@Dashrender said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

@G-I-Jones said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

My point is that rolling back the AD to when I first built it, (pre Exchange) would both be starting over and give me the peace of mind that it’s a fresh server with no potential problems.

Jumping in late, but is that better than starting over from scratch?

For arguments sake I would say they’re the same. But I’m gonna want to upgrade it to 2016 realistically (currently 2012).

Still having same issues as before the swap from H330 to H730P So I’m currently unable to build anything VM wise that’s worth a damn.. I’m sure it’s user error. Going to keep reading.

What's the issue? performance?

Pretty much. I built about 12 versions with different configurations today and not one of them was strong enough to open a text document that had one line of text in less than 30 seconds. Resource Manager Disk I/O writes are spiking like crazy.

I feel like it’s a BIOS/RAID setting or something. I’m honestly feeling my way through the dark at this point as I dont know a lot about RAID stuff other than memorizing the RAID levels.

@scottalanmiller said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

@G-I-Jones said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

@scottalanmiller said in [Exchange

Local admin account, PowerShell, SSH.... five minutes to fix

I need that script

Do you already have a local admin account on each machine that is working and SSH enabled?

I’d have to look into the SSH part, but yea.

My point is that rolling back the AD to when I first built it, (pre Exchange) would both be starting over and give me the peace of mind that it’s a fresh server with no potential problems.

Jumping in late, but is that better than starting over from scratch?

For arguments sake I would say they’re the same. But I’m gonna want to upgrade it to 2016 realistically (currently 2012).

Still having same issues as before the swap from H330 to H730P So I’m currently unable to build anything VM wise that’s worth a damn.. I’m sure it’s user error. Going to keep reading.

@scottalanmiller said in [Exchange

Local admin account, PowerShell, SSH.... five minutes to fix

I need that script

I have 120 PCs in my environment - I would never want to roll back AD and have to run around like a chicken with my head cut off rejoining those to my domain.

I hear you on this, as I’ve got a bit more than that to deal with myself in terms of numbers. Wouldn’t I have to do that anyways if making a new AD? I feel like the process would be the same save a time change.

And if you have so few machines that you don't mind rejoining them all - then really - Just start over. There is Zero benefit to sticking with an AD that has any potential to have problems.

My point is that rolling back the AD to when I first built it, (pre Exchange) would both be starting over and give me the peace of mind that it’s a fresh server with no potential problems.

Curious - why did you roll it back?

I rolled it back because of the encryption attack.

@Dashrender said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

@G-I-Jones said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

@JaredBusch please elaborate.

AD is extremely time sensitive. By default, a domain joined PC who's time is off more than 5 mins from the AD server, can not authenticate because the server will think it's being attacked.

Computers also generate their own passwords for connectivity to AD - and they update these passwords completely autonomously. So any machine that has updated to a new password since your snapshot, would no longer work on the domain.

There is a process for restoring an old version of AD into a network - but it is rather complex (and something I've never done or seen done).

I literally just rolled back my AD/DC a week ago. The process was very smooth. You just change the time and Boot/re-add every machine to the domain. The latter being the most timely, but it’s really easy.

That’s my experience at least.

@JaredBusch please elaborate.

@dbeato My plan is to just roll back the snapshot of the AD we have now to when we first built it pre-Exchange. Giving me a blank canvas if it comes to that.

@dbeato We may have to, but like I said I'm going to power through this build first, and we'll see how it goes.

@scottalanmiller said in Anyway I can Learn AD?:

@WrCombs said in Anyway I can Learn AD?:

What is Active Directory?

AD is a central "white pages" like service where computers and applications on the network can literally "look up" information about computers or users. Like they can look up a users full name, their extension number, or their email address. Very basic in concept, but obviously super useful.

That's how I've always thought of it.

@DustinB3403 said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

@WrCombs said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

@DustinB3403 said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

@G-I-Jones said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

Networking + course on udemy. They have DEALS right now. I bought the course for $13.99 (originally $199 according to the site).

Edit: 5 hours left on sale.

Link?

https://www.udemy.com

. . . I meant to the exact course offering. But thanks

sorry man, was out to lunch. https://www.udemy.com/course/comptia-network-cert-n10-007-the-total-course/

Networking + course on udemy. They have DEALS right now. I bought the course for $13.99 (originally $199 according to the site).

Edit: 5 hours left on sale.

@Dashrender said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

How many users do you have? how many workstations? How many file shares - are permissions used a lot in those file shares?

perhaps, it would be worthwhile to start your AD all over again?

I'm gonna power through this build first and see how it goes.

As in you already have the Exchange licenses, so it's mostly a non cash setup situation?

Nail on the head.

Is there a reason you are returning to onsite Exchange instead of moving to O365 or some other hosted solution?

Money.

@Dashrender said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

Just so I understand the environment.

You had/have
AD server - still have
Exchange 2013 - now gone
Exchange 2016 - now gone

Is that right?

Assuming it is, now you're trying to add a new Exchange server back into this environment, on a new server, so you'll end up with

AD server
Exchange server

Question - do you still have the old data from Exchange 2013/2016? that you need to put into this new Exchange server?

I don't. We're considering it a complete loss. Silver lining is we'll get the funding to protect ourselves now, and the opportunity to build everything into VM's.

@Dashrender said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

@G-I-Jones said in Exchange 2016 Install Issue:

you mean you were not making this a VM? crazy man, crazy!

Nah man, remember I was waiting on the H730P? I was hoping to get up a bare metal in the meantime, but that didn't work out.

Sure, but even a temp box should still be a VM. No reason to really ever make it bare metal.

If I was building a temp Exchange box, I'd slap whatever hypervisor on that box first - make a VM, install windows Server and then Exchange... no different than the ultimate location where I want to host Exchange. Do it this way makes it cake to move to the new hardware - just shut down the VM, transfer it over, import if needed, start it up and go! no worrying about doing a P2V...

They have identical PERC Adapters, lol.