Installing/Deploying Exchange server 2007:

This article briefs about the prerequisite and installation procedure for the exchange server 2007. In the latest version of exchange server, the Microsoft has taken big step in improving the installation process.

Hardware requirements:

1. X64 Hardware Processor.
2. Min 1 GB RAM and Rec 2 GB RAM
3. 1.2 GB disk space for exchange core installation.
4. Must be a NTFS partition.

Server OS Installation:

Install the windows server 2003 server (Std or Ent Edition), latest services packs(SP1 is must), patches and needed hot fixes.

Active Directory:

Implementation of proper AD is more important since AD is highly integrated with the Microsoft exchange. Mistakes made in the AD will affect the exchange badly.

Considerable AD factors:
1. Global catalog server placement - stores partial copies of data for all other
Domains within a forest. Exchange queries a global catalog to resolve email addresses for
2. users within the organization
3. AD Sites and Services
4. Domain and forest functional levels
5. Flexible Single Master Operations role placement
6. Permissions needed to install Exchange – must be a member of schema Admin and Enterprise admin for installing the exchange server.
7. Bandwidth and latency.

Preinstallation check before deploying Exchange server 2007:

1. Test the status of the AD using netdiag, dcdiag and replication monitor. Alternatively, the Exchange Server 2007 Installation Wizard also conducts a minor health check automatically as a prerequisite task when installing Exchange Server 2007.
2. Raising the Domain functional levels accordingly.

Prerequisite for deploying Exchange server 2007:

1. Install .NET 2.0
2. Install MMC 3.0
3. Install EMS – Exchange Management Shell.
4. Configuring IIS 6.0 – Check Enable network COM+ access, IIS, Common files, WWW services, ASP.NET.
5. Preparation switches
/prepare pl – single shot install
/prepare Schema – for preparing the schema
/prepare AD - for preparing the active directory in the domain level - optional
/prepare Alldomains – for different domains
/prepare Domains “domain name” – for other domains and child domains

Installing the Exchange server 2007:

Click the core setup.exe file, the wizard for installing the exchange server will open, please select the respective roles and other inputs.
Post installation Checks:
1. Review installation logs - C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\logging\SetupLogs.
2. Review event logs in the event viewer.
3. Check and Obtain the latest Exchange critical updates
4. Verify server roles are installed by checking in the Exchange management console or by get-Exchange Server command in the shell.
5. Run Microsoft Exchange Best Practice Analyzer (shortly called as ExBPA tool)

Upgrading from the previous version:

It is not possible to upgrade Exch 2000/2003 to Exch 207 directly because the Exch 2007 uses X64 architecture.
Exch 5.5 (migrated to) - Exch 2000/2003 (transferred to) - Exch 2007.

Hope the above mentioned steps in deploying the exchange server 2007. The Migration from the previous version has lots to be described, probably I will write in another blog.

Thanks
Logu
Logu_microsoft@hotmail.com
91-98414 99143