Allow clients to use distribution points from the default site boundary group
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Every Patch Tuesday, Microsoft delivers cumulative updates -- and a fresh round of headaches -- for administrators who must find a way to deploy sizeable fixes without bogging down the network. Show
Sprinkling a few distribution points across the infrastructure is not the most efficient way to deliver content, particularly now that the Windows servicing model compiles multiple fixes into one large package of several hundred megabytes. As more organizations move on-premises infrastructure to the cloud, implementing the peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies in System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) makes more sense. Instead of a standard client-server relationship, clients can now share SCCM content, such as applications and software updates. P2P technologies split the content into smaller parts; clients receive portions of content from the other clients. When you use cloud capacity, the content only needs to be downloaded once and distributed by a peer source. Some reasons to use SCCM peer caching technologies include lower costs, improved performance and reduced on-premises footprint by using cloud services. SCCM -- also called ConfigMgr by IT workers -- offers several peer caching technologies, including BranchCache, peer cache and Delivery Optimization, each with distinct capabilities. The task for administrators who use peer caching is to understand the strengths of each, how to configure them properly and how to monitor their usage in SCCM. Content sources and priority in SCCMSCCM clients can receive content in several ways:
Content delivery to the client is prioritized in the following order:
What is BranchCache?BranchCache is a P2P technology built into Windows 10 that communicates with other clients on the local subnet. With BranchCache, a peer sends content as soon as it receives a few blocks. BranchCache works for all SCCM content types and policies and uses a cache that is separate from the one in SCCM. BranchCache also works with data deduplication to reduce the amount of data transmitted. How to implement BranchCache in SCCMTo use BranchCache support in your SCCM environment, you need to enable BranchCache on the distribution point, then enable BranchCache on the SCCM clients. How to enable BranchCache on the distribution point
To enable BranchCache on the SCCM clients
What is peer cache?Peer cache is a P2P feature built into ConfigMgr in which clients share content from the ConfigMgr cache. Peer cache works with other P2P technologies, such as BranchCache, but it can also work independently. Peer cache supports partial content, so it sends data before the entire content type is available. It works for all SCCM content except policies. Peer cache supports client content sharing in the local subnet or via boundary groups. Peer cache requires clients to reside in the same boundary group to share content with other peers. You can also use Windows Preinstallation Environment (PE) peer cache when deploying new machines with SCCM. How to implement peer cache in SCCM
What is Delivery Optimization?Delivery Optimization is a cloud-based P2P technology built into Windows 10 that works with Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services, Windows Update for Business and SCCM. Delivery Optimization requires Windows 10 and version 1910 of SCCM or greater. Express Updates were the only SCCM content supported by Delivery Optimization until the release of SCCM 1910, which added:
How to set up Delivery Optimization in SCCM
How to monitor content sources in SCCMYou can monitor all content sources used in the SCCM peer caching technologies via the client sources node in the ConfigMgr console. Reach the dashboard by going to Monitoring > Distribution Status > Client Data Sources. This dashboard gives an overview of how clients receive their content, which is helpful when verifying client content retrieval for P2P, cloud and local sources. What is default site boundary group?By default, Configuration Manager creates a default site boundary group at each site. To configure boundary groups, associate boundaries and site system roles to the boundary group. This configuration helps associate clients to site system servers that are located near the clients on the network.
How a client chooses a distribution point?The client receives the Distribution Point list and then attempts to connect to DP's in this order: local DP's and then remote DP's; same IP subnet, same AD site, and then the remaining DP's. In every category, the client prefers DP's with BITS enabled.
What is allow peer downloads in this boundary group?Allow peer downloads in this boundary group: If it's disabled in any one boundary group, the client won't use delivery optimization. During peer downloads, only use peers within the same subnet: If it's enabled in any one boundary group, this setting takes effect.
What is the purpose of a boundary group?Clients use boundary groups to: Find an assigned site: Boundary groups enable clients to find a primary site for client assignment. This behavior is also known as automatic site assignment. Find certain site system roles they can use: Associate a boundary group with certain site system roles.
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