Configuring SCCM and Branch Cache

Hi Guys ,

 

This blog is for people who are stuck between a dilemma whether to deploy or not deploy a huge package or Software updates to clients due to bandwidth issues . You can enable the branch cache on the clients and peer to peer cache in future .

BranchCache is a feature introduced that allows systems within the same subnet and separated from a content source to share downloaded content locally rather than each system having to traverse a latent network link back to the content source. Please follow along for enabling branch cache for clients.

SCCM client agent settings

In SCCM console, open the Client Settings for the policy applying to workstations.

Select the Client Cache Settings tab

 

– Change Configure BranchCache to Yes

– Change Enable BranchCache to Yes

– Configure the cache size settings (e.g 10%)

 

Now you need to make a change on the active directory end to make this setting to work. Why we need a group policy:

The reason we need a group policy is due to the fact that windows 10 comes with its own intelligence to try to do branch Cache while downloading updates and it  will overwrite anything that comes from SCCM . In order to avoid that scenario we need a group policy .

Disable Windows Delivery Optimisation (Group policy)

Disabled this settings as SCCM will use BranchCache to control the peering of content (this setting is also required if you turn on SCCM PeerCache in the future)

Computer Configuration \ Policies \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Delivery Optimization, set ‘Download Mode’ to disabled

The Final step will be now to enable Branch Cache in Config Mgr for the distribution points by putting a check mark in the the properties of the distribution point as given below:

 

Once done you have successfully enabled Branch Cache on SCCM clients and distribution point to help you in successful content distribution