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.
Different Active Directory objects are used to determine if Active Directory has a proper Exchange Server configuration up and running.
Forest level
At the Active Directory forest level the following attributes are used to determine the Exchange Server release:
- rangeUpper attribute of the ms-Exch-Schema-Version-Pt schema object
- msExchProductId attribute of the Exchange organization object in the configuration partition
- objectVersion attribute of the Exchange organization object in the configuration partition
- objectVersion of the Microsoft Exchange System Objects (MESO) container
Domain level
At the Active Directory domain level the following attribute is used to determine the Exchange Server release:
- objectVersion of the Microsoft Exchange System Objects (MESO) container
Read more about the script here.
Schema versions
|
Exchange |
Forest (rangeUpper) |
Forest (objectVersion) |
Domain (objectVersion) |
| Exchange Server 2000 | |||
|
2000 RTM |
4397 |
N/A |
4406 |
|
2000 SP3 |
4406 |
N/A |
4406 |
| Exchange Server 2003 | |||
|
2003 RTM |
6870 |
6903 |
6936 |
|
2003 SP2 |
6870 |
6903 |
6936 |
| Exchange Server 2007 | |||
|
2007 RTM |
10637 |
10666 |
10628 |
|
2007 SP1 |
11116 |
11221 |
11221 |
|
2007 SP2 |
14622 |
11222 |
11221 |
|
2007 SP3 |
14625 |
11222 |
11221 |
| Exchange Server 2010 | |||
|
2010 RTM |
14622 |
12640 |
12639 |
|
2010 SP1 |
14726 |
13214 |
13040 |
|
2010 SP2 |
14732 |
14247 |
13040 |
|
2010 SP3 |
14734 |
14322 |
13040 |
| Exchange Server 2013 | |||
|
2013 RTM |
15137 |
15449 |
13236 |
|
2013 CU1 |
15254 |
15614 |
13236 |
|
2013 CU2 |
15281 |
15688 |
13236 |
|
2013 CU3 |
15283 |
15763 |
13236 |
|
2013 SP1 |
15292 |
15844 |
13236 |
|
2013 CU5 |
15300 |
15870 |
13236 |
|
2013 CU6 |
15303 |
15965 |
13236 |
|
2013 CU7-CU9* |
15312 |
15965 |
13236 |
|
2013 CU10-CU20* |
15312 |
16130 |
13236 |
| Exchange Server 2016 | |||
|
2016 Preview |
15317 |
16041 |
13236 |
|
2016 RTM |
15317 |
16210 |
13236 |
|
2016 CU1 |
15323 |
16211 |
13236 |
|
2016 CU2 |
15325 |
16212 |
13236 |
|
2016 CU3 |
15326 |
16212 |
13236 |
|
2016 CU4-CU5* |
15326 |
16213 |
13236 |
|
2016 CU6 |
15330 |
16213 |
13236 |
|
2016 CU7-CU9* |
15332 |
16213 |
13236 |
It is recommended to always run the Active Directory preparation using Setup.exe /PrepareAD before applying an new cumulative update. Even though that the schema version might not have changed from the previous version preparing Active Directory applies any updates or changes to the default RBAC configuration.
Links
Enjoy Exchange Server!
