IT Tech Pro Blog: Exchange 2019

Microsoft announce that final build of Exchange Server 2019 is now available and can be downloaded from the Volume Licensing Service Center.

After announcement of final built Microsoft removed the preview built from download center but if still you want to test Exchange 2019, can download from here.

Microsoft said that We strongly believe Office 365 delivers the best and most cost-effective experience to our customers, but we understand that some customers have reasons to remain on-premises. Exchange Server 2019 is designed to deliver security, performance, and improved administration and management capabilities. These are the attributes our largest on-premises customers tell us they need from Exchange. We also have features end-users will love too of course.

Here are some of key features

Security: Exchange Server 2019 support Windows Server Desktop and Core both. As per Microsoft, Exchange Server 2019 installed on Windows Server 2019 Core provides the most secure platform for Exchange. We can install Exchange 2019 on Windows Server 2016 Core or Windows Server 2016/2019 with Desktop Experience, but Microsoft recommended to install it on Windows Server Core 2019 as per exchange code. Microsoft not mentioned anywhere that we can install it on Windows Server 2012 but in test lab i have installed it on Windows Server 2012 R2.

Performance: Microsoft designed Exchange Server 2019 to take advantage of the larger core and memory packed systems. Microsoft successfully running Exchange Server with up to 48 processor cores and 256 GB of RAM.

Exchange 2019 installation requirement

There are some of additional component which required by Exchange Server 2019. The list of components are :-

.Net 4.7.1 or later Download here
Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable Packages Download here
Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0 Runtime 64-bit. Download here

Before proceed to installation some of Server Feature Role need to install on server or Exchange Server install required feature role itself, list of Server Feature Role required by exchange 2019 are as bellow:-

Remote server administrative tool
The ‘IIS 7 Dynamic Content Compression’ component is required.
The ‘IIS 7 Digest Authentication’ component is required.
The ‘IIS 6 WMI Compatibility’ component is required.
The ‘Client Certificate Mapping Authentication’ component is required.
The ‘HTTP Redirection’ component is required.
The ‘Tracing’ component is required.
The ‘Request Monitor’ component is required.

After Installation of above all components Please reboot the machine.

Prepare Active Directory for Exchange 2019

Exchange Server Setup Prepare Active Directory for Exchange 2019 itself or we can Prepare Active Directory for Exchange Server 2019 our-self, to prepare active directory for Exchange Server 2019 we should be member if Active Directory Schema Admins Group.

We can Prepare Active Directory for Exchange Server 2019 by following Powershell cmd:-

Setup /PrepareAd /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

If we are preparing Active Directory in an Existing Environment we don’t need to specify Organization Name.

You can see above that AD Preparation is completed.

If AD Preparation is done in new Environemt we can verify that from Active Direcoty User and Computer Console As well. We will see Microsoft Exchange Security Group Containor in User and Computers Console.

Exchange 2019 Instllation

Before proceed to Exchange Server 2019 Installation Please add your account in Exchange Trusted Subsystem group.

Now we can proceed to Exchange 2019 Installation.

Run Setup.exe from Installation Media.

2. In First Screen you will get option to check for updates. Microsoft Recommended to check for updates. Select Connect to the Internet and check for updates and Click Next.

3. Setup will Copy the required files.

4. Once setup copied the required files we will get Exchange 2019 Introduction Window. In Introduction window we can read about exchange server and click Next. 2-1

5. Now we will get License Agreement Windows where we have to accept License Agreement Terms. Select I Accept the terms in the License Agreement and Click Next.

6. In Next Window we need to select setting. We can use recommended settings or customize settings as per our requirement. We are going to select Use Recommended Settings and click Next.

7. Next Windows is about Server Role selection. You can Select Role which you want to install. Just to let know that Microsoft removed the Unified Messaging Role from Exchange. So now we have only two roles – Mailbox Role and Edge Transport Role.

8. We are going to install first Exchange Server in our Organization so we have selected Mailbox Role, after Role Selection click Next. 5-1

9. In Next Windows we will get information that about how much space required for Installation and Location. We can set Installation Path according our requirement and click Next.

10. In next windows we can set Organization Name in my case I have alredy set organization name duing prepation of Active Directory for Exchange 2019. So i am going to click Next.

11. Next window is about Malware Protection Settings. Malware Protection Scanning should not be disabled. Select No and Click Next.

12. In Next windows Exchange Setup perform the Readiness Check and verify all required components is installed or not. If anything if missing then we will get error. Once Readiness check is done click Next.