Exchange Server 2019 Step by Step Installation

Exchange 2019 prerequisites

1. Use either of the following methods to install the Windows prerequisites

1. Use /InstallWindowsComponents switch in unattended setup OR
2. Select the check box in the Exchange Setup Wizard to install Windows prerequisites.

2. Then, install the followings:

1. .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later.
2. Visual C++ Redistributable Package for Visual Studio 2012.
3. Visual C++ Redistributable Package for Visual Studio 2013.
4. Unified Communications Managed API 4.0.
5. Install-WindowsFeature Server-Media-Foundation

Preparing AD and domains

1. Extend AD schema

1. Needs to have Schema Admin and Enterprise Admin rights.
2. The computer needs to be a member of the same domain and site as the schema master.
3. Run: DriveLetter:\Setup.exe /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /PrepareSchema
4. Wait until AD replication is done to all DCs.

2. Prepare AD

1. Needs to have Enterprise Admin rights.
2. The computer needs to be a member of the same domain and site as the schema master and must be able to contact DCs for all domains in the forest on TCP port 389.
3. DriveLetter:\Setup.exe /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /PrepareAD /OrganizationName:”<Organization name>”
4. If you have a hybrid deployment with Exchange Online, add the /TenantOrganizationConfig switch to the command.
5. Wait until AD replication is done to all DCs.

3. Prepare AD domains

1. If you have only one domain, you can skip this step because /PrepareAD in 2c has already prepared the domain for you.
2. All domains where Exchange servers will be installed or where mail-enabled users will be located need to be prepared. If you want, you can prepare all domains in the forest as well.
3. To prepare all domains, need to have Enterprise Admin rights.
4. DriveLetter:\Setup.exe /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /PrepareAllDomains
5. To prepare selected domains, need to have Domain Admin rights in all of them.

DriveLetter:\Setup.exe /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /PrepareDomain[:<DomainFQDN>

4. Verify AD preparation

1. Review the Exchange setup logs which are available at SystemDrive:\ExchangeSetupLogs\ExchangeSetup.log. SystemDrive is where Windows is installed.
2. Use DSQUERY to verify the attribute values. They should match with the table given below.

DSQUERY.exe * “CN=ms-Exch-Schema-Version-Pt,CN=schema,CN=configuration,DC=Contoso,DC=com” -Scope base -Attr rangeUpper

DSQUERY.exe * “CN=Contoso,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=Contoso,DC=com” -Scope base -Attr objectVersion

DSQUERY.exe * “CN=Microsoft Exchange System Objects,DC=Contoso,DC=com” -Scope base -Attr objectVersion

Exchange 2019 Version	rangeUpper	objectVersion (Default)	objectVersion (Configuration)
Exchange 2019 CU2	17001	13237	16754
Exchange 2019 CU1	17000	13236	16752
Exchange 2019 RTM	17000	13236	16751

Running Exchange 2019 Setup

1. Download the latest Exchange 2019 CU and mount the ISO. Till the time of this writing, Exchange 2019 can be downloaded from Microsoft Volume Licensing Center only.
2. Run in cmd: Setup.exe /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /Mode:Install /Roles:Mailbox /OrganizationName:”Contoso Corporation”

Exchange 2019 Post-Installation tasks

1. Enter product key

Run in EMS:

Set-ExchangeServer <ServerName> -ProductKey <ProductKey>

Restart-Service MSExchangeIS

Get-ExchangeServer <ServerName> | FL Name,Edition,*Trial*

2. Verify Exchange Server installations

1. Run in EMS: Get-ExchangeServer <ServerName> | FL
2. Review Application logs in Event Viewer.
3. Review the Exchange setup logs which are available at SystemDrive:\ExchangeSetupLogs\ExchangeSetup.log. SystemDrive is where Windows is installed.