Windows 7 / Networking

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Configuring BranchCache

BranchCache clients can be managed using either Group Policy or the Netsh commandline tool. You can configure BranchCache using Group Policy settings located in Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Network\BranchCache. You can define the following settings:

• Turn On BranchCache Enable this setting to turn on BranchCache.
• Set BranchCache Hosted Cache Mode Enable this setting to turn on Hosted Cache mode and then specify the location of the Hosted Cache server. Because different branch offices should have different Hosted Caches, you will need to define different GPOs for different branch offices.
• Set BranchCache Distributed Cache Mode Enable this setting to turn on Distributed Cache mode when you cannot use Hosted Cache because a computer running Windows Server 2008 R2 is not available in the branch office.
• Configure BranchCache For Network Files Enable this setting to change the default latency required before BranchCache stores a copy of data retrieved from a file server. By default, BranchCache will cache data only if latency is greater than 80 milliseconds (ms). Typically, data travels across a LAN in less than 20 ms.
• Set Percentage Of Disk Space Used For Client Computer Cache Enable this setting to define the amount of space that Distributed Cache clients dedicate to the BranchCache data store. By default, BranchCache will use 5 percent of the total disk space.
  Additionally, you can prevent the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) from using BranchCache by enabling the Do Not Allow The BITS Client To Use Windows Branch Cache policy in the Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates \Network\Background Intelligent Transfer Service node of a GPO.
  You can use the Netsh command-line tool to view or change BranchCache settings. The following are the most useful Netsh commands:
• Netsh BranchCache Show Status Displays whether BranchCache is currently enabled.
• Netsh BranchCache Show HostedCache If Hosted Cache mode is enabled, displays the location of the Hosted Cache server.
• Netsh BranchCache Show LocalCache If Distributed Cache mode is enabled, displays the location and maximum size of the local cache.
• Netsh BranchCache Set Service HostedClient <hosted_cache_server> Configures a Hosted Cache client and defines the location (using a host name) of the Hosted Cache server.
• Netsh BranchCache Set Service Distributed Enables BranchCache in Distributed Cache mode.
• Netsh BranchCache Set Service Disabled Disables BranchCache on the client. BranchCache is disabled by default, so you only need to run this if you previously enabled it.

For more details, run the following command.

Netsh BranchCache