Step by Step Guide on Exchange Server 2013 Installation

In this post we will see the step by step guide on Exchange 2013 installation. I have a test environment with this configuration and below are some of the assumption which was not shown on the step by step guide
Domain Controller:

• Computer Name: LE-DC-1
• Operating System: Windows Server 2012 Standard Edition
• IP Address: 10.10.0.4\255.255.255.192\10.10.0.1 with DNS IP as 127.0.0.1
• Domain Name: LearnExchange.in
• Forest and Domain Functional Level: Windows Server 2012

Exchange 2013 server:

• Computer Name: LE-EX-1
• Operating System: Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Edition
• IP Address: 10.10.0.5\255.255.255.192\10.10.0.1 with DNS IP as 10.10.0.4

Assumption: Domain Controller configuration is completed as mentioned above, where the DNS Server role is installed and configured on the LE-DC-1 server during the DC promotion. Also the Exchange 2013 server operating system is installed.
Step by Step Guide on Exchange 2013 Installation

Step 1: Configure the Computer Name as LE-EX-1 and set the IP Address as 10.10.0.5\255.255.255.192\10.10.0.1 with DNS IP as 10.10.0.4
Step 2: Add the LE-EX-1 server to domain
Step 3: Install the ADDS server roles -> From Server Manager -> Add Roles and Features -> Click Next-> Select the Active Directory Domain Services role -> Click Add New feature on the new prompt ->Click Next and complete the installation
Step 4: Add the below additional Windows features that are required for Exchange server 2013 installation. Open Windows Powershell and enter the below shell command

Install-WindowsFeature AS-HTTP-Activation, Desktop-Experience, NET-Framework-45-Features, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, RSAT-Clustering-CmdInterface, Web-Mgmt-Console, WAS-Process-Model, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-Basic-Auth, Web-Client-Auth, Web-Digest-Auth, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Dyn-Compression, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Http-Redirect, Web-Http-Tracing, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console, Web-Metabase, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Service, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Server, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Static-Content, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-WMI, Windows-Identity-Foundation

On the completion of above features installation, restart the server and login to server with Domain Administrator Credential
Step 5: Install the below additional software prerequisites required for Exchange Server 2013 installation. You can download the software from internet and install it in Exchange 2013 server

• Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0, Core Runtime 64-bit
• Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack 64 bit
• Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack SP1 64 bit

On all the above perquisites are installed then restart the server.
Step 6: Schema Preparation
Active Directory schema preparation is required for Exchange Server 2013 installation, so prior the exchange 2013 installation updates the schema and verifies whether the schema preparation is replication to all the active directory sites. We can run the schema preparation using the below command

Exchange installation file directory>Setup /PrepareSchema /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

Step 7: Active Directory Preparation
Active Directory preparation can be done by running the below command, We can skip the schema preparation and directly run the active directory preparation which will update the schema first and run the active directory preparation

Exchange installation file directory>Setup /PrepareAD /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /OrganizationName:LearnExchange

 Active Directory preparation creates the Microsoft Exchange Security Group object which will have the below default security groups

Domain preparation can be done if we have multiple domains. Since this is a test environment, I’m leaving this step which will be done automatically during the Exchange 2013 installation
Step 8: Install the Exchange 2013 Server
Double click on the Exchange 2013 installation file and on the Check for Update and Introduction Window read the information and click next

 On the License Agreement window click I Access… and click next to continue

 On the Recommended Settings windows choose the option which you want and click next

 On the Server Role Selection window, select all the server roles and click next. If we have not installed the server roles properly, the Automatically Install Windows Server roles and features… option install the required features

 On the Installation Space and Location window, choose the right directory in which we need the Exchange installation and click next

 On the Exchange Organization Give a name and click next, if we are already completed the active directory preparation, this option will not appear

 Exchange Server 2013 has a new Malware Protection which will be installed and configured by default, if we are having different software for Malware protection then we can disable this one, and if needed we can enable this feature later after the installation.

 If the prerequisites that are required for Exchange Server 2013 is not met the Readiness Checks window will prompt you with the error message and the actions to be done to resolve this issue. Once all the prerequisites required for Exchange 2013 is completed, you will have the option to click install.

Exchange 2013 installation is a 15 steps process and it will take some time to complete.

Above screen shows the successful completion of Exchange Server 2013 installation. We can reboot the server once and work on the New Exchange Management Console named the Exchange Admin Center using https://ClientAccessServerName/ECP
Let us know if you are having any issue in installing Exchange Server 2013. We will assist you for sure.

Posted in: Exchange Server 2013