For reducing the size of database
1) Reduce the amount of logs stored in the database
Logs are one source of the databases large size. They can be configure on the following screen.
Admin --> Servers --> (Local Site) --> Edit Site Properties --> Log Settings
Here you can set the max number of log entries and max number of days. A log expires when either of the conditions are hit.
So if you set Control Log Limit to 5,000 entries / 30 days. Then the logs will expire if there are more than 5000, or if they are 30+ days old.
2) Increase the DB maintenance
You can set the DB maintenance to run more often under:
Admin --> Servers --> (Local Site) --> Edit Site Properties --> Database
3) Remove old client packages
You can remove old client packages from the database. Be aware, although this saves room in the DB, it can incur additional bandwidth. Here's how it works. When you use the "Auto-Upgrade" feature, (located under Clients --> Install Packages, or by using "Upgrade Groups with Package under Admin --> Install Packages), if the server has both the clients old packages, plus the clients new package, it can create a delta file that is much smaller than the original package. It then sends this delta file to all the clients instead of the original package. But if you delete the old client packages from the database, this delta can not be created and the whole package is sent down, which means lots of network traffic, depending on how many clients you are upgrading.
If you don't have any old clients (like MR3 or MR4), then it's safe to delete these old packages. If you are still planning to upgrade old clients, you may want to keep them around for a while.
You can remove the old packages under Admin --> Install Packages --> Client Install Packages.
Note: You can not remove the latest packages, only older packages.
4) Reduce Content and Removing unzipped packages
You can reduce the number of content revisions the sever keeps. This reduces the database size, but can also effect your servers ability to make content deltas (similar to the client package deltas mentioned earlier, but content deltas are generally more important because they are used multiple times a day). You can find this setting under Admin --> Servers --> (Local Site) --> Edit Site Properties -> LiveUpdate --> Disk Space Management for Downloads
I would strong advise against setting this number any lower than 3. But if this number is set to 10 or higher, you could lower it to reduce the database size.
What this number indicates in the number of AV definitions, IPS definitions, etc . that are stored in the database. The greater this number is, the higher the chances are that the server will be able to create content deltas, especially if a client has been offline. Normal 3 to 4 AV Content revisions are released per day, so you want this setting to at least 3.
I would recommend a number more like 10 or higher so that any computers that disconnected on Friday night can still get a delta file on Monday morning.
The "Store client packages unzipped to provide better network performance for upgrades" option.
This option is right next to the content number. Disabling this option will reduce the diskspace SEPM uses -- but it also disabled all deltas! So it is my strong recommendation you do NOT disable this option. The only reason I mention it here is because I'm sure someone will see the option while setting the content revisions to keep and will want to test this check box out. Don't try it. Deltas are good things, leave this option enabled.