Preparing a Windows 2012R2 domain for Exchange 2013

Today I am preparing a Windows 2012 R2 Active Directory domain for Exchange 2013.  The process is pretty much the same as Exchange 2010:

• Extend the schema
• Populate Active Directory
• Prepare domain(s)

The whole process only takes a few steps…

1. Log on to a domain controller and open a command prompt

2. Run the following command to extend the schema:

D:\Setup.exe /PrepareSchema /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

If required, wait for the changes to replicate to all other domain controllers.

3. Run the following command to populate Active Directory:

D:\Setup.exe /PrepareAD /OrganizationName:”WebbWorld” /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

4. Run the following command to prepare all domains in the forest for Exchange:

D:\Setup.exe /PrepareAllDomains /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

Alternatively, to prepare just one domain, run the following command:

D:\Setup.exe /PrepareDomain:webbworld.local /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

And that’s it, my Windows 2012R2 domain is now ready for me to install Exchange 2013.