MCT USE ONLY.

STUDENT USE PROHIBITED

Configuring Advanced Windows Server® 2012 Services 2-35

Lab B: Implementing BranchCache

Scenario
The A. Datum Corporation has deployed a new branch office, which has a single server. To optimize file
access in branch offices, you must configure BranchCache. To reduce WAN use out to the branch office,
you must configure BranchCache to cache data retrieved from the head office. You will also implement
FSRM to assist in optimizing file storage.

Objectives
After completing this lab, the students will be able to:

• Configure the main office servers for BranchCache.

• Configure the branch office servers for BranchCache.

• Configure client computers for BranchCache.

• Monitor BranchCache.

Lab Setup
Estimated Time: 40 Minutes

20412C-LON-DC1
20412C-LON-SVR2
Virtual machines
20412C-LON-CL1
20412C-LON-CL2

User name Adatum\Administrator

Password Pa$$w0rd

For this lab, you will continue to use the 20412C-LON-DC1 and 20412C-LON-SVR2 virtual machines that
are still running from the last lab. You will also use 20412C-LON-CL1 and 20412-LON-CL2, but do not
start 20412C-LON-CL1 and 20412C-LON-CL2 until instructed to do so in the lab steps.

Exercise 1: Configuring the Main Office Servers for BranchCache

Scenario
Before you can configure the BranchCache feature for your branch offices, you must configure the
network components.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:

1. Configure LON-DC1 to use Windows BranchCache

2. Simulate a slow link to the branch office

3. Enable a file share for BranchCache

4. Configure client firewall rules for BranchCache

 Task 1: Configure LON-DC1 to use Windows BranchCache

1. Switch to LON-DC1.

2. Open the Server Manager, and install the BranchCache for network files role service.
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2-36 Implementing Advanced File Services

3. Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).

4. Navigate to and open Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Network/Lanman

Server/Hash Publication for BranchCache.

5. Enable the BranchCache setting, and then select Allow hash publication only for shared folders on
which BranchCache is enabled.

 Task 2: Simulate a slow link to the branch office

1. In the Local Group Policy Editor console, navigate to Computer Configuration\Windows
Settings\Policy-based QoS.

2. Create a new policy with the following settings:

o Name: Limit to 100 Kbps

o Specify Outbound Throttle Rate: 100

o Accept default values on other wizard pages

 Task 3: Enable a file share for BranchCache

1. On LON-DC1, in the File Explorer window, create a new folder named C:\Share.
2. Share this folder with the following properties:

o Share name: Share

o Permissions: default
o Caching: Enable BranchCache

3. Copy C:\Windows\System32\mspaint.exe to the C:\Share folder.

4. Close all the command prompt and File Explorer.

 Task 4: Configure client firewall rules for BranchCache

1. On LON-DC1, open the Group Policy Management console.
2. Navigate to Forest: Adatum.com\Domains\Adatum.com\Default Domain Policy, and then open
the policy for editing.

3. Navigate to Computer Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Windows

Firewall with Advanced Security\Windows Firewall with Advanced Security\Inbound Rules.

4. Create a new inbound firewall rule with the following properties:

o Rule type: predefined

o Use BranchCache – Content Retrieval (Uses HTTP)

o Action: Allow

5. Create a new inbound firewall rule with the following properties:

o Rule type: predefined

o Use BranchCache – Peer Discovery (Uses WSD)

o Action: Allow
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Configuring Advanced Windows Server® 2012 Services 2-37

6. Close the Group Policy Management Editor and Group Policy Management console.

7. Update the group policy.

Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have deployed BranchCache, configured a slow link, and
enabled BranchCache on a file share.

Exercise 2: Configuring the Branch Office Servers for BranchCache

Scenario
The next step you must perform is to configure a file server for the BranchCache feature. You will install
and start the BranchCache feature.

The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:

1. Install the BranchCache feature on LON-SVR2

2. Start the BranchCache host server

 Task 1: Install the BranchCache feature on LON-SVR2

• On LON-SVR2 from Server Manager, add the BranchCache for Network Files role service and the
BranchCache feature.

 Task 2: Start the BranchCache host server

1. On LON-SVR2, open Windows PowerShell, and run the following cmdlet:

Enable-BCHostedServer
–RegisterSCP

2. On LON-SVR1, in Windows PowerShell, run the following cmdlet:

Get-BCStatus

3. Ensure that Branch Cache is enabled and running. Note in the DataCache section, the current active
cache size is zero.
4. Update group policy

Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have enabled the BranchCache server in the branch office.

Exercise 3: Configuring Client Computers for BranchCache

Scenario
After configuring the network components, you must ensure that the client computers are configured
correctly. This is a preparatory task for using BranchCache.

The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:

• Configure client computers to use BranchCache in hosted cache mode

 Task 1: Configure client computers to use BranchCache in hosted cache mode

1. On LON-DC1, open the Server Manager, and then open Group Policy Management.

2. Create a new OU named Branch.

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2-38 Implementing Advanced File Services

3. Create and link a new GPO named BranchCache to Branch OU.

4. Edit the BranchCache GPO.

5. In the Group Policy Management Editor, browse to Computer

Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Network\BranchCache, and configure the
following:

o Turn on BranchCache: Enabled

o Enable Automatic Hosted Cache Discovery by Service Connection Point: Enabled

o Configure BranchCache for network files: Enabled

o Type the maximum round trip network latency (milliseconds) after which caching begins: 0
6. Open the Server Manager, and then open Active Directory Users and Computers.

7. Move LON-CL1 and LON-CL2 from the Computers container to the Branch OU.

8. Start 20412C-LON-CL1, sign in as Administrator.

9. At the command prompt, type netsh branchcache show status all, and then press Enter.
10. Verify that the BranchCache Status is Running. If the status is Stopped, restart the client computer.

11. Start the 20412C-LON-CL2, sign in as Adatum\Administrator and open the command prompt
window.
12. At the command prompt, type netsh branchcache show status all, and then press Enter.

13. Verify that the BranchCache status is Running. If the status is Stopped, restart the client computer.

Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have configured the client computers for BranchCache.

Exercise 4: Monitoring BranchCache

Scenario
Lastly, you must test and verify that the BranchCache feature is working as expected.

The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:

1. Configure Performance Monitor on LON-SVR1

2. Configure performance statistics on LON-CL1

3. Configure performance statistics on LON-CL2

4. Test BranchCache in the hosted cache mode

5. Prepare for the next module

 Task 1: Configure Performance Monitor on LON-SVR1

1. On LON-SVR2, open the Performance Monitor.

2. In the Performance Monitor console, in the navigation pane, under Monitoring Tools, click
Performance Monitor.

3. Remove existing counters, change to report view, and then add the BranchCache object counters to
the report.
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Configuring Advanced Windows Server® 2012 Services 2-39

 Task 2: Configure performance statistics on LON-CL1

1. Switch to LON-CL1, and open the Performance Monitor.

2. In the navigation pane of the Performance Monitor console, under Monitoring Tools, click
Performance Monitor.
3. In Performance Monitor, remove existing counters, change to a report view, and then add the
BranchCache object to the report.

 Task 3: Configure performance statistics on LON-CL2

1. Switch to LON-CL2, and open the Performance Monitor.

2. In the Performance Monitor console, in the navigation pane, under Monitoring Tools, click
Performance Monitor.

3. In the Performance Monitor, remove existing counters, change to a report view, and then add the
BranchCache object to the report.

 Task 4: Test BranchCache in the hosted cache mode

1. Switch to LON-CL1.

2. Open \\LON-DC1.adatum.com\share, and copy mspaint.exe to the local desktop. This could take
several minutes because of the simulated slow link.

3. Read the performance statistics on LON-CL1. This file was retrieved from LON-DC1 (Retrieval: Bytes
from Server). After the file was cached locally, it was passed up to the hosted cache. (Retrieval: Bytes
Served).

4. Switch to LON-CL2.

5. Open \\LON-DC1.adatum.com\share, and copy mspaint.exe to the local desktop. This should not
take as long as the first file copy, because the file is cached.
6. Read the performance statistics on LON-CL2. This file was obtained from the hosted cache (Retrieval:
Bytes from Cache).

7. Read the performance statistics on LON-SVR2. This server has offered cached data to clients (Hosted
Cache: Client file segment offers made).

8. On LON-SVR2, in Windows PowerShell, run the following cmdlet:

Get-BCStatus

Note: In the DataCache section, the current active cache size is no longer zero, it is
6560896.

 Task 5: Prepare for the next module

When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines to their initial state. To do this, complete the
following steps.
1. On the host computer, start Hyper-V Manager.

2. On the Virtual Machines list, right-click 20412C-LON-DC1, and then click Revert.
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2-40 Implementing Advanced File Services

3. In the Revert Virtual Machine dialog box, click Revert.

4. Repeat steps two and three for 20412C-LON-SVR2, 20412C-LON-CL1, and 20412C-LON-CL2.

Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have verified that BranchCache is working as expected.

Question: When would you consider implementing BranchCache into your own
organization?