Configure Microsoft Peer-to-Peer Components
Enabling BranchCache
BranchCache is the key Microsoft peer-to-peer technology in which StifleR manages the best. In order to prepare for a successful POC, it is important to enable BranchCache on all systems relevant to the POC.
Step: If using Configuration Manager, enable BranchCache on all Servers / CM Distribution Points
If you have a simple lab environment, you should perform this step (if required) on all your Distribution Points. If you are planning on testing in a production environment, make sure that you perform this step ONLY on the relevant DP where your test clients will obtain their deployment content. The below page describes the process of enabling BranchCache on Windows Server, including DPs.
Step: Enable BranchCache on the Test Client Systems
In this step you will enable and configure the BranchCache service on the client systems. In a production environment this is best set scripts, a CM configuration baseline, or group policy, but for the purposes of testing on a limited number of machines it is easiest to simply use the ‘nesh’ command.
Enabling Delivery Optimization
As well as BranchCache, StifleR can utilize download jobs which use Microsoft's Delivery Optimization (DO) peering technology. See the below page for more information on DO and some caveats:
Enabling LEDBAT on CM DPs (Optional)
Microsoft integrated LEDBAT technology into Configuration Manager distribution points several years ago. LEDBAT is a bandwidth congestion control technology which is designed to use unused bandwidth and to reduce network congestion when load is high. See the below page for more information on LEDBAT and how to enable it:
Remove BITS Policies
In this step you will check for and remove any BITS policy that has been set within Configuration Manager and/or Active Directory. Such settings can interfere with the efficient operation of the automated Bandwidth mechanisms in StifleR.
Step: Remove Configuration Manager Client BITS Policy (if configured)
In the Configuration Manager console, BITS settings can be configured in "Client Settings" as shown below:
Make sure that this is set to No (default setting), as this configures a local BITS policy on the clients which we do not want.
Step: Remove any BITS AD Group Policy (if configured)
Within the Active Directory Group Policy Editor, go to: Computer Configuration - Policies - Administrative templates - Network - Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
Ensure that there are no BITS policies configured. If present, remove them from effecting any test clients.
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