Exchange Server 2010 Installation and Configuration Interview Questions

1. What is an Exchange Server 2010?

Exchange Server 2010 is the latest version of Microsoft email and calendaring software with the option like Unified Communication, Secured email transfer, anywhere access, highly available and an option to federated the company information with partners

2. What are the server roles available in Exchange Server 2010?

As like exchange server 2007, we have the same 5 server roles in Exchange Server 2010. They are Mailbox, Client Access, Hub Transport, Unified Messaging and Edge Transport Server roles.

3. Inform the prerequisites in common to install a Exchange server 2010?

Active Directory Prerequisites:

• Domain Controller and Global Catalog Server - Installed with Windows Server 2003 Sp2 or Later


• Domain and Forest Functional Level - Windows Server 2003 or later

Software Prerequisites:

• Windows Server 2008 Sp2 or later


• Dot Net Framework 3.5 SP1 with family Update


• Windows Remote Management 2.0 and Windows Power shell 2.0


• Microsoft filter Pack


• NetTCPPortsharing serviceto be started and


• The Roles and the features required to install exchange can be installed by run this shell command - ServerManagerCmd -ip Exchange-Typical.xml –Restart

4. What are requirement to install Exchange Server 2010 Management Tools?

Exchange Management Tools Can only be installed in Windows Vista SP2 and Windows 7 64 bit Machine and we need .Net framework 3.5 SP1 and IIS installed.

5. What are the permissions needed to install Exchange server 2010?

To install Exchange Server 2010 on an existing exchange environment, we need Schema admin, domain admin and enterprise admin. If it is a new installation, we have to install the role ADDS first and then install exchange 2010

6. What are the perquisites to install Mailbox Server Role in Exchange 2010?

After installing the Client Access Server and the Hub Transport Server, we have to install Mailbox Server Role and the Prerequisites to install Mailbox Server roles are

• Dot Net Framework 3.5 SP1 with family Update


• Windows Remote Management 2.0 and Windows Power shell 2.0


• Microsoft filter Pack


• NetTCPPortsharing to be started and


• The Roles and the features required to install exchange can be installed by run this shell command - ServerManagerCmd -ip Exchange-MBX.xml –Restart

7. What are the perquisites to install Client Access Server Role in Exchange 2010?

Client Access Server needs to be installed in the first place and the prerequisites to install client Access Server are

• Dot Net Framework 3.5 SP1 with family Update


• Windows Remote Management 2.0 and Windows Power shell 2.0


• Microsoft filter Pack


• NetTCPPortsharing to be started and


• The Roles and the features required to install exchange can be installed by run this shell command - ServerManagerCmd -ip Exchange-CAS.xml –Restart

8. What are the perquisites to install Hub Transport Server Role in Exchange 2010?

After client Access Server role installation, Hub transport Server role can be installed with the below prerequisites

• Dot Net Framework 3.5 SP1 with family Update


• Windows Remote Management 2.0 and Windows Power shell 2.0


• Microsoft filter Pack


• NetTCPPortsharing to be started and


• The Roles and the features required to install exchange can be installed by run this shell command - ServerManagerCmd -ip Exchange-HUB.xml –Restart

9. What are the perquisites to install Unified Messaging Server Role in Exchange 2010?

Unified Messaging Server roles it is an optional server role, after installing MB, CAS and HUB we can have this server role by having the prerequisites in place

• Dot Net Framework 3.5 SP1 with family Update


• Windows Remote Management 2.0 and Windows Power shell 2.0


• Microsoft filter Pack


• NetTCPPortsharing to be started and


• The Roles and the features required to install exchange can be installed by run this shell command - ServerManagerCmd -ip Exchange-UM.xml –Restart

10. What are the perquisites to install Edge Transport Server Role in Exchange 2010?

Edge Transport Server roles it’s an optional server role and if you are planning to have this server role, we have to install the below prerequisites and the computer should not be joined with Domain and ADLDS role needs to be installed

• Dot Net Framework 3.5 SP1 with family Update


• Windows Remote Management 2.0 and Windows Power shell 2.0


• Microsoft filter Pack


• NetTCPPortsharing to be started and


• The Roles and the features required to install exchange can be installed by run this shell command - ServerManagerCmd -ip Exchange-Edge.xml –Restart

11. If it possible to perform an in place upgrade to Exchange Server 2010 from legacy version?

In place upgrade to Exchange server 2010 from Exchange server 2003 or Exchange server 2007 is not possible, either we have to perform a transition or migration.

12. Inform the exchange server 2010 server roles installation order?

Exchange Server 2010 has to be installed in this order

• Client Access Server


• Hub Transport Server


• Mailbox Server Role


• Unified Messaging Server - Optional - we can install edge server role if there is a requirement


• Edge Transport Server - Optional - we can install edge server role if there is a requirement

13. You are having a single exchange server 2003 environment, your task is to implement exchange server 2010. Give an Idea on the implementation?

If we are having exchange server 2003 and we planned to have exchange server 2010 in place…

• Domain and Forest functional Level Needs to Upgraded to Windows Server 2003


• Domain Controller and Global Catalog Server needs to be update with Windows Server 2003 Sp2


• Exchange 2003 function should not be mixed mode, it has to be native mode


• We need a 64 bit server to install Exchange Server 2010 with the prerequisites installed


• First install Client Access Server and configure the OWA, OAB and Outlook Anywhere virtual directories


• Install Hub Transport Server and there is no need to create any routing group connector from Exchange Server 2003 Bridge Head to Exchange Server 2010. Also, there is no modifying any changes on SendReceive Connector.


• Install Mailbox Server role and perform mailbox move and Public folders replication. Set a OAB generation server and the distribution methods


• Lot of task are to be performed, above point are just an rough idea, kindly follow the below article - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff805040.aspx

14. You are having a single exchange server 2007 environment with all the server roles installed, your task is to implement exchange server 2010. Give an Idea on the implementation?

It’s the same process as mentioned for the above question. Kindly follow the below mentioned article to perform a move from Exchange Server 2007 to Exchange Server 2010 implementation - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff805041.aspx

15. What are the active directory requirements to implement exchange server 2010?

Below are the active directory requirements to implement Exchange Server 2010

Active Directory Prerequisites

• Domain Controller and Global Catalog Server - Windows Server 2003 Sp2


• Domain and Forest Functional Level - Windows Server 2003

16. What happened to public folders in Exchange server 2010?

Public folders are still announced as de emphasis state, which mean, we can have a public folder database, if any outlook 2003 client are used,  to have the free busy functionality and the OAB distribution, we need the Public folder database in Exchange Server 2010

17. Inform the post installation steps in configuring Hub Transport Server if the Hub Transport Server is going to send external emails?

After installing Hub Transport server there were few post installation tasks that are the be followed, they are

Configuring Send Connector – By default external emails won’t go out, because of there is no send connector created while installing Hub Transport Server. We have a created a new send connector with * as Address Space

Configuring Receive Connector – By default external emails will not come inside, because of the restriction set initially when Hub Transport Server is installed. Set anonymous authentication of the default receive connector to receive external emails

Configuring Anti Spam Agents – Unlike Edge Transport Server, Anti spam agents are not installed by default. We have to manually install anti spam agents

Configure Accepted domain and email address policy – We can create the necessary email address space as accepted domain and set an email address policy to use that new accepted domain email address as the primary email address for all the users.

18. How you will install Edge Transport Server?

To install Edge Transport Server, we need to follow few things

• The Edge Transport Server should not be member of your domain and it has to be in DMZ


• ADLDS role needs to be installed


• Prerequisites like .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 needs to be installed and Net TCP port sharing must be started


• Install the Edge Transport Server by choosing custom installation


• Create and Edge Subscription from Edge Transport Server an Import that to Hub Transport inside domain.

19. Explain the services installed with respective server roles?

Following are the services installed in Exchange Server 2010

Mailbox Server related Services - IISAdmin, MSExchangeADTopology, MSExchangeIS, MSExchangeMailboxAssistants, MSExchangeMailSubmission, MSExchangeRepl, MSExchangeRPC, MSExchangeSA, MSExchangeSearch, MSExchangeServiceHost, MSExchangeThrottling, MSExchangeTransportLogSearch, W3Svc, WinRM

Client Access Server related Services - IISAdmin, MSExchangeAB, MSExchangeADTopology, MSExchangeFBA, MSExchangeFDS, MSExchangeMailboxReplication, MSExchangeProtectedServiceHost, MSExchangeRPC, MSExchangeServiceHost, W3Svc, WinRM

Hub Transport Server related Services - IISAdmin, MSExchangeADTopology, MSExchangeEdgeSync, MSExchangeServiceHost, MSExchangeTransport,MSExchangeTransportLogSearch, W3Svc, WinRM

20. What are the exchange server admin tools available in Exchange Management Tools?

Below are the tools available in Exchange Management console under tools option

Configuration Management Tools

• Best Practices Analyzer


• Details Templates Editor


• Public Folder Management Console


• Remote connectivity Analyzer


• Role Based Access Control user editor

Mail flow Tools

• Mail flow troubleshooter


• Message Tracking


• Queue viewer


• Routing Log viewer


• Tracking log explorer

Performance Tools

• Performance Monitor


• Performance Troubleshooter

Unified Messaging Tools

• Call Statistics


• User call logs

21. How you will patch a client Access Array Server?

Let’s take, if we are having 2 servers in a CAS array, we can patch the CAS array members by following the below method

• Issue a stop or drain stop to a first server of a client access array


• Set the default state to be in Stopped State


• Disable forefront protection


• Disable monitoring


• Update the server, once update is completed and back to normal, enable forefront option, enable monitoring and set the default state to be state


• Follow the same for the second server

22. How you will patch or install updates on the DAG member servers?

Follow the below steps perform windows or exchange patching on DAG servers

• On a DAG, make sure which node is holding the active copy of the mailbox database


• Perform a move of Active mailbox Database from the active node to passive node


• Verify all the databases are mounted on Passive Node


• Make sure no backups are in progress


• Stop all the mailbox server related services


• Disable monitoring


• Update the active node (now it is passive) and reboot the server


• Move all the active copy from passive copy (its active now) to active server


• Verify all the database are mounted successfully on Active node


• Enable monitoring


• Perform update on passive server

23. Exchange server 2010 is installed with the Mailbox, Client Access, Hub Transport and Unified Messaging Server roles, Management find that Unified Messaging Server role is not needed, since it is a small environment. How you will remove Hub Transport Server?

We can easily uninstallremove a server role by Program and features console. Only option to addremove a server role it’s from Programs and Feature – Exchange Server 2010 – click change to addremove a server role

24. How to configure Database Availability Group?

Make sure all the prerequisites to configure are installed correct on the member server and install mailbox server role is installed and the DAG can be easily configured using below 3 steps

• Create the Database Availability Group


• Add members to the DAG


• Add copies of databases

Note: Though we have an option to configure DAG on Exchange 2010 standard edition, if the first member server on a DAG is a standard edition, then only the standard edition server exchange 2010 servers can be added on a DAG. Same version of members servers can only be added as member servers in DAG.

25.          How to configure Client Access Server Array?

To configure Client Access Server array, make sure the following 5 steps are followed

• You must configure internal DNS entry for the name of the CAS array. This name must be unique for the internal network.


• You must configure Network Load Balancing. In this case i use Windows Network Load Balancing technology.


• Create the new Client Access Array.


• Configure a mailbox database to use CAS Array  ( RPC client Access Server property on Mailbox Database)


• Verify the Auto discover services is working with CAS Array

26. How to install Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1?

• Prepare the Active Directory Schema with Exchange Server 2010 SP1 installation media


• Addition Patches are required to install Exchange Server 2010 SP1, get the details from MS site and install all the perquisites before installation of Exchange 2010 SP1


• Install the SP1 using this order -> Edge Transport Server -> Client Access Server -> Hub Transport Server -> Mailbox Server and then the Unified Message Server role


• If you are having DAG, Active the Passive copy on the second server and set the auto activation on the first server in block block, then upgrade with SP1. Move back the mailbox database to first server and update the second servers. change the auto activation as before.


• If Client Access Server Array is  used, remove the first node from NLB update it with SP1 and add it back to NLB. remove the second node from NLB -> Update it with SP1 and add it back to NLB

Kindly leave your feedback, if any questions are left related to installation...