Technique for managing messages

An apparatus to manage messages stored in a messaging system, the apparatus comprising:

• a determination unit to determine whether a quantity of messages designated for deletion within a current data container exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• a calculation unit to calculate a first amount of time required to delete the messages designated for deletion, and to calculate a second amount of time required to copy messages not designated for deletion in the current data container to a new data container;
• a deletion unit to selectively delete the messages designated for deletion based at least in part on the calculated first amount and second amounts of time;
• and
• a copy unit to selectively copy the messages not designated for deletion to the new data container based at least in part on the calculated first amount and second amounts of time.

A computer program product for managing messages stored in a messaging system, embodied on computer readable-material, that includes executable instructions for causing a computer system to:

• determine whether a quantity of messages designated for deletion within a current data container exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• calculate a first amount of time required to delete the messages designated for deletion;
• calculate a second amount of time required to copy messages not designated for deletion in the current data container to a new data container;
• and
• selectively delete the messages designated for deletion or copying messages the messages not designated for deletion to the new data container based at least in part on the calculated first and second amounts of time.