Getting Server 2008 and Exchange 2010 up and running quickly

[Allen]

I am in the process of setting up a test server. I don't want to spend too much time going into every option, so I am perusing Google trying to find out if there's a way to really quickly get them up and running together with minimal fuss and little worries about security or policies (as it's not a live DC), but I'm not having much luck. I know how to do the basics, but if there is a "quick" guide to getting it done easily, I haven't found it.

I am not asking anyone here to write up a step-by-step guide on how to do this, but if anyone knows of a guide online describing how to do this, for the intent of testing for example, I would really appreciate it.

[Guy]

Define really quick? As I havent really ever had that much of an issue when mucking round in a test enviroment getting some boxes up and running in an afternoon.

[Moby-Dick]

- install server OS
- configure DNS
- dc promo
- prepare AD for exchange.
- install exchange?

or failing that deploy a Zimbra Virtual Appliance !

[Splash]

As Moby said, but prior to installing Exchange run

Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,
        Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,
        Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,
        Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-Compression,
        NET-HTTP-Activation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy -Restart

Set-Service NetTcpPortSharing -StartupType Automatic

from a Powershell prompt - that'll install the prerequisites on the server. After that it really is just a case of running through the install process from the Exchange install media.

[Allen]

Thanks guys, managed to find [url=http://www.messagingtalk.org/exchange-2010-rc-quick-installation-guide]this[/this] which helped a bit, even though it's about the release candidate version, and is where I presume Splash got the PS commands from.

Have kind of learned the hard way that there is no "quick" way of getting this lot sorted. I have installed 2008 R2, set up AD and DNS, installed the above prerequisites and am just finishing off the Exchange installation which seems to be going well.

Next job is to install MSSQL, run a backup, then kill the server... and hope the restore from the online backup system I'm testing will work.

[Splash]

Think mine came from Technet forums back in the day, but it was certainly a lot easier than clicking through a whole bunch of roles in Server Manager so I dropped it into a text file for future use.

[gss03]

Surely sticking Exchange onto an domain controller is an unsupported environment?

Only SBS is where you can have the DC, GC, DNS, DHCP and Exchange all on the one box.

[Allen]

As far as I'm aware, it's not unsupported, it's just not best practice.

Found this, gonna test it out today on a VM, see if it's any good.

[badass]

As far as I'm aware, it's not unsupported, it's just not best practice.

Corrrect
Demoting a DC with Exchange still installed is unsupported.

[Moby-Dick]

Demoting a DC with Exchange still installed is unsupported.

yeah that woudl give you all sorts of problems

besides in a demo/lab environment who gives a stuff about "supported" or not ? as long as it works !