Installing Microsoft Exchange 2013: How to Install the Client Access Server (CAS) Server Role

This post will cover how to install the CAS server role of Exchange 2013.  I will be installing the CAS server on TX-CAS1 for our post but will install the CAS role on the remainder of the CAS servers in the lab so we can begin the fun configurations built into Exchange 2013.

Installing Exchange 2013 CAS Server Role Pre-Requisites

• If you do not installed any pre-requisites, you will receive the an error during pre-requisite checks.  We need to install the Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0.
• Since the package requires the Media Foundation feature, you will need to install it before running the API installation and restart the computer after the install.
• You can install from Add roles or features or run the following PowerShell
• Install-WindowsFeature Server-Media-Foundation -Restart
• Now, install the UCMA package and run setup from the Exchange media
• You can download the package from here

Installing the CAS Server Role for Exchange 2013

• Once the Exchange 2013 media is mounted to your machine, run setup

• Check for Updates?: I will select Don't check for updates right now and click Next. 
• Since my lab is not connected to the internet and I want to post how to install Exchange 2013 CU2 in my next post.

• Copying Files: This can take a few minutes for Exchange to copy the necessary files to your hard drive.
• Initializing Setup: After the copy completes, setup will need to initialize.  This will only take a few seconds.

• Introduction: Click Next

• License Agreement: Select I accept the terms in the license agreement and click Next

• Recommended Settings: Select Use recommended settings to get through the installation.  All customization can be done after the fact.  Click Next

• Server Role Selection: Select Client Access role and be sure to leave the Automatically install Windows Server roles and features that are required to install Exchange Server checked unless you have already done so.  Click Next

• Installation Space and Location: Choose where you would like to install the CAS server role and click Next.  I am choosing to use the C:\ partition since this is a CAS server and it will not require much disk space or IO.

• Readiness Checks: Exchange 2013 setup will verify the system is ready for the CAS server role.  If you did not pre-configure the server with the appropriate roles and features, setup will install them here in the background.  
• Once readiness checks complete successfully click Next
• The installation will take 15 - 30 minutes depending on your system.  

• Setup Completed: Click Finish and reboot to finish Setup

NOTE: I have run into a very particular error when installing the Mailbox server role in a domain that had a previous Exchange 2007 installation that was not fully removed cleanly.  The error occurs on Step 7 of the Mailbox server installation and mentions that an item is not in the list of possSuperiors.  IF you run into this issue, the solution can be found here and I can walk you through it as well.  Just send me a message.

This completes Installing Microsoft Exchange 2013: How to Install the Client Access Server (CAS) Server Role.

I hope this was helpful and informative to you and I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

Installing Microsoft Exchange 2013: How to Install the Mailbox Role

This post will go over the basic installation steps for installing the Mailbox and CAS server roles of Exchange 2013.  In my previous post, I went over how to prepare Active Directory for the installation of Exchange 2013 and discussed some design ideas in an earlier post.

We will go over the installation steps for our TX-MBOX1 and TX-CAS1 servers from the GUI installation on the Exchange 2013 DVD.

Installing the Mailbox Server Role

• Insert or mount the Exchange 2013 DVD in your first Mailbox Server
• You must install the Mailbox Server role first

• Check for Updates?: Select Connect to the Internet and check for updates and follow the prompts for updates.  
• I will not be selecting this option as I am in a disconnected Lab environment without internet access.  I will install any Service Pack or CU later on after the infrastructure is built out on all Exchange 2013 servers

• Copying Files...:  Exchange setup will copy files to your hard drive prior to the next step.  After a couple minutes it will move on to the next screen.

• Introduction: Click Next

• License Agreement:  Select I accept the terms in the license agreement and click Next

• Recommended Settings:  Choose Use recommended settings if you would like to send error report data to Microsoft and click Next

• Server Role Selection: If this is your first Exchange 2013 server you must install the Mailbox role first.  You may also choose to select the CAS server role if this is a dual purpose server and there will be additional CAS options required if you do.  These will be covered in the How to Install the CAS Server Role. Click Next
• Leave the Automatically install Windows Server roles an features that are required to install Exchange Server check box selected unless you want to manually configure the required roles and features.  

• Installation Space and Location: Change the drive letter of the installation if you would like and click Next.  
• I highly recommend leaving the folder structure in tact because you will find that all articles and scripts reference the default path.

• Malware Protection Settings: Always select No not disable Malware scanning.  Even if you have a third party scanner I still recommend using the built in Malware scanner to provide an additional layer of protection for your Enterprise.  The overhead is minimal compared to the benefit.

• Readiness Checks:  The installation will now begin it's final checks before you can install Exchange 2013.  Once the checks have completed, click Install.
• My first run at the installation has failed with the following readiness checks.
• The computer requires the Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API4.0, Core Runtime 64-bit 
• Download From Here
• The computer requires the Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Packs - Version 2.0
• Download From Here - Be sure to download the 64-bit version
• This computer requires the Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Packs - Version 2.0 - Service Pack 1
• Download From Here
• These are all known prerequisites and are listed on Microsoft's site for installing Exchange found here.

• Setup Completed: Click Finish to complete the installation.  Be sure to reboot the machine after you complete the installation.

NOTE: I have run into a very particular error when installing the Mailbox server role in a domain that had a previous Exchange 2007 installation that was not fully removed cleanly.  The error occurs on Step 7 of the Mailbox server installation and mentions that an item is not in the list of possSuperiors.  IF you run into this issue, the solution can be found here and I can walk you through it as well.  Just send me a message.

This concludes Installing Microsoft Exchange 2013: How to Install the Mailbox Role.

I hope this was helpful and informative to you and I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

Preparing Active Directory for Exchange 2013: Running PrepareSchema, PrepareAD, and PrepareDomain

This post will go over how to prepare Active Directory for Exchange 2013.  I will show you how to run the preparation commands on your AD infrastructure.

Before running these commands you will need to be a member of the Schema Admins, Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins groups.

Also, you should note that the prepare commands should be run from the Schema Master DC and to make life easy, you may want to transfer all FSMO roles to the same DC.

To check and transfer roles, please see my post below.

How to transfer FSMO Roles

For more information on what each of these commands performs, please see Planning Active Directory for Exchange 2013: PrepareSchema, PrepareAD and PrepareDomain

How to run PrepareSchema

• Mount the Exchange 2013 DVD on the DC and change to the root of the Disc from Powershell
• Run the following command from an elevated PowerShell prompt
• .\setup.exe /prepareSchema /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms
• The /IAccepExchangeServerLicenseTerms switch must be run for all commands from the Exchange 2013 Disc

• When the /prepareSchema command completes you will see the above output
• This will add the objects for MSExchange to the AD schema

• After the command completes, you will need to be sure that replication has completed throughout the domain before running the next command.

How to run PrepareAD

• Run the following from an elevated PowerShell prompt
• .\setup.exe /prepareAD /OrganizationName:<yourOrganizationName>  /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

• When /prepareAD completes you will see the Microsoft Exchange Security Groups OU in ADUC

How to run PrepareAllDomains

• Run the following command from an elevated PowerShell prompt
• .\setup.exe /prepareSchema /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

After these commands complete, you are ready for your first Mailbox Role installation in the Domain.  Again, be sure to allow replication to complete before running the installation.

This concludes Preparing Active Directory for Exchange 2013: Running PrepareSchema, PrepareAD, and PrepareDomain.

I hope this was helpful and informative to you and I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

Planning Active Directory for Exchange 2013: PrepareSchema, PrepareAD and PrepareDomain

This post will describe the Active Directory preparation tasks required before installing Exchange 2013 into your domain.

My next post will actually walk through the steps of running the prepare commands you will need in order to install Exchange 2013 into your domain.  You should note that all of these commands can be run separately from the command line or you can simply have the GUI perform them automatically as part of the installation.

setup /PrepareSchema

PrepareSchema is the first command you will need to run in your domain.  You will need to have the following in place before this command will run:

• Must be a member of the Enterprise Admin and Schema Admin groups
• Must be run from a 64-bit machine in the same domain and site as the schema master
• Domain and Forest functional level must be at least Windows Server 2003 before installing Exchange 2013

This command will simply create the Schema objects within AD that are needed for Microsoft Exchange 2013.  There are a ton of objects created in your schema with this command so you may want to take the time to review the changes before implementing.

Exchange 2013 Active Directory Schema Changes

This command may feel destructive for some and you should know that it is irreversible but the risk is very low that it will actually cause issues in your domain.  A good analogy I recently heard regarding this change is that it is like adding a few columns to a spreadsheet.  No actual data is put in those columns until you run the setup /PrepareAD command.

setup /PrepareAD

PrepareAD is the second command required to be run in your domain and can only be run after prepSchema has completed and all changes have been replicated across all of your domain controllers.

This command simply adds the Microsoft Exchange container under the Services container in your Configuration partition within AD.  It will also require that you choose your Organization Name for Exchange and it will lay out the base framework in AD to begin adding the Exchange objects to the domain.

You will know this step has completed by checking Active Directory Users and Computers or ADAM for an OU named Microsoft Exchange Security Groups.

Again, you should wait until all replication completes between your DCs before moving on to the final prepare command.

setup /PrepareDomain

This command is only needed for sub-domains within your forest.  This will create similar objects as described in PrepareAD and will need to be run on all domains in the forest or can be triggered all at once by running setup /PrepareAllDomains from the root domain.

This command is required in all domains that will contain an installation of Exchange or contain mail enabled objects for your Exchange infrastructure.

For more detailed information regarding these changes please refer to the following technet article:

Prepare Active Directory and Domains for Exchange 2013

This concludes Planning Active Directory for Exchange 2013: PrepareSchema, PrepareAD and PrepareDomain

I hope this was helpful and informative to you and I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

Planning Active Directory for Exchange 2013: Global Catalog and Mailbox Server Placement

This post will describe in quick summary some of the ideals for Active Directory with Exchange 2013.  I will not go into detail about the different server roles but will describe some best practices regarding the placement of Global Catalog and the Mailbox Server.

Global Catalog Server Placement

At this point you probably already have a domain and are thinking of optimizing it for Exchange or already have an Exchange environment in your domain and would like to maximize Exchange performance.  

You should know that Exchange 2013 places heavy emphasis on the use of the Global Catalog in Active Directory.  For this reason we need to be sure that our domain has Sites appropriately configured and that replication has been tailored to your particular environment.  

Because of the intertwining of Active Directory and Exchange, it is recommended to have at least one Global Catalog in every site and Microsoft recommends two GC's for every site.  This is useful because the GC and the Site Links are both queried any time a piece of mail is routed through your domain.  You will want to do your best efforts to reduce the time to find a mailbox in your domain by configuring Sites and Site Links appropriately for replication and make sure you have at least one GC in each site.

Mailbox Server Placement

In Exchange 2013 there is a much heavier use of the Mailbox role to process mail.  The CAS role has become a simple proxy server to find what mailbox database a mailbox sits on, and to find the next hop for the mail to travel.  This leaves much of the processing between the client and the mailbox database on the Mailbox server.

Because of this transition it is highly recommended to place a Mailbox server as close to the client as possible.  You may even find yourself with sites without the need of a CAS server.  

We will setup one of our sites in the lab with just a mailbox server so you can see how this will look.  

Here is a very simple diagram on how this might look:

In this diagram we have users at every site but Branch Office 1 is a much smaller office.  Because they do not have IT staff on site, we will only place a single DC and a single Mailbox server.  This will provide the best user experience with the least amount of overhead.

NOTE: RODCs are not recommended as a solution for Exchange servers.  If you have a site will mail users and an RODC, place the Mailbox server and their mailbox database at the closest site with a full blown DC.

This concludes Planning Active Directory for Exchange 2013: Global Catalog and Mailbox Server Placement.

I hope this was helpful and informative to you and I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

Exam 70-341: Microsoft Exchange 2013 Skills Measured 4 of 4

Exam 70-341: Microsoft Exchange 2013 Skills Measured

4 of 4

The first exam for Microsoft Exchange 2013 is broken down into four major learning areas.  Each area consists of approximately 25% of the 70-341 exam and is as follows:

Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013

• Design and Manage an Exchange Infrastructure (25%)
• Plan for Active Directory Services Impact when Installing Exchange
• Plan for the number of domain controllers
• Plan for placement of the Global Catalog(s) (GC)
• Determine DNS changes required for Exchange
• Prepare domains for Exchange
• Evaluate impact of schema changes required for Exchange
• Plan around existing Active Directory site topology
• Administer Exchange Workload Management
• Configure user workload policies
• Configure system workload policies
• Monitor system workload events
• Monitor user workload events
• Plan and Manage Role Based Access Control (RBAC)
• Determine appropriate RBAC roles and cmdlets
• Limit administration using existing role groups
• Evaluate differences between RBAC and Active Directory split permissions
• Configure a custom-scoped role group
• Configure delegated setup
• Design an Appropriate Exchange Solution for a Given SLA
• Plan for updates
• Plan for change management
• Design a solution that meets SLA requirements around scheduled downtime
• Design a solution that meets SLA requirements around RPO/RTO
• Design a solution that meets SLA requirements around message delivery

Microsoft Official Exam Information

Exam 70-341: Microsoft Exchange 2013 Skills Measured 3 of 4

Exam 70-341: Microsoft Exchange 2013 Skills Measured

3 of 4

The first exam for Microsoft Exchange 2013 is broken down into four major learning areas.  Each area consists of approximately 25% of the 70-341 exam and is as follows:

Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013

• Plan, Install, Configure, and Manage Client Access (25%)
• Plan, Deploy, and Manage a Client Access Server (CAS)
• Design and plan for differences between legacy CAS and Exchange CAS/CAF 
• Configure Microsoft Office web applications
• Plan and Configure Namespaces and Client Services
• Design namespaces for client connectivity
• Configure URLs
• Configure authentication methods
• Implement auto-discover for a given namespace
• Deploy and Manage Mobility Solutions
• Deploy Mobile OWA (MOWA)
• Configure OWA policies
• Configure ActiveSync policies
• Configure Allow Block Quarentine (ABQ)
• Deploy and manage agaves
• Implement Load Balancing
• Configure namespace load balancing
• Configure Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) load balancing
• Plan for differences between layer seven and layer four load balancing methods
• Configure Windows Network Load Balancing (WNLB)
• Troubleshoot Client Connectivity
• Troubleshoot Outlook Anywhere connectivity
• Troubleshoot POP/IMAP
• Troubleshoot authentication
• Troubleshoot web services
• Troubleshoot AutoDiscover
• Troubleshoot mobile devices

Microsoft Official Exam Information

Exam 70-341: Microsoft Exchange 2013 Skills Measured 2 of 4

Exam 70-341: Microsoft Exchange 2013 Skills Measured

2 of 4

The first exam for Microsoft Exchange 2013 is broken down into four major learning areas.  Each area consists of approximately 25% of the 70-341 exam and is as follows:

Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013

• Install, Configure, and Manage the Mailbox Role (25%)
• Plan the Mailbox Role
• Plan for database size and storage performance requirements
• Plan for virtualization requirements and scenarios
• Plan mailbox role capacity and placement
• Design public folder placement strategy 
• Validate storage by running JetStress
• Configure and Manage the Mailbox Role
• Create and configure the Offline Address Book (OAB)
• Create and configure public folders
• Deploy mailbox server roles
• Design and create hierarchical address lists
• Deploy and Manage High Availability Solutions for the Mailbox Role
• Create and configure a Database Availability Group (DAG)
• Identify failure domains
• Manage DAG networks
• Configure proper placement of a file share witness
• Manage mailbox database copies
• Monitor and Troubleshoot the Mailbox Role
• Troubleshoot database replication and replay
• Troubleshoot database copy activation
• Troubleshoot mailbox role performance
• Troubleshoot database failures
• Monitor database replication and content indexing
• Develop Backup and Recovery Solutions for the Mailbox Role
• Manage lagged copies
• Determine the most appropriate backup solution/strategy
• Perform a dial tone restore
• Perform item-level recovery
• Recover the public folder hierarchy 
• Recover a mailbox server role
• Create and Configure Mail-Enabled Objects
• Configure resource mailboxes and scheduling
• Configure team mailboxes
• Configure distribution lists
• Configure moderation
• Configure a linked mailbox
• Manage Mail-Enabled Objects Permissions
• Configure mailbox folder permissions
• Configure mailbox permissions
• Set up room mailbox delegates
• Set up team mailbox membership
• Set up auto-mapping
• Determine when to use send as and send on behalf of permissions

Microsoft Official Exam Information

Exam 70-341: Microsoft Exchange 2013 Skills Measured 1 of 4

Exam 70-341: Microsoft Exchange 2013 Skills Measured

1 of 4

The first exam for Microsoft Exchange 2013 is broken down into four major learning areas.  Each area consists of approximately 25% of the 70-341 exam and is as follows:

Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013

• Plan, Install, Configure, and Manage Transport (25%)
• Plan for High Availability (HA) in Common Implementations
• Setup redundancy in multi-site scenarios
• Plan for transport dumpster
• Plan for shadow redundancy
• Plan for redundant MX records
• Design a Transport Solution
• Design mail-flow between sites
• Design mail-flow between organizations
• Plan for Domain Secure/TLS
• Design edge transport
• Design solutions for message hygiene
• Design shared namespace scenarios
• Configure and Manage Transport
• Configure edge servers
• Configure send/receive connectors
• Configure transport rules
• Configure accepted domains
• Configure email policies
• Configure address rewriting
• Troubleshoot and Monitor Transport
• Read and understand message tracking and protocol logs
• Troubleshoot an environment with shared namespaces
• Troubleshoot SMTP mail flow
• Predict mail flow and identify how to recover
• Troubleshoot Domain Secure/TLS
• Troubleshoot the new transport architecture
• Configure and Manage Hygiene
• Manage content filtering
• Manage recipient filters
• Manage senderID
• Manage connection filtering
• Manage Spam Confidence Level (SCL) thresholds
• Manage anti-malware

Microsoft Official Exam Information