Exporting Exchange 2016 mailboxes from database to Outlook PST using Shell cmdlets

Like previous versions, Exchange Server 2016 features a mailbox export facility. The procedure to export a mailbox to PST file and the Exchange Management Shell cmdlets are similar to those used in Exchange 2013/2010 versions. If the using GUI is preferred, the procedure is similar to Exchange 2013. To export an EDB mailbox to PST, follow these steps:

1. Assign Mailbox Import Export role to the user
2. Share the destination PST folder over the network
3. Export the Exchange EDB mailbox to the PST file in the shared folder

1. Assign Mailbox Import Export role to the user

Even Exchange administrators don’t have the authority to export a mailbox unless they are assigned a Mailbox Import Export Role. So a user must have this role assigned prior to starting the mailbox export.

New-ManagementRoleAssignment –Role "Mailbox Import Export" –User "<user name>”

To assign the Mailbox Import Export role to the Administrator account, use:

New-ManagementRoleAssignment -Role "Mailbox Import Export" -User "Administrator"

Note- Mailbox Import Export role can be assigned to a security group too:

New-ManagementRoleAssignment -Role "Mailbox Import Export" -SecurityGroup “<security group name>”

Adding a user or Administrator to this security group will give them the rights to export mailboxes.

2. Share the target PST folder over the network

The folder that contains the target PST file needs to be shared over the network. Follow the steps given below:

1. Right-click the folder and select Properties.
2. In the Properties window, click Advanced Sharing under the Sharing tab.
3. In the Advanced Sharing window, choose Share this folder option and click Permissions.
   1. Add Exchange Trusted Subsystem to Group or user names, and choose the option to allow full control.
   2. Close all the open windows after clicking Apply and OK.

4. Export Exchange EDB mailbox to a PST file

   One can move primary mailboxes as well as archive mailboxes to PST using the cmdlets. Use the following syntax:

   New-MailboxExportRequest -Mailbox <MailboxName> -FilePath “<Path to the PST file>”

   To export an archive mailbox, use the following syntax.

   New-MailboxExportRequest -Mailbox <MailboxName> -FilePath “<Path to the PST file>” -IsArchive

   After exporting the mailbox to the PST, the mailbox and items can be accessed using MS Outlook.

   The alternative for converting EDB to PST

   Converting EDB to PST using PowerShell is not the first choice for many administrators due to its technical and time-consuming nature. That is why solutions like Exchange Recovery Software are often preferred. Using this solution, converting EDB files to PST is easy; you just have to select Export Mailboxes option from the right-click menu after selecting the mailbox. There is also a separate option to export individual messages to PST.