Exchange Server 2016 can be installed on Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2. For both versions of Windows Server either the Standard or Datacenter edition can be used to run Exchange Server 2016. Exchange itself does not rely on any specific features of either the Standard or Datacenter editions.
Note that a full server installation with GUI is required for Exchange Server 2016, it can’t be installed on a Core mode installation of Windows Server.
There are three possible installations of Exchange Server 2016 that you can perform:
- Mailbox server role (this is the only mandatory server role)
- Edge Transport server role (this is optional, and can’t co-exist with the Mailbox server role on the same Windows Server)
- Management Tools (for admin workstations or servers)
The requirements for each installation type are different, so let’s look at each of them in turn.
Installing Pre-Requisites for an Exchange Server 2016 Mailbox Server
For an Exchange Server 2016 Mailbox server installation open an elevated (run as administrator) PowerShell console and run the following command to install the operating system roles and features.
C:\> Install-WindowsFeature AS-HTTP-Activation, Desktop-Experience, NET-Framework-45-Features, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, RSAT-Clustering-CmdInterface, RSAT-Clustering-Mgmt, RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell, Web-Mgmt-Console, 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
A restart is required after the roles and features have finished installing. If you’d prefer that the server restarts itself automatically simply append -Restart to the command.
After the restart download and install (in order):
The server is now ready to install Exchange Server 2016.
Installing Pre-Requisites for an Exchange Server 2016 Edge Transport Server
For an Exchange Server 2016 Edge Transport server the pre-requisites installation is a little simpler than for a Mailbox server. Open an elevated PowerShell console and run the following command.
C:\> Install-WindowsFeature ADLDS
When that has completed download and install (in order):
The server is now ready to install the Exchange Server 2016 Edge Transport role.
Installing Pre-Requisites for the Exchange Server 2016 Management Tools
Exchange Server 2016 uses a web-based administrative interface called the Exchange Admin Center, similar to Exchange Server 2013. There is nothing required to be installed on a workstation or server other than a web browser to access the Exchange Admin Center.
However if you want the Exchange Management Shell to be installed on a management workstation or server (Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows 8.1) then the only pre-requisite is to install .NET Framework 4.5.2. After the .NET Framework is installed you can install the Exchange Server 2016 management tools.
Next Steps
After installing the pre-requisites you can proceed with installing Exchange Server 2016.
This article Installing Exchange Server 2016 Pre-Requisites on Windows Server 2012 R2 is © 2015 ExchangeServerPro.com
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