When you run the following cmdlet to prepare Active Directory for the installation of an Exchange Server Cumulative Update (in this case CU17) you might encounter a System.UnauthorizedAccessException.
D:\tmp\Cu17>setup.exe /PrepareAD /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 17 Unattended Setup Unhandled Exception: System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access to the path 'C:\ Windows\Temp\ExchangeSetup\ExSetup.exe' is denied. at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath) at System.IO.File.SetAttributes(String path, FileAttributes fileAttributes) at Microsoft.Exchange.Setup.CommonBase.SetupHelper.DeleteDirectory(String pat h) at Microsoft.Exchange.Bootstrapper.Setup.BootstrapperBase.CopySetupBootstrapp erFiles() at Microsoft.Exchange.Bootstrapper.Setup.Setup.Run() at Microsoft.Exchange.Bootstrapper.Setup.BootstrapperBase.MainCore[T](String[ ] args) at Microsoft.Exchange.Bootstrapper.Setup.Setup.Main(String[] args)
There is a simple reason for the the System.UnauthorizedAccessException:
The required .NET Framework 4.6.2 had been installed just minutes before executing setup.exe. Preparation of the Active Directory schema ran without any issues. But when the /PrepareSchema call finished, the temporary folder in C:\Windows\Temp\ExchangeSetup could not be fully cleaned up, as mscorsvw.exe had an open file handle on ExSetup.exe.
Additionally, when you run Setup.exe and the folder C:\Windows\Temp\ExchangeSetup exists, the setup will not try to copy required installation files. Regardless if the folder files exists in the folder or not.
D:\tmp\Cu17>setup.exe /PrepareAD /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 17 Unattended Setup Copying Files... File copy complete. Setup will now collect additional information needed for installation. Performing Microsoft Exchange Server Prerequisite Check Prerequisite Analysis COMPLETED Configuring Microsoft Exchange Server Organization Preparation COMPLETED The Exchange Server setup operation completed successfully.
Enjoy Exchange!
Once upon a time at an Exchange Conference near you, a member of the Exchange Product Group (PG) announced that the very last Exchange Server will go away when having an active Exchange hybrid setup.
This was a hot topic for discussions at the Microsoft Exchange Conferences (MEC, @IamMEC) in 2012 and 2014, already. Since then the Exchange PG came up with a number of reasons why this is not possible. The question on when we will finally be able to remove the very last Exchange Server from the on-premises Exchange organization was asked every year at the Ignite Conference.
Currently, the supported scenario for hybrid configurations between your on-premises Exchange organization and Exchange Online requires that you keep the last Exchange Server for creating, and managing Exchange related objects, even if those objects are located in Exchange Online.
The following diagram illustrates the current requirements:
In the past, there was communication on certain interim solutions that were supposed to support you in removing the last Exchange Server from your Exchange organization. Such interim solutions were:
At Ignite those solutions even made it into the official session catalog:
All those interim solutions leave your on-premises Exchange organization and the Active Directory configuration in an uncomfortable twilight-zone. It was still something that worked somehow, but you knew it was officially not supported, and the secure and stable operation of the hybrid configuration was at risk.
But wait...
Removing the last Exchange Server is supported! (at least when all components are released)
The new approach for managing your Exchange Online tenancy after migrating your on-premises Exchange organization to Exchange Online does not require an on-premises Exchange Server.
The new mode of operation reduces your on-premises requirements to:
The following diagram illustrates the new modern Exchange Online Management experience:
Simply you remove the requirement to use on-premises Exchange Server to write to your on-premises Active Directory. Instead, Azure AD Connect uses a new synchronization capability to handle the new Exchange Management experience in the AAD Connect MetaVerse. The on-premises AD-connector writes the changes to Active Directory which keeps the Active Directory up-to-date for all other on-premises solutions that require identities to have a proper state.
You execute all Exchange-related actions using the new Exchange Online Management PowerShell module, or, if needed, the new Modern Exchange Admin Center (EAC, which was announced at Ignite 2019.
Before you uninstall the last Exchange Server from your on-premises Exchange organization, ensure that you
PS C:\> Get-WindowsFeature Display Name Name Install State ------------ ---- ------------- [ ] Active Directory Certificate Services AD-Certificate Available [ ] Certification Authority ADCS-Cert-Authority Available [ ] Certificate Enrollment Policy Web Service ADCS-Enroll-Web-Pol Available [ ] Certificate Enrollment Web Service ADCS-Enroll-Web-Svc Available [ ] Certification Authority Web Enrollment ADCS-Web-Enrollment Available [ ] Network Device Enrollment Service ADCS-Device-Enrollment Available [ ] Online Responder ADCS-Online-Cert Available [ ] Active Directory Domain Services AD-Domain-Services Available [ ] Active Directory Federation Services ADFS-Federation Available [ ] Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services ADLDS Available [ ] Active Directory Rights Management Services ADRMS Available [ ] Active Directory Rights Management Server ADRMS-Server Available [ ] Identity Federation Support ADRMS-Identity Available [ ] Device Health Attestation DeviceHealthAttestat... Available [ ] DHCP Server DHCP Available [ ] DNS Server DNS Available [ ] Exchange Online Remote Features EXORemote Available [ ] Fax Server Fax Available [X] File and Storage Services FileAndStorage-Services Installed [X] File and iSCSI Services File-Services Installed [X] File Server FS-FileServer Installed [ ] BranchCache for Network Files FS-BranchCache Available [...]
PS C:\> Install-WindowsFeature -Name EXORemote Display Name Name Install State ------------ ---- ------------- [ ] Active Directory Certificate Services AD-Certificate Available [ ] Certification Authority ADCS-Cert-Authority Available [ ] Certificate Enrollment Policy Web Service ADCS-Enroll-Web-Pol Available [ ] Certificate Enrollment Web Service ADCS-Enroll-Web-Svc Available [ ] Certification Authority Web Enrollment ADCS-Web-Enrollment Available [ ] Network Device Enrollment Service ADCS-Device-Enrollment Available [ ] Online Responder ADCS-Online-Cert Available [ ] Active Directory Domain Services AD-Domain-Services Available [ ] Active Directory Federation Services ADFS-Federation Available [ ] Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services ADLDS Available [ ] Active Directory Rights Management Services ADRMS Available [ ] Active Directory Rights Management Server ADRMS-Server Available [ ] Identity Federation Support ADRMS-Identity Available [ ] Device Health Attestation DeviceHealthAttestat... Available [ ] DHCP Server DHCP Available [ ] DNS Server DNS Available [X] Exchange Online Remote Features EXORemote Installed [ ] Fax Server Fax Available [X] File and Storage Services FileAndStorage-Services Installed [X] File and iSCSI Services File-Services Installed [X] File Server FS-FileServer Installed [ ] BranchCache for Network Files FS-BranchCache Available [...]
Even though not explicitly stated, you should restart the server after installing the Windows feature.
As part of the next AAD Connect synchronization cycle, the magic happens.
Verify that you can edit the Exchange related attributes of synchronized Active Directory objects in Exchange Online or Azure AD before you remove your last Exchange Server.
Whey ready to uninstall the last Exchange Server you must use the following command line parameters to remove the server as intended. Otherwise, you'll leave the Exchange organization in an inchoate state. Ensure that you use an administrative PowerShell session.
./Setup.exe /mode:uninstall /SwitchToMEMA /IAcceptExchangeOnlineLicenseTerms
Normally, you do not have to accept license terms when uninstalling Exchange Server, but in this case, you have to accept the Exchange Online license terms.
Enjoy the modern experience and management options of Exchange Online!
Exchange Conferences
This script reads the Exchange schema version from the Active Directory schema partition.
The Exchange organization name is fetched from Active Directory automatically. The script fetches at forest level:
The script fetches at domain level:
Code Samples
# Fetch all version information in the Active Directory forest .\Get-ExchangeServerVersionInfo.ps1
Sample Output:
PS D:\Scripts> .\Get-ExchangeServerVersionInfo.ps1 Exchange Server Schema and Object Information for forest [VARUNA.ROOT] Exchange Organization Name : VARUNA-GROUP Active Directory Schema rangeUpper: 15332 Working on VARUNA.ROOT MESO Container objectVersion : 13236 Exchange Configuration msExchProductId : 15.01.1466.003 Exchange Configuration objectVersion : 16213 Working on VARUNAGROUP.DE MESO Container objectVersion : 13236
Enjoy Exchange Server!
Exchange Server 2016 introduced the PowerShell cmdlet Get-MailboxServerRedundancy. This cmdlet helps you plan and prepare for Exchange Server maintenance by querying the current maintenance readiness of the database availability group (DAG).
Interestingly, there is no PowerShell help available for this vital cmdlet. Microsoft Docs or Exchange Management Shell's Get-Help provide any valuable information.
When querying a DAG about the server redundancy status, the cmdlet's default output provides you with the essential information.
The default output contains information about:
This example shows the Get-MailboxServerRedundancy output of a six server DAG, before activating maintenance mode for server LOCEXS06.
Get-MailboxServerRedundancy -DatabaseAvailabilityGroup EXDAG01 Identity IsServerFound IsInMainten RepairUrgency SafeForMaintenance HealthInfoLastUpdateTime InAD ance -------- ------------- ----------- ------------- ------------------ ------------------------ LOCEXS01 True False Prohibited False 17.02.2020 09:10:11 LOCEXS02 True False Normal True 17.02.2020 09:10:11 LOCEXS03 True False Normal True 17.02.2020 09:10:11 LOCEXS06 True False Normal True 17.02.2020 09:10:11 LOCEXS05 True False Normal True 17.02.2020 09:10:11 LOCEXS04 True False Prohibited False 17.02.2020 09:10:11
As Exchange Administrator, you are most interested in the information displayed in columns RepairUrgency and SafeForMaintenance.
As you can see in this screenshot, no server is in maintenance mode. Servers S01 and S04 have a RepairUrgency state of Prohibited, and a SafeForMaintenance state of False. The latter tells us that we cannot activate maintenance mode for servers safely without risking mailbox database redundancy.
What is the reason for this? Let's have a look.
You can use the same cmdlet to query detailed information for each member server of the DAG. The default output for a single server does not provide any additional information on the server status.
Get-MailboxServerRedundancy -DatabaseAvailabilityGroup EXDAG01 -Identity LOCEXS01 Identity IsServerFound IsInMainten RepairUrgency SafeForMaintenance HealthInfoLastUpdateTime InAD ance -------- ------------- ----------- ------------- ------------------ ------------------------ LOCEXS01 True False Prohibited False 17.02.2020 09:11:11
Because we cannot activate maintenance mode for server LOCEXS01 safely, we are interested in identifying which redundancy state is responsible.
You can find this information by displaying the detailed server information.
Use the Format-List, or short FL, cmdlet to display the Get-MailboxServerRedundancy cmdlet output as a formatted list.
Get-MailboxServerRedundancy -DatabaseAvailabilityGroup EXDAG01 -Identity LOCEXS01 | FL RunspaceId : 70d82f8d-e6ca-4bfc-863f-11300a9784ff Identity : LOCEXS01 IsServerFoundInAD : True IsInMaintenance : False RepairUrgency : Prohibited SafeForMaintenance : False ServerContactedFqdn : LOCEXS04.VARUNAGROUP.DE HealthInfoCreateTime : 15.06.2018 15:16:19 HealthInfoLastUpdateTime : 17.02.2020 09:11:11 ServerFoundInAD : CurrentState: Active; LastActiveTransition: 15.06.2018 15:22:16; LastInactiveTransition: InMaintenance : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: 17.01.2020 09:07:02; LastInactiveTransition: 17.01.2020 10:42:02 AutoActivationPolicyBlocked : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: 09.01.2020 10:14:50; LastInactiveTransition: 09.01.2020 11:00:51 ActivationDisabledAndMoveNow : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: ; LastInactiveTransition: 15.06.2018 15:22:16 HighAvailabilityComponentStateOffline : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: 17.01.2020 09:07:02; LastInactiveTransition: 17.01.2020 10:42:02 CriticalForMaintainingAvailability : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: 31.01.2020 16:52:49; LastInactiveTransition: 31.01.2020 16:56:49 CriticalForMaintainingRedundancy : CurrentState: Active; LastActiveTransition: 29.01.2020 11:43:06; LastInactiveTransition: 29.01.2020 11:42:06 PotentiallyCriticalForMaintainingRedundancy : CurrentState: Active; LastActiveTransition: 01.02.2020 05:49:37; LastInactiveTransition: CriticalForRestoringAvailability : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: 06.05.2019 09:16:36; LastInactiveTransition: 06.05.2019 09:20:36 CriticalForRestoringRedundancy : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: 29.01.2020 11:42:06; LastInactiveTransition: 29.01.2020 11:43:06 HighForRestoringAvailability : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: 29.01.2020 11:42:06; LastInactiveTransition: 29.01.2020 11:43:06 HighForRestoringRedundancy : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: 10.02.2020 09:05:02; LastInactiveTransition: 10.02.2020 09:06:02 IsSafeForMaintenance : CurrentState: Inactive; LastActiveTransition: 03.11.2019 09:42:35; LastInactiveTransition: 12.11.2019 06:29:58 IsValid : True ObjectState : Unchanged
The lines 24-27 show the information we want to know. Both, the CriticalForMaintainingRedundancy and PotentiallyCriticalForMaintainingRedundancy parameters have a CurrentState value of Active. The Primary Activation Manager (PAM) considers the server availability critical to provide redundant availability of the database copies hosted by this server.
Each of state-parameter shows three pieces of information:
But there is still the bothering question of why are two of the six servers not safe for activating maintenance?
The reason is simple. The mailbox databases mounted by the member servers of the DAG have a different number of database copies. This configuration is due to data storage capacity constraints.
The mailbox databases storing primary user mailboxes use four database copies per database. Those copies are evenly distributed across all six mailbox servers. Mailbox database storing online archive mailboxes use three copies per database. This database copy layout allows for safely activating server maintenance for one server at a time without risk to database redundancy.
The servers LOCEXS01 and LOCEXS04 hold mailbox databases with just two copies per configured database. Placing one of those two servers into maintenance mode reduces the database availability for these mailbox databases to one. Therefore, PAM informs us that database redundancy is at risk when activating maintenance for those two servers.
This example shows the member server redundancy state while LOCEXS06 is in maintenance. The reason for monthly maintenance for installing Windows updates.
Maintenance was activated using the StartDagServerMaintenance.ps1 PowerShell script.
Get-MailboxServerRedundancy -DatabaseAvailabilityGroup indag01 Identity IsServerFound IsInMainten RepairUrgency SafeForMaintenance HealthInfoLastUpdateTime InAD ance -------- ------------- ----------- ------------- ------------------ ------------------------ LOCEXS01 True False Prohibited False 17.02.2020 11:04:12 LOCEXS02 True False Normal True 17.02.2020 11:04:12 LOCEXS03 True False Prohibited False 17.02.2020 11:04:12 LOCEXS06 True True High True 17.02.2020 11:04:12 LOCEXS05 True False Prohibited False 17.02.2020 11:04:12 LOCEXS04 True False Prohibited False 17.02.2020 11:04:12
Having a single server in maintenance has a significant impact on all other servers in the DAG. The servers LOCEXS03 and LOCEXS05 are not safe for maintenance as well. Activating maintenance for those two servers would affect the database redundancy for the databases hosted by those two servers.
After completing all maintenance tasks, e.g., installing Windows Updates or a new Exchange Server Cumulative Update, you end server maintenance using the PowerShell script StopDagServerMaintenance.ps1.
We query the server redundancy state again.
Get-MailboxServerRedundancy -DatabaseAvailabilityGroup indag01 Identity IsServerFound IsInMainten RepairUrgency SafeForMaintenance HealthInfoLastUpdateTime InAD ance -------- ------------- ----------- ------------- ------------------ ------------------------ LOCEXS01 True False Prohibited False 17.02.2020 11:23:12 LOCEXS02 True False Normal True 17.02.2020 11:23:12 LOCEXS03 True False Normal True 17.02.2020 11:23:12 LOCEXS06 True False High True 17.02.2020 11:23:12 LOCEXS05 True False Normal True 17.02.2020 11:23:12 LOCEXS04 True False Prohibited False 17.02.2020 11:23:12
Server LOCEXS06 is not in maintenance, but the RepairUrgency state is High. The local Exchange Server replication engine is still busy replicating and processing log files, and updating the search indices. When CopyQueueLength and ReplayQueueLength are back to 0, and ContentIndexStates are back to Healthy, the RepairUrgency switches to Normal.
You receive an error message when activating maintenance for an Exchange Server not safe for maintenance using StartDagServerMaintenance.ps1 -serverName [SERVER] In this case, you must use:
.\StartDagServerMaintenance.ps1 -serverName SERVERNAME -overrideMinimumTwoCopies:$true
Sometimes you might be interested in gathering a list of all computer from an Active Directory domain in preparation for migration.
You can gather a list of all computer objects using the following command.
# Fetch a sorted list of all computer objects Get-ADComputer -Filter * -Property * | Sort-Object Name
The wildcard used with the Property parameter fetches all available attributes for a computer object. Check the available attributes in the result set to identify the attributes you are interested in.
# Example output for the first computer object gathered from Active Directory (Get-ADComputer -Filter * -Property * | Sort-Object Name)[0] AccountExpirationDate : accountExpires : 9223372036854775807 AccountLockoutTime : AccountNotDelegated : False AllowReversiblePasswordEncryption : False BadLogonCount : 0 badPasswordTime : 0 badPwdCount : 0 CannotChangePassword : False CanonicalName : DOMAIN.local/Computers/COMPUTER01 Certificates : {} CN : COMPUTER01 codePage : 0 CompoundIdentitySupported : {False} countryCode : 0 Created : 9/2/2013 3:01:13 PM createTimeStamp : 9/2/2013 3:01:13 PM Deleted : Description : DisplayName : DistinguishedName : CN=COMPUTER01,CN=Computers,DC=DOMAIN,DC=local DNSHostName : COMPUTER01.DOMAIN.local DoesNotRequirePreAuth : False dSCorePropagationData : {12/31/1600 7:00:00 PM} Enabled : True HomedirRequired : False HomePage : instanceType : 4 IPv4Address : IPv6Address : isCriticalSystemObject : False isDeleted : KerberosEncryptionType : {RC4, AES128, AES256} LastBadPasswordAttempt : LastKnownParent : lastLogoff : 0 lastLogon : 130942520427754509 LastLogonDate : 12/10/2015 3:02:53 PM lastLogonTimestamp : 130942513734007331 localPolicyFlags : 0 Location : LockedOut : False logonCount : 194 ManagedBy : MemberOf : {} MNSLogonAccount : False Modified : 12/10/2015 3:02:53 PM modifyTimeStamp : 12/10/2015 3:02:53 PM msDS-SupportedEncryptionTypes : 28 msDS-User-Account-Control-Computed : 0 Name : COMPUTER01 nTSecurityDescriptor : System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectorySecurity ObjectCategory : CN=Computer,CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=DOMAIN,DC=local ObjectClass : computer ObjectGUID : da59afcc-e00a-430b-9cbc-01adeed568f3 objectSid : S-1-5-21-3143343262-845931634-422089675-1179 OperatingSystem : Windows 7 Professional OperatingSystemHotfix : OperatingSystemServicePack : Service Pack 1 OperatingSystemVersion : 6.1 (7601) PasswordExpired : False PasswordLastSet : 12/2/2014 7:21:09 AM PasswordNeverExpires : False PasswordNotRequired : False PrimaryGroup : CN=Domain Computers,CN=Users,DC=DOMAIN,DC=local primaryGroupID : 515 PrincipalsAllowedToDelegateToAccount : {} ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion : False pwdLastSet : 130619964697110685 SamAccountName : COMPUTER01$ sAMAccountType : 805306369 sDRightsEffective : 15 ServiceAccount : {} servicePrincipalName : {RestrictedKrbHost/COMPUTER01, HOST/COMPUTER01, RestrictedKrbHost/COMPUTER01.DOMAIN.local, HOST/COMPUTER01.DOMAIN.local} ServicePrincipalNames : {RestrictedKrbHost/COMPUTER01, HOST/COMPUTER01, RestrictedKrbHost/COMPUTER01.DOMAIN.local, HOST/COMPUTER01.DOMAIN.local} SID : S-1-5-21-3143343262-845931634-422089675-1179 SIDHistory : {} TrustedForDelegation : False TrustedToAuthForDelegation : False UseDESKeyOnly : False userAccountControl : 4096 userCertificate : {} UserPrincipalName : uSNChanged : 1721509 uSNCreated : 45981 whenChanged : 12/10/2015 3:02:53 PM whenCreated : 9/2/2013 3:01:13 PM
As a next step, you gather the selected information and
# Fetch data for an operating system overview, sorted by property Name only Get-ADComputer -Filter * -Property * | Sort-Object Name | Select Name,OperatingSystem,OperatingSystemServicePack,OperatingSystemVersion # Fetch data for an operating system overview, sorted by property OperatingSystem first, then Name Get-ADComputer -Filter * -Property * | Sort-Object OperatingSystem,Name | Select Name,OperatingSystem,OperatingSystemServicePack,OperatingSystemVersion
You can export the gathered information to a comma separated file easily using the Export-Csv cmdlet.
# Export the gathered and sorted information to a CSV file using a semicolon as the delimiter # Adjust the file path for the CSV file to fit your environment Get-ADComputer -Filter * -Property * | Sort-Object OperatingSystem,Name | Select Name,OperatingSystem,OperatingSystemServicePack,OperatingSystemVersion | Export-Csv -Path C:\SCRIPTS\ComputerOverview.csv -NoClobber -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter ';'
Enjoy!
Exchange Server extends the Active Directory schema during the PrepareSchema step during setup. The steps PrepareAD, PrepareDomain, or PrepareAlLDomains create Active Directory containers and objects that are crucially important for a stable operation of Exchange Server.
There are different Active Directory objects that are used to determine, if Active Directory has a proper Exchange Server configuration up and running.
At Active Directory forest level the following attributes are used to determine the Exchange Server release:
At Active Directory domain level the following attribute is used to determine the Exchange Server release:
Exchange
Forest (rangeUpper)
Forest (objectVersion)
Domain (objectVersion)
2000 RTM
4397
N/A
4406
2000 SP3
2003 RTM
6870
6903
6936
2003 SP2
2007 RTM
10637
10666
10628
2007 SP1
11116
11221
2007 SP2
14622
11222
2007 SP3
14625
2010 RTM
12640
12639
2010 SP1
14726
13214
13040
2010 SP2
14732
14247
2010 SP3
14734
14322
2013 RTM
15137
15449
13236
2013 CU1
15254
15614
2013 CU2
15281
15688
2013 CU3
15283
15763
2013 SP1
15292
15844
2013 CU5
15300
15870
2013 CU6
15303
15965
2013 CU7-CU9*
15312
2013 CU10-CU20*
16130
2016 Preview
15317
16041
2016 RTM
16210
2016 CU1
15323
16211
2016 CU2
15325
16212
2016 CU3
15326
2016 CU4-CU5*
16213
2016 CU6
15330
2016 CU7-CU9*
15332
This script removes orphaned ActiveSync device partnerships from Exchange Server 2010 user mailboxes. Run the script as a scheduled job to maintain your Exchange Server environment properly.
Modifiy the script path variables to fit your requirements. The variables are configured in the ### BEGIN Variables section.
Steps being executed by the script:
Remove-ActiveSyncDevicePartnership
Additional credits go to Sebastian Rubertus