Install and Configure Exchange 2013 Step by Step

I will perform the installation on a Windows Server 2012 R2. If you are installing on Windows Server 2008 R2 make sure you download and install:

 .NET Framework 4.5
Windows Management Framework 3.0

Now run setup.exe

Check if there are updates available. Click Next.

Click on Next to copy the files and initialize the setup.

Click on Next in the Introduction screen.

Accept the license and click on Next.

Choose whether you want to send information to Microsoft or not. Click on Next.

Select the roles you want to install in the server. In this example I'm going to install the CAS and Mailbox role in the same server. Click on Next. In case you are wondering where is the hub transport role it has been retired and it's functionality split and integrated in the CAS and Mailbox role.

Choose the installation location and click on Next.

Choose if you want Malware protection enabled or not and click on Next.

Now it will automatically configure some of the Exchange pre-requisites. Now a restart is required.

Once you are back download and install:

Microsoft Unified Communication Managed API 4.0
Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Packs
Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Packs SP1

Now run the setup again and repeat all steps above until you get to the Readiness check screen. It should look like the screen below. Click on Install.

Once the installation is completed, click on finish and restart the server.

The installation is now completed. Let's do the basic configurations. First be aware the Exchange Management Console doesn't exist anymore and it has been replaced by the Exchange Admin Center which is web based.

So open IE and type https://SERVERNAME/ecp

If you still have another exchange server in your environment the link above may take you to the web app instead. In order to access the Admin Center use the following link https://SERVERNAME/ecp?ExchClientVer=15

If it's the first time you are signing in you may get the OWA screen as below:

Once you sign in, select the language and time zone then you will see the admin center screen like the one below:

Ok now click on servers node and in the virtual directories tab and configure the websites for each of the virtual directories and authentication if required.

The example below show the ActiveSync configuration for the internal and external URLs. In my case they are the same as both external and internal DNS records are also the same.

To configure Outlook Anywhere still in the severs node, double click on your exchange server (or select it and click on Edit) and click on Outlook Anywhere. Now specify the internal and external hostname that users will use to connect to Exchange.

Make sure you also have all your receive and send connectors configured.
Click on Mail Flow then on receive connectors. The most important part is the scoping.

Client frontend scoping:

 

Client Proxy scoping:

Default frontend scoping:

Default scoping:

Outbound Proxy frontend scoping:

 

 Now click on send connectors.

Internet scoping:

 Once you test all is working and you still have old Exchange servers in the environment you can start migrating the mailboxes. Click on recipients and from the mailboxes select the mailbox you want to migrate and click on Move Mailbox To another database.

Give the job a name and select the target database(s). Click on Next.

Select the mailboxes which will be sent a notification once the batch is completed and click on New.

 

 

If you have a large number of mailboxes to migrate it's easier to use the Management Shell. The following example would migrate all mailboxes from one database to the other. Use the Get-MailboxDatabase to get the names of the source and target databases or look for them in the Exchange admin center.

 

 

Once you migrate everything else and check all the functionality is working you can shut down your old exchange servers leave them there for a couple weeks and then decommission them.