Prepare AD before installing Exchange 2013 Preview

Before you install Exchange 2013 Preview you need to prepare active directory.

Schema master running Windows Server 2003 with SP2, or a later version of Windows Server

At least one Global catalog server per site that Exchange will be installed in that is running Windows Server 2008 or later

At least one Domain controller per site that Exchange will be installed in that is running Windows Server 2008 or later

Forest functional mode of Windows Server 2003 or higher

An account with Schema Admins, Domain Admins, and Enterprise Admins permissions to run Exchange setup

 Active Directory preparation requires the RSAT-ADDS  tool to be installed from where you will prepare AD.

Import-Module ServerManager
Add-WindowsFeature RSAT-ADDS

Update Schema

To update the schema, launch a PowerShell console and type in the following:
./setup.exe /PrepareSchema /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

Note the use of “setup.exe”. Setup.com which was used before has been deprecated. There is also a new switch “/IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms”. It will prevent the mandatory time-out which displays the warning that by waiting you agree with the license terms.
Prepare AD
Next to prepare AD,

./setup.exe /PrepareAD /ON:<exchange organization name>

This command will prepare Active Directory and amongst others configure the appropriate permissions. This includes the creation of the Microsoft Exchange Security Groups (if they do not exist yet).

After installing all prerequisites and preparing AD we are ready to install Exchange 2013 Preview.

Locate the setup.exe file in the installation folder and double click it.

This will connect and retrieve updates from internet. It’s better to be updated so you can choose to install updates but I will skip this as this computer is not connected to the internet.

Click next

It will then copy the required files  for the installation

Next

Accept the license agreement and click next.

You may choose to yes to enable error reporting but this I have skipped

Next

If you have missed anything regarding the prerequisites it will notify in this step. You can even retry if you have missed any.

Click next

As I will install Mailbox and CAS on the same server so I am selecting both roles here. If you want to install these on two different servers then you have choose on role here and another role different server.Also always remember that Client Access is only doing the proxying. Separating the roles will give you better control and value from the proxying mechanisms.And make sure you have selected “Automatically install Windows Server roles and feature that are required to install server”. This will install roles and features if you have missed any.

Here I have changed the installation location to E drive. You may keep the default location.

Here the URL mentioned will be configured to External URL on this Client Access Server.

Now relax and wait to installation to be completed as it will take some time. If this setup fails then we can review the Exchange Setup Logs that will be located in your system drive(C  drive) in the Exchange setup logs folder. Most of the time installation fails if you have missed any prerequisites.

Once setup is complete then you are ready to go

In Exchange Server 2010 & Exchange server 2007we had Exchange Management console but in Exchange server 2013 preview its Exchange Administration Center (EAC).

To access it enter (https:// <FQDN of CAS> /ECP and start configuring.


Before installing Exchange 2013 preview we should install the prerequisites.