Installing Exchange 2010 from command Line & Unattended install

 

If you are wanting to install Exchange 2010 server from command line here is nice and easy steps for you to get the work done.

Environment:

• Single Forest & Single Domain
• Windows 2008 R2 ( domain Joined )

Log into Exchange server ( candidate) open PowerShell with administrator privileges

sc.exe config NetTcpPortSharing start= auto

Step#1

Step#2

Open PS drill down to E210 install binaries ( this is either in the cd-room drive or in the folder, depending on your setup, in my case the install CD is inserted in CD room D:

From this directory move into scripts folder directory, this is inside the install CD

ServerManagerCMD -ip Exchange-typical.xml –restart

*** Ignore server manager depreciated etc.*** Note –restart will restart the server after install and server needs to have internet access for downloading files.

After server reboots and you get back on it open CMD on the server with administrator privileges

setup /m:install /r:h,c,m,t /TargetDir:"E:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange\V14" /Dbfilepath:E:\DatabaseFiles\DB1.edb /Logfolderpath:E:\Logs\DB1 /OrganizationName:ZtekZone

Now let me break this down for you guys

setup /m:install /r:h,c,m,t

This is basic setup it install , hub, cas , Mailbox Server roles and Exchange tools on the server but since we did not specify WHERE to install it will use the default directories where you running the command from ( most likely it will get installed on C drive of the server)

TargetDir:"E:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange\V14"

Now We are telling setup do not use the defaults install Exchange in E drive ( I have dedicated disk and labeled as E in my scenario, it will use above path

/Dbfilepath:E:\DatabaseFiles\DB1.edb

This is telling setup to install Database file in E drive and name as DB1.edb

/Logfolderpath:E:\Logs\DB1

This is telling setup put logs for DB1 into E drive under specified directory

/OrganizationName:ZtekZone

Finally this is telling setup to use this Org name since this is first install

If you are installing into existing environment you have to use this switch

/LegacyRoutingServer:ex2003.YourCompany.com

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997281(v=exchg.141).aspx

Respectfully,
Oz Casey, Dedeal ( MVP north America)
MCITP (EMA), MCITP (SA)
MCSE 2003, M+, S+, MCDST
Security+, Project +, Server +
http://smtp25.blogspot.com/ (Blog)
http://telnet25.wordpress.com/ (Blog)

Prepare LAB to install Exchange 15 on your Laptop

will configure our laptop to run “LAB” environment and install Exchange 15 on it. The task will require Laptop with Windows 8 operation system and obviously decent CPU and memory , I have 8 GIG in my laptop and using build in Hyper-V.

• Install windows 2012 Server ( To be domain controller )
• Promote Windows 2012 to be first DC in the LAB forest/Domain
• Install Windows 2012 , join to LAB Forest/Domain as member server
• Install E15
• Install Windows 2008 Host machine to be client PC

The end goal is to connect host PC ( windows 8 in my case ) to VM host Server running on Hyper-V . Once I am able to establish TCP/IP communication I will use RDP from my host PC to connect to my Virtual hosts ( Windows 2012 etc.)

• Physical Host node ( Laptop)
• Virtual Guest node ( VM hosts )

STEP#1 Enable Hyper-V on Physical Host node

If you have not installed Hyper-V future yet go ahead and do it , Open PS and type control

• From control panel , turn Windows features on or off , tick the box says "hyper-V"

Step#2 – Create Internal Switch on Hyper-V Management console

• Open host PC , double click on Hyper-V management console

• Now we will Click on
• Virtual Switch manager

• Select "Internal"
• Click on "Create Virtual Switch"

Give it a name, I am using "internal Network Switch" here to make bit more sense and clear for those who might get confuse.

Remember the end goal is to have Physical host ( laptop) to put into same network as the Virtual guest so they can communicate as long as they have IP addresses from same network and connected to VM Switch.  (-:

Step#3 – Configure the NIC on the host machine ( Physical)

Now if you go to Network connections window on the host PC you will see this adapter "vEthernet (Internal Switch ) " you can re-name this if you like , remember this is the NIC connected to Hyper-V virtual Switch

Now we will configure Static IP on the Virtual NIC which is connected to Virtual Internal Switch in the Hyper-V

Configure Static IP Address on the Virtual NIC presented to physical host

Un-tick register this connection in DNS in advance settings

IP: 192.168.1.101 /24

Step#4 – Add a NIC on the Virtual guest machine and configure it

Now in my case I already have NIC configured for the Vm Host and I will add second NIC to communicate with Host PC NIC by using Hyper-V switch we have created earlier.

I will use fallowing Internal IP

IP: 192.168.1.100 /24

Step#5 Test the configuration and RDP Access

Ping from Host to client

Make sure RDP is allowed on the VM Host PC and try to access it and have fun with your LAB.

Respectfully,
Oz Casey, Dedeal ( MVP north America)
MCITP (EMA), MCITP (SA)
MCSE 2003, M+, S+, MCDST
Security+, Project +, Server +
http://smtp25.blogspot.com/ (Blog)
http://telnet25.wordpress.com/ (Blog)

Exchange 2013 Calculator

This has been a long waiting and finally here is the official calculator for Exchange 2013. Thanks for all the hard work put into getting the calculator done, for sure it is a “must” tool we could not leave without …..

Read more on Exchange team blog

http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2013/05/14/released-exchange-2013-server-role-requirements-calculator.aspx

Some of the highlights with the calculator

• Exchange team Multi Role deployment & recommendation continues , considering remaining less server roles, this is expected and makes the most sense IMO.
• Virtualization of Exchange 2013 does it make sense ?
• Considering huge increase on the CPU and Memory requirements ( in trade the less 33% IOPS compared to Exchange 2010 , it does not make sense , utilizing hardware and investing into DAG model as far as redundancy goes makes more sense. Simply if we are not able to configure more then two hosts on the virtual hosting server,  the idea of implementing Exchange 2013 becomes obsolete and waste.
• When deploying dedicated server roles, the calculator will recommend the minimum number of Client Access processor cores and memory per server.

Respectfully,
Oz Casey, Dedeal ( MVP north America)
MCITP (EMA), MCITP (SA)
MCSE 2003, M+, S+, MCDST
Security+, Project +, Server +
http://smtp25.blogspot.com/ (Blog)
http://telnet25.wordpress.com/ (Blog)

Exchange 2010 Configuring DAG NIC Settings Best Practices.

Here is general guidelines along with MS best practices how to configure NIC card settings when setting up Exchange 2010 DAG servers. Use this as reference for your deployments.

Exchange 2010–Mailbox DAG Network configurations for the purpose of this document we will call

• NIC1= Production (it has DGW configured)
• NIC2=Replication (it does not have DGW, Use NetSH to configure static persistent route)

NIC Binding order = Production NIC is listed first, Replication NIC is second other NIC if available in any order….

DAG Members (Network Adaptor Settings)	NIC1 = Production (MAPI Access, Outlook users )	NIC2 = Replication (Seeding and heartbeat purpose)
Client for Microsoft Networks	Enabled	Unchecked
QoS Packet Scheduler	Optional	Optional
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks	Enabled	Unchecked
Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IP v6)	Enabled (Optional )	Optional
Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP v4)	Enabled	Enabled
Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper I/O Driver	Enabled	Enabled
Link-Layer Topology Discovery Responder	Enabled	Enabled
Register Connection in DNS	Enabled	Unchecked
Default Gateway	Enabled	Disabled (use static routes, with NetSH )
NIC Binding order, ( go to Network Connections, Advance, & Advance Settings , Press ALT key to see the advance settings, Make sure the **replication NIC** is listed on TOP	Listed First	Listed second

Replication NIC Card (Private network)

• · NIC BINDINGS
• · Go to Network Connections
• · Advance
• · Advance Settings
• · Make sure the replication NIC is listed on TOP

NetSH Interface ip show route

DGW = 10.80.3.1 in this example

netsh Interface ipv4 add route 10.80.3.102/32 "inside" 10.80.3.1 store=persistent

To delete any static route

netsh interface ipv4 delete route 10.0.0.0/8 "Internal" 10.0.0.5

See the Static route

netsh interface ip show route

Reset the Interface ( very powerful)

netsh interface tcp reset

 

Respectfully,
Oz Casey, Dedeal ( MVP north America)
MCITP (EMA), MCITP (SA)
MCSE 2003, M+, S+, MCDST
Security+, Project +, Server +
http://smtp25.blogspot.com/ (Blog)
http://telnet25.wordpress.com/ (Blog)

Exchange 2013 Sizing guidelines

It has been long time many of us have been waiting for E13 Calculator to design upcoming  messaging deployments and and finally here are the guidelines which will be feed into Official Exchange 2013 when it is available.

I am sure after reading the guidelines your head will spin up (-: you will quickly realize how much we have spoiled to given actual E210 calculator which does all these complicated calculation for us. IMO the calculator is the bible of design and sizing , not fallowing the output or the guidelines will lead to failure in the design.

I like to highlight some of the calculation details here and let you read the read rom Exchange team blog.

First of the most whatever you do you have to consider seriously Jet stressing your predicted design to make sure what is the actual IOPS etc. At the end of the day if the required IOPS are not there , failure will occur , same goes the required amount of memory and CPU per server.

Remember  you have to decide Scale up or Scale out

scaling up (deploying fewer larger servers) and scaling out (deploying a larger number of smaller servers)

The idea behind E15 is simplicity as it was in E2010 , so combining stateless ( CAS ) role MBX not only will make servers counts less to be deployed but also will produce more servers for available services.

• Large IOPS deduction in E15 , where did it came from , the short answer is the trade More memory and CPU resource.
• Exchange 2013 high checkpoint depth on the passive copy = 100MB
• IOPS for a passive copy is about 50 percent of the active copy IOPS in Exchange 2013.
• Exchange server ESE catch plays large part in the reduction of IOPS , in trade off to actual memory, new content indexing , Exchange services also are other tenants.

 

Turn off CPU Hyperthreading there are potential issues if enabled,

“While modern implementations of simultaneous multithreading (SMT), also known as hyperthreading, can absolutely improve CPU throughput for most applications, the benefits to Exchange 2013 do not outweigh the negative impacts. “

lets keep our fingers crossed Exchange team will make store calculator ready for us in near time, and lets remember their hard work and give them credits they deserve for making our lives easy.

Respectfully,
Oz Casey, Dedeal ( MVP north America)
MCITP (EMA), MCITP (SA)
MCSE 2003, M+, S+, MCDST
Security+, Project +, Server +
http://smtp25.blogspot.com/ (Blog)
http://telnet25.wordpress.com/ (Blog)