Exchange Server 2007 SP2 is RTM

The Exchange Team just released Service Pack 2 for Exchange Server 2007!

It can be downloaded here, for both the x86 and the x64 editions.

As always, remember to read the Release Notes first.

Exchange Server 2010 RC default installation

This procedure describes the default Exchange Server 2010 RC installation. Default means you combine the Mailbox Role, Client Access Role and Hub Transport role on a single server.

Exchange Server 2010 RC prerequisites:

-       A server running Windows Server 2008 SP2 x64 or Windows Server 2008 R2 x64. Note that there's no 32bit version anymore, not even for lab environments.

-       Windows updates: several hotfixes are required before installation can continue, therefore update your server completely before continuing (go to windowsupdate.com)

-       The .NET Framework 3.5

-       The MS Windows Management Framework Core (KB968930, download here)

-       The Office 2007 Filter Pack (download here)

The Framework Core contains both the PowerShell v2.0 CTP and WinRM . The PowerShell 2.0 CTP that can be downloaded here is not sufficient to meet the system requirements. The Office 2007 Filter Pack allows the Search service to index Office 2007 files (.docx, .xlsx, ...).

Before starting the installation, you still need to verify these things:

-       Are your Domain and Forest Functional Level set to Windows Server 2003 native?

o   Check KB322692 to review the implications of increasing functional levels

o   Use Active Directory Users and Computers to increase the Domain Functional Level

o   Use Active Directory Sites and Services to increase the Forest Functional Level

-       Is the start mode for the Net.Tcp Port Sharing service set to Automatic? If not, change this in Server Manager \ Configuration \ Services.

Next, install IIS. You can do this using the GUI of Server Manager, or speed things up by running this command in a command prompt:
ServerManagerCmd -i RSAT-ADDS Web-Server Web-Metabase Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console Web-ISAPI-Ext NET-HTTP-Activation Web-Basic-Auth Web-Digest-Auth Web-Windows-Auth Web-Dyn-Compression RPC-over-HTTP-proxy Web-Net-Ext -Restart

This installs IIS and all required components, and reboots your server when ready.

In more complex installations you'd prepare the server in more detail, but if those steps have not been done Setup will do them for you. This includes preparing Active Directory by extending the Schema, etc.

When you're ready to proceed with the installation, browse to the DVD or network share on which you have stored the installation files and start setup.exe.

Click Next to continue.

Accept the EULA and click Next.

Select whether you wish to enable Exchange Error Reporting or not, and then click Next. I recommend enabling this, as bug reports sent to Microsoft enables them to improve Exchange Server. And that benefits us all, right?

In this scenario we will use the default installation, which combines the three basic Exchange roles (Mailbox, Client Access and Hub Transport). You would use Custom Installation to install these roles separately or in another combination, to install Unified Messaging, the Exchange Management Tools, or a cluster

.

On this page you can also specify the installation path, which is C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14 by default. Note that the database, log and queue paths can be modified after the installation is finished.

Specify the name of the Exchange Organization. An important note: this name cannot be changed after the installation. Typically you'd enter your company name, although I would not recommend that. If you ever change the company name or merge with another company, you will be stuck with this name. Therefore, enter a generic name such as 'Mail' instead. I have entered 'Test' for obvious reasons.

Specify whether you still have Outlook 2003 or earlier clients in your organization. If so, Exchange needs to create a public folder database containing the Schedule+ Free/Busy folder, to maintain calendaring information. Outlook versions since 2007 use the Availability service instead and don't rely on the public folder. If at all possible, do not create a public folder database. You'll thank me later! More info on the Schedule+ Free/Busy public folder (based on Exchange Server 2003) can be found here.

On the 'Configure Client Access server external domain', specify the external domain name that ActiveSync, OWA and Outlook Anywhere will use. This relates to the external URL field that had to be filled in manually after the installation of Exchange Server 2007. Check the box if your Client Access server will be internet-facing, else leave it unchecked.

Specify whether you wish to join the Exchange Customer Experience Improvement Program. I've enabled this for my lab setup, but most companies would not like having this enabled in their production environment, as Exchange usage information is sent to Microsoft. Click Next to continue.

Long gone are the days of Exchange Server 2003 and earlier where you had to check everything yourself, to prevent setup from displaying a big red exclamation mark and (at best) a vague error message. Since Exchange 2007, setup verifies the server configuration, Active Directory setup etcetera before even trying to install Exchange. If anything is missing or misconfigured, you'll be notified here. Basic issues can be corrected without restarting setup - press Retry instead. In my case I only get a warning that Active Directory will be prepared for the Exchange Server 2010 schema extensions. Once you have verified that everything is correct, click Install to proceed.

Setup will now install Exchange Server 2010 on your server. This can take a while, depending on the underlying hardware and the roles and configuration settings you have chosen.

After installation is finished, you'll see the installation wizard again. Click 'Get Critical Updates for Microsoft Exchange' to install the latest hotfixes.

That's it for now, stay tuned for part two: Exchange Server 2010 RC Post-installation steps.

Any remarks, comments, errors or questions? Please let me know.

Why another Exchange blog?

Every couple of years, Microsoft comes out with a new version of their market leading e-mail server product, Exchange Server. And every time I tell myself, 'now this would be a great time to start blogging'. Well, starting with the RC version of 2010, I'm committing myself to publish my ideas, experiences, thoughts, likes and dislikes related to Exchange on that great thing called the Internet. See it as a way to contribute to the community, to prevent others from making the same mistakes as I did, and maybe to save some poor lost soul hours and hours of searching for a solution I happened to find a while back.

I've been working with Exchange Server since v5.5, although it was the year 2001. Since then, I've done countless installations of and migrations to version 2000, 2003 and 2007. I've always enjoyed working with the product and everything related to it. Over the years my experience grew and I came in contact with lots of related products and services: backup, anti-virus, disaster recovery, high availability, mobile mail, Outlook Web Access, RPC/HTTPS, proactive monitoring, patching, sharepoint, cross-platform migrations, archiving, etc etc...

From a small shop with 15 users to the largest enterprises on the planet, Exchange can fulfill the electronic messaging needs. That's my specialization, my credo, my day to day job. The results of which you can read here.