.length - 1
call procfolder(oXMLHREFNodes.Item(i).nodeTypedValue,sUrl)
wscript.echo oXMLHREFNodes.Item(i).nodeTypedValue
If oXMLHasSubsNodes.Item(i).nodeTypedValue = True Then
call RecurseFolder(oXMLHREFNodes.Item(i).nodeTypedValue)
End If
Next
End Sub

sub procfolder(strURL,pfname)
wscript.echo strURL
ReDim resarray(1,6)
strQuery = "<?xml version=""1.0""?><D:searchrequest xmlns:D = ""DAV:""
xmlns:b=""urn:uuid:c2f41010-65b3-11d1-a29f-00aa00c14882/"">"
strQuery = strQuery & "<D:sql>SELECT ""DAV:displayname"",
""urn:schemas:httpmail:subject"", "
strQuery = strQuery & """DAV:creationdate"", ""DAV:getcontentlength"", "
strQuery = strQuery & """urn:schemas:httpmail:fromemail"""
strQuery = strQuery & " FROM scope('shallow traversal of """
strQuery = strQuery & strURL & """') Where ""DAV:ishidden"" = False AND
""DAV:isfolder"" = False</D:sql></D:searchrequest>"
req.open "SEARCH", strURL, false
req.setrequestheader "Content-Type", "text/xml"
req.setRequestHeader "Translate","f"
req.send strQuery
If req.status >= 500 Then
ElseIf req.status = 207 Then
set oResponseDoc = req.responseXML
set oNodeList = oResponseDoc.getElementsByTagName("a:displayname")
set oNodeList1 = oResponseDoc.getElementsByTagName("a:href")
set oSize = oResponseDoc.getElementsByTagName("a:getcontentlength")
set odatereceived = oResponseDoc.getElementsByTagName("a:creationdate")
For i = 0 To (oNodeList.length -1)
set oNode = oNodeList.nextNode
set oNode1 = oNodeList1.nextNode
set oNode2 = oSize.nextNode
set oNode3 = odatereceived.nextNode
wscript.echo oNode3.text
If CDate(DateSerial(mid(oNode3.text,1,4),
mid(oNode3.text,6,2),mid(oNode3.text,9,2))) < dateadd("m",-24,now()) Then
resarray(0,1) = resarray(0,1) + 1
resarray(1,1) = resarray(1,1) + Int(oNode2.text)
End if
If CDate(DateSerial(mid(oNode3.text,1,4),
mid(oNode3.text,6,2),mid(oNode3.text,9,2))) > dateadd("m",-24,now()) And
CDate(DateSerial(mid(oNode3.text,1,4),
mid(oNode3.text,6,2),mid(oNode3.text,9,2))) < dateadd("m",-12,now()) Then
resarray(0,2) = resarray(0,2) + 1
resarray(1,2) = resarray(1,2) + Int(oNode2.text)
End if
If CDate(DateSerial(mid(oNode3.text,1,4),
mid(oNode3.text,6,2),mid(oNode3.text,9,2))) > dateadd("m",-12,now()) And
CDate(DateSerial(mid(oNode3.text,1,4),
mid(oNode3.text,6,2),mid(oNode3.text,9,2))) < now() Then
resarray(0,3) = resarray(0,3) + 1
resarray(1,3) = resarray(1,3) + Int(oNode2.text)
End if
Next
Else
End If
tresarray(0,1) = tresarray(0,1) + resarray(0,1)
tresarray(1,1) = tresarray(1,1) + resarray(1,1)
tresarray(0,2) = tresarray(0,2) + resarray(0,2)
tresarray(1,2) = tresarray(1,2) + resarray(1,2)
tresarray(0,3) = tresarray(0,3) + resarray(0,3)
tresarray(1,3) = tresarray(1,3) + resarray(1,3)
report = report & "<tr>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"">" & unescape(Replace(strURL,falias,""))
& "&nbsp;</td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"">" & resarray(0,1) & "&nbsp;</td>" &
vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"">" &
FormatNumber(resarray(1,1)/1024/1024,2) & "&nbsp;</td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"">" & resarray(0,2) & "&nbsp;</td>" &
vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"">" &
FormatNumber(resarray(1,2)/1024/1024,2) & "&nbsp;</td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"">" & resarray(0,3) & "&nbsp;</td>" &
vbcrlf
report = report & "<td align=""center"">" &
FormatNumber(resarray(1,3)/1024/1024,2) & "&nbsp;</td>" & vbcrlf
report = report & "</tr>" & vbcrlf
end sub
 

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All sample scripts and source code is provided by for illustrative purposes only. All examples are untested in different environments and therefore, I cannot guarantee or imply reliability, serviceability, or function of these programs.

All code contained herein is provided to you "AS IS" without any warranties of any kind. The implied warranties of non-infringement, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are expressly disclaimed.