When deploying a package to a remote site that is utilizing Branchcache, what is the recommended method, is it

1. Deploy the application to a 'Master' workstation, then to the remaining when the Master has installed it OR

2. Just deploy the package to the remote site that is using Branchcache in the hope that SCCM will target one device and the remaining will cache from the master?

thanks

Glen

Its not warranted to target any particular device. Once you have setup the deployment for the remote site your job is done as the first Device which downloads the content will be able to serve the remaining devices at the remote site.

So in effect, your second statement stands correct. Please have a look at the following blog for more details.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/canitpro/archive/2013/10/08/true-deployments-utilizing-branchcache-with-configuration-manager.aspx

-RG

• Marked as answer by Glen_CNI 12 hours 5 minutes ago
• Unmarked as answer by Glen_CNI 28 minutes ago

Its not warranted to target any particular device. Once you have setup the deployment for the remote site your job is done as the first Device which downloads the content will be able to serve the remaining devices at the remote site.

So in effect, your second statement stands correct. Please have a look at the following blog for more details.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/canitpro/archive/2013/10/08/true-deployments-utilizing-branchcache-with-configuration-manager.aspx

-RG

• Marked as answer by Glen_CNI 12 hours 2 minutes ago
• Unmarked as answer by Glen_CNI 25 minutes ago

Thanks for that!

I've read several posts which have conflicting information about the deployment process, but I suspected effective deployment using Branchcache could be achieved by just targeting the whole site and not just a master,

thanks

Glen 

Its not warranted to target any particular device. Once you have setup the deployment for the remote site your job is done as the first Device which downloads the content will be able to serve the remaining devices at the remote site.

So in effect, your second statement stands correct. Please have a look at the following blog for more details.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/canitpro/archive/2013/10/08/true-deployments-utilizing-branchcache-with-configuration-manager.aspx

-RG

• Marked as answer by Glen_CNI Thursday, February 05, 2015 12:10 AM
• Unmarked as answer by Glen_CNI Thursday, February 05, 2015 11:47 AM

This is from the blog you mention?

For large clients that want to use BranchCache and aggressively minimize network impacts, we recommend using distributed BranchCache with a two wave seeding process:

• Bridgehead First machine in a site to receive content from BCS.  Defined as a separate collection in Configuration Manager.   Scheduled for 2 days before deadline.
• Beachhead First group of machines in a site to receive content from Bridgehead. Defined as a separate collection in Configuration Manager.   Scheduled for 1 day before deadline.

The problem is when the devices all try to get content from the SCCM DP at the same time, so that  'First Device' will not stop all of the other devices from downloading.

A further complication is that SCCM/BITS randomizes which file in a package gets downloaded first, so all these clients could be trying to get different files. This is OK if you have plenty of bandwidth and not too many devices at the location. Otherwise you will fill up the WAN quite quickly.

Another option is to utilize BITS throttling to help alleviate WAN flooding - but it's a bit of a blunt tool!

If you can deploy the package so a single device per site - you will get maximum efficiency from BITS/BranchCache - with a slight Admin overhead..

cheers

Phil

Thanks Phil, thats one of the blogs that I read which stated having a collection with the bridge heads.

In regards to bits throttling, some of the branch sites for the customer range in speeds from 1mbps to 10mpbs. Do you recommend using GPO BITS throttling and adjust accordingly per site or SCCM 2012 client BITS settings?

thanks

Glen

hi Glen,

what we found in our testing is that BITS works better when throttled - even only a little! So yes I would recommend it.

Whether you use GPO or SCCM is a matter of preference. The BITS GPO has a lot of options for setting different rates for different time-slots, wheras SCCM just lets you set an overall rate for Background transfers. (although you can set this per-collection if you wish.

Things to bear in mind:

SCCM will only set the policy on initial config, or if you change the setting. So if you set a rate of 500k in SCCM - which then gets overwritten by GPO, SCCM will NOT reset the value.

There is a BITS GPO setting - 'Ignore bandwidth limits if source and destination are on the same subnet' - which should be enabled because it speeds up peer transfers. Otherwise - if you set a throttle rate of 200kbs, then BITS will use that for ALL transfers - even LAN.

As you can see it's getting complex already - but not really! You just need to be methodical, doo some number crunching based on bandwidth/package size and frequency/ number devices etc.

good luck and of course ping us a question as and when they arise.

Phil

Thanks Phil,

you've been extremely helpful. I'll take you up on your question offer if I have issues with the implement,

thanks again,

Glen