Planning, Prerequisites, and Deploying Exchange

In this article, we will share the prerequisites and guidelines you must meet to ensure a successful deployment of either Exchange 2016 or Exchange 2019.

I.  Plan for Exchange Server

Use the information at the following links to help plan your deployment of Exchange 2016 or Exchange 2019 into your organization.

• Exchange architecture — Learn about the Mailbox and Edge Transport server roles and more in Exchange.
• Exchange Server system requirements — Understand the system requirements that need to be satisfied in your organization before you can install Exchange.
• Microsoft Exchange Server Deployment Assistant — Use this tool to generate a customized checklist for planning, installing, or upgrading Exchange. Guidance is available for multiple scenarios, including an on-premises, hybrid, or cloud deployment.
• Active Directory — Learn about how Exchange uses Active Directory and how your Active Directory deployment affects your Exchange deployment.
• Antispam and antimalware protection in Exchange Server — Learn about the built-in antispam and antimalware protection options in Exchange.
• Exchange Server Hybrid Deployments — Learn about planning a hybrid deployment with Microsoft 365 or Office 365 and your on-premises Exchange organization.
• Exchange Server virtualization — Learn how you can deploy Exchange in a virtualized environment.
• Exchange Online and Exchange development — Learn about the application programming interfaces (APIs) that are available for applications that use Exchange 2019.

II.  Exchange Server Prerequisites

Learn about the Windows Server features and the other software that needs to be installed for a successful installation of Exchange.

• Verify that your Active Directory meets the requirements for Exchange 2019: Exchange 2019 Network and directory servers.
• Verify the Supported operating systems for Exchange 2019 or Supported operating systems for Exchange 2016.

 Note: New to Exchange 2019 is the ability to upgrade your operating system to a newer version while Exchange is installed on Windows Server 2019 or later.

• Verify the computer is joined to the appropriate internal Active Directory domain.
• Install the latest Windows updates on your computer.

Learn about the Windows Server features and the other software that needs to be installed for a successful installation of Exchange.

Exchange 2019 prerequisites for preparing Active Directory

You can use any member of the Active Directory domain to prepare Active Directory for Exchange 2019.

1. The computer requires the following software:
1. .NET Framework 4.8
   
   Note: When installing on Windows Server Core, you must use key "/q" for install this package. Optionaly you can use "/log [PATH]" for logging.
   
   
2. Visual C++ Redistributable Package for Visual Studio 2012
   
   Note:
   • The system requirements for the Visual C++ Redistributable package do not mention support for Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019, but the redistributable package is safe to install on these versions of Windows.
   • The Visual C++ redistributable package is required if you're using the Exchange Setup Wizard to prepare Active Directory. If you're using unattended Setup from the command line to prepare Active Directory, this package isn't required.

1. Install the Remote Tools Administration Pack by running the following command in Windows PowerShell:
   
   PowerShellCopy
   Install-WindowsFeature RSAT-ADDS

Windows Server 2019 prerequisites for Exchange 2019

The requirements to install Exchange 2019 on Windows Server 2019 computers are described in the following sections. We recommend either of the following methods to install the Windows prerequisites for Exchange 2019:

• Use the /InstallWindowsComponents switch in unattended Setup mode.
• Select the check box in the Exchange Setup Wizard to install Windows prerequisites.

When you use one of these options, you don't need to restart the computer after the Windows components have been added.

Exchange 2019 Mailbox servers on Windows Server 2019

1. Install the following software:
1. .NET Framework 4.8
2. Visual C++ Redistributable Package for Visual Studio 2012
3. Visual C++ Redistributable Package for Visual Studio 2013
   
    Note: The system requirements for the Visual C++ redistributable package do not mention support for Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019, but the redistributable package is safe to install on these versions of Windows.
   
   
2. If you aren't going to use Exchange Setup to install the required Windows components (in the wizard or from the command line), run the one of the following commands in Windows PowerShell:

• Desktop Experience:
  
  PowerShellCopy
  Install-WindowsFeature Server-Media-Foundation, NET-Framework-45-Features, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, RSAT-Clustering-CmdInterface, RSAT-Clustering-Mgmt, RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell, 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, RSAT-ADDS

• Server Core:
  
  PowerShellCopy
  Install-WindowsFeature Server-Media-Foundation, NET-Framework-45-Features, RPC-over->HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, RSAT-Clustering-CmdInterface, RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell, 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-Metabase, Web-Mgmt-Service, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Server, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Static-Content, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-WMI, RSAT-ADDS

Exchange 2019 Edge Transport servers on Windows Server 2019

1. Install the following software:
1. .NET Framework 4.8
2. Visual C++ Redistributable Package for Visual Studio 2012
   
    Note: The system requirements for the Visual C++ redistributable package do not mention support for Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019, but the redistributable package is safe to install on these versions of Windows.

1. If you aren't going to use Exchange Setup to install the required Windows components (in the wizard or from the command line), run the following command in Windows PowerShell:
   
   PowerShellCopy
   Install-WindowsFeature ADLDS

Windows 10 client prerequisites for the Exchange 2019 management tools

1. Install the Visual C++ Redistributable Package for Visual Studio 2012
   
    Note: The system requirements for the Visual C++ redistributable package do not mention support for Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019, but the redistributable package is safe to install on these versions of Windows.

III.  Establish an Exchange 2016 or Exchange 2019 test environment

Before you install your first Exchange server, we recommend that you install Exchange in an isolated test environment. This approach reduces the risk of end-user downtime and negative ramifications to the production environment.

The test environment will act as your "proof of concept" for your new Exchange design and make it possible to move forward or roll back any implementations before deploying into your production environments. Having an exclusive test environment for validation and testing allows you to do pre-installation checks for your future production environments. By installing in a test environment first, we believe that your organization will have a better likelihood of success in a full production implementation.

For many organizations, the costs of building a test lab may be high because of the need to duplicate the production environment. To reduce the hardware costs associated with a prototype lab, we recommend the use of virtualization by using Hyper-V technologies in Windows Server. Hyper-V enables server virtualization, allowing multiple virtual operating systems to run on a single physical machine.

IV.  Deploy Exchange 2016 or Exchange 2019

During the deployment phase, you install Exchange into your organization. Before you begin the deployment phase, you should plan your Exchange organization.

Use the information at the following links to help you deploy Exchange.

• Prepare Active Directory and domains for Exchange — Learn about the steps you need to take to prepare your Active Directory forest for Exchange 2019 and the changes Exchange makes to your forest.
• Install Exchange Mailbox servers using the Setup wizard — Learn about using the Setup wizard to install Mailbox servers.
• Always install the latest Exchange Cumulative Update (CU) (Exchange Server build numbers and release dates | Microsoft Docs). There is no need to install the RTM build or previous builds and then upgrade to the latest Cumulative Update. This is because each Cumulative Update is a full build of the product.
• Update with latest Exchange Security Update (SU) before bringing the server online. Verify with the Exchange Health Checker script: https://aka.ms/ExchangeHealthChecker.
• Use unattended mode in Exchange Setup — Learn about using the unattended setup at the command line to install, remove, update, and recover Exchange servers.
• Install Exchange Edge Transport servers using the Setup wizard — Learn about using the Setup wizard to install Edge Transport servers in a perimeter network.
• Upgrade Exchange to the latest Cumulative Update — Learn about finding and installing the latest Cumulative Update (CU) for the Exchange servers in your organization.
• Keep your servers as up to date as possible. Always be either on latest released Exchange Cumulative Update (CU) or latest released -1 CU.
  
  1. This page contains links to the latest Exchange CU bits: Exchange Server build numbers and release dates | Microsoft Docs.
  2. See: Upgrade Exchange to the latest Cumulative Update | Microsoft Docs.
• Ensure Windows Update/Microsoft Update (WU/MU) is turned on and consider further turning on Automatic Update to pick up Security Updates (SU's).
• Use an elevated command prompt to run any Cumulative Update or Security Update. If you run into any problems when running update setup, please see https://aka.ms/exupdatefaq.
• Periodically, run the Exchange Health Checker script will check if the latest Exchange SUs are in place: https://aka.ms/ExchangeHealthChecker.
• Exchange Server Hybrid Deployments — Read this topic for information that will help you deploy Exchange in an existing hybrid deployment.
• Exchange Server post-installation tasks — Learn about post-installation tasks to complete your Exchange installation.

Exchange Setup

You can use different types and modes of Exchange Setup to install and maintain the various editions and versions of Exchange.

Exchange editions and versions

Exchange is available in two server editions: Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition. The edition you install is defined by your product key (the only available download can install both versions).

Types of Exchange Setup

You have the following options for Exchange Setup:

• Exchange Setup wizard: Running Setup.exe without any command line switches provides an interactive experience where you're guided by the Exchange 2019 Setup wizard.
• Exchange unattended setup: Running Setup.exe with command line switches enables you to install Exchange from an interactive command line or through a script.

Modes of Exchange Setup

Exchange setup includes the following modes:

• Install: Install a new server role (Mailbox server, Edge Transport server, or Management tools). This mode is available in the Exchange Setup wizard and unattended setup.
• Uninstall: Remove the Exchange installation from a computer. You can use this mode from both the Exchange Setup wizard and unattended setup.
• Upgrade: Install a CU on an existing Exchange server. You can use this mode from both the Exchange Setup wizard and unattended setup.
   Note
  Exchange doesn't support in-place upgrades from previous versions. This mode is used only to install CUs.
• RecoverServer: You need to recover data from the Exchange server after a catastrophic failure. To do this, you install a new Windows server with the same FQDN as the failed server (for example, mailbox01.contoso.com), and then run Exchange Setup with the /Mode:RecoverServer switch without specifying the Exchange server roles to restore.
  Setup detects the Exchange server object in Active Directory and installs the corresponding files and configuration automatically. After you recover the server, you can restore databases and reconfigure any additional settings. To run in RecoverServer mode:
  • Exchange can't be already installed on the server.
  • The Exchange server object must exist in Active Directory.
  • You can only use unattended setup.
  
   Note: You must complete one mode of Setup before you can use another mode.

V.  Exchange Server Prerequisites

The following topics provide information about deploying new installations of Exchange 2019 in your organization:

Install Exchange Mailbox servers using the Setup wizard

Install Exchange using unattended mode

Install Exchange Edge Transport servers using the Setup wizard

Delegate the installation of Exchange servers

Exchange dev/test environment in Azure

After you've completed your installation, see Exchange post-installation tasks.

Exchange Hybrid and Office 365 Monitoring and Reporting

On-premises components, such as AD FS, PTA, and Exchange Hybrid are critical for Office 365 end user experience. In addition, something as trivial as expiring Exchange or AD FS certificates can certainly lead to unexpected outages. By proactively monitoring hybrid components, ENow gives you early warnings where hybrid components are reaching a critical state, or even for an upcoming expiring certificate. Knowing immediately when a problem happens, where the fault lies, and why the issue has occurred, ensures that any outages are detected and solved as quickly as possible.

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