Install Exchange Server prerequisites

Install Exchange Server prerequisites before you start to install Exchange Server. Ensure you have an operating system that supports the Exchange Server version that you want to install. In this article, we will look at how to install Exchange Server prerequisites on Windows Server.

Mailbox and Edge Transport server roles

The Mailbox server contains:

• Transport services that are used to route mail
• Mailbox databases that process, render, and store data
• Client Access services that accept client connections for all protocols

The Edge Transport server is:

• An optional role that handles all external mail flow for the Exchange organization
• Protecting the Exchange organization from viruses and spam as mail enters and leaves
• Installed in an Exchange organization perimeter (DMZ) network

Read more: Exchange Server in DMZ or LAN network »

Supported operating systems

Have a look at which operating systems support Exchange Server 2016 and Exchange Server 2019.

Exchange Server 2016

• Windows Server 2016 Standard or Datacenter (Exchange Server 2016 CU3 or later)
• Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard or Datacenter
• Windows Server 2012 Standard or Datacenter
• Windows Server Desktop Experience

Exchange Server 2019

• Windows Server 2022 Standard or Datacenter (Exchange Server 2019 CU12 or later)
• Windows Server 2019 Standard or Datacenter
• Windows Server Desktop Experience
• Windows Server Core

Install Exchange Mailbox server prerequisites

Follow the below steps to install Exchange Mailbox server prerequisites for Windows Server.

Step 1. Run PowerShell as administrator. Run the following command to install the required Windows components.

PS C:\> Install-WindowsFeature Server-Media-Foundation, NET-Framework-45-Features, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, RSAT-Clustering-CmdInterface, RSAT-Clustering-Mgmt, RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell, WAS-Process-Model, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-Basic-Auth, Web-Client-Auth, Web-Digest-Auth, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Dyn-Compression, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Http-Redirect, Web-Http-Tracing, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console, Web-Metabase, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Service, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Server, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Static-Content, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-WMI, Windows-Identity-Foundation, RSAT-ADDS

Success Restart Needed Exit Code      Feature Result
------- -------------- ---------      --------------
True    No             Success        {Message Queuing, Message Queuing Server, ...

Step 2. Install .NET Framework 4.8 (restart required).

Step 3. Install Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012.

Step 4. Install Visual C++ Redistributable Packages for Visual Studio 2013.

Step 5. Install IIS URL Rewrite Module.

Note: The IIS URL Rewrite Module is required with Exchange Server 2016 CU22 and Exchange Server 2019 CU11 or later.

Step 6. Install Unified Communications Managed API 4.0 Runtime.

Install Exchange Edge Transport server prerequisites

Follow the below steps to install Exchange Edge Transport server prerequisites for Windows Server.

Step 1. Run PowerShell as administrator. Run the following command to install the required Windows components.

PS C:\> Install-WindowsFeature ADLDS

Success Restart Needed Exit Code      Feature Result
------- -------------- ---------      --------------
True    No             Success        {Active Directory Lightweight Directory Se...
WARNING: To create a new AD LDS instance on server, log on to the destination server and then run the Active Directory
Lightweight Directory Services Setup Wizard. For more information, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=224859.

Step 2. Install .NET Framework 4.8 (restart required).

Step 3. Install Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012.

Install Exchange Management tools prerequisites

Follow the steps below to install Exchange Management tools prerequisites for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Step 1. Install Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012.

Step 2. Run PowerShell as administrator and run the following command to install the required Windows components.

PS C:\> Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-IIS6ManagementCompatibility,IIS-Metabase -All

Path          : 
Online        : True
RestartNeeded : False

Conclusion

You learned how to install Exchange Server prerequisites. Attention to detail is essential, as you need to run more than one setup. The next step is to prepare Active Directory and domains for Exchange Server. After that, install Exchange Server.

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