Solving Windows 11 Windows Update Delivery Optimization Bandwidth Throttling and Metering Strategies

Configuring Delivery Optimization Settings in Configuration Manager

Windows Delivery Optimization is a cloud-based, peer-to-peer technology that allows Windows devices to share content, reducing network bandwidth usage when downloading updates and applications. In Configuration Manager, you can configure Delivery Optimization settings as part of your client settings to better manage content distribution across your organization.

To enable and configure Delivery Optimization in Configuration Manager:

1. Enable Delivery Optimization: In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to the Administration workspace, then select Client Settings. Choose the default client settings or create a custom client setting. Under the Delivery Optimization section, set the Enable Delivery Optimization option to Yes.

2. Apply Boundary Group Identifier: When you enable Delivery Optimization, set the Apply Boundary Group Identifier option to Yes. This applies the boundary group identifier as the Delivery Optimization group identifier on the client. The client then uses this identifier when communicating with the Delivery Optimization cloud service to locate peers with the required content.

3. Allow Clients to Download from Microsoft Connected Cache: If you have enabled Microsoft Connected Cache on your on-premises distribution points, set the Allow clients to download content from a Microsoft Connected Cache server option to Yes. This allows clients to download content directly from the Connected Cache server instead of the internet or other distribution points.

4. Configure Bandwidth Throttling: Under the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) section, you can configure bandwidth throttling settings to control the network usage of BITS-based content downloads. Set the Enable BITS bandwidth throttling option to Yes, then specify the Throttling window start time, Throttling window end time, Maximum transfer rate during throttling window, and Maximum transfer rate outside throttling window.

5. Manage Metered Internet Connections: In the Metered Internet Connections section, you can configure how the Configuration Manager client handles metered internet connections. Set the Manage Windows 8 and later computers’ use of metered Internet connections option to Allow, Limit, or Block to control client communication over metered connections.

By configuring these settings, you can effectively manage Delivery Optimization and bandwidth usage across your environment, ensuring efficient content distribution while minimizing the impact on your network.

Leveraging Delivery Optimization Boundary Groups

Boundary groups in Configuration Manager play a crucial role in regulating content distribution and optimizing Delivery Optimization. When you enable Delivery Optimization, the boundary group identifier is used as the Delivery Optimization group identifier on the client.

This approach allows the client to communicate with the Delivery Optimization cloud service and locate peers within the same boundary group that have the required content. By keeping clients within the same boundary group, you can minimize the need to download content from the internet or remote distribution points, reducing network bandwidth consumption.

To further optimize Delivery Optimization, consider the following strategies:

1. Align Boundary Groups with Physical Locations: Define your boundary groups to align with your physical office locations or network subnets. This ensures that clients within the same geographical area or network segment can efficiently share content with each other.

2. Leverage Nested Boundary Groups: If you have a hierarchical network structure, you can configure nested boundary groups to provide more granular control over content distribution. For example, you can have a higher-level boundary group for a region and nested boundary groups for individual offices within that region.

3. Monitor and Adjust Boundary Groups: Regularly review your boundary group configurations and make adjustments as needed to accommodate changes in your network infrastructure, user distribution, or content requirements. This helps maintain optimal content sharing and bandwidth utilization.

4. Combine Boundary Groups with Other Delivery Optimization Settings: Complement your boundary group configurations with the other Delivery Optimization settings, such as allowing clients to download from Microsoft Connected Cache servers and managing bandwidth throttling. This holistic approach ensures efficient content distribution while considering network constraints and performance requirements.

By leveraging boundary groups and the associated Delivery Optimization settings in Configuration Manager, you can create a robust and efficient content distribution strategy, optimizing network bandwidth usage and reducing the strain on your infrastructure.

Configuring Bandwidth Throttling and Metering Strategies

In addition to Delivery Optimization settings, Configuration Manager provides options to manage bandwidth usage and metered internet connections. These settings help you strike a balance between efficient content delivery and minimizing the impact on your network infrastructure.

Bandwidth Throttling with BITS

The Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) settings in Configuration Manager allow you to configure bandwidth throttling for client-to-server communications. This is particularly useful when dealing with large software updates, application deployments, or content downloads that could potentially consume a significant amount of network bandwidth.

To configure BITS bandwidth throttling:

1. Enable BITS Throttling: In the client settings, set the Enable BITS bandwidth throttling option to Yes.

2. Specify Throttling Window: Define the Throttling window start time and Throttling window end time to control when the throttling is in effect. For example, you can limit the high-bandwidth usage to off-peak hours, such as from 8 PM to 6 AM.

3. Set Maximum Transfer Rates: Specify the Maximum transfer rate during throttling window and Maximum transfer rate outside throttling window to limit the network bandwidth consumed by BITS-based content downloads.

By implementing these BITS throttling settings, you can ensure that content distribution does not overwhelm your network, especially during peak usage hours, while still allowing clients to download updates and applications during off-peak times.

Managing Metered Internet Connections

In Configuration Manager, you can also configure how the client handles metered internet connections, which are often associated with additional costs or data usage limitations.

In the Metered Internet Connections section of the client settings, you can choose from the following options:

1. Allow: All client communications are allowed over the metered internet connection, unless the client device is using a roaming data connection.

2. Limit: The client only communicates over the metered internet connection for the following behaviors:

3. Downloading client policy
4. Sending client state messages
5. Requesting software installs from Software Center

6. Downloading additional policy and content for required deployments at the installation deadline

7. Block: When the device is on a metered internet connection, the Configuration Manager client does not try to communicate with the site.

By carefully configuring these metered internet connection settings, you can strike a balance between ensuring critical client operations and minimizing the impact on metered network connections, which may incur additional costs or data usage limitations for your organization.

Optimizing Delivery Optimization for Non-Persistent Environments

In non-persistent virtual desktop environments, such as hosted shared apps or random/pooled Windows 10 or Windows Server catalogs, you can further optimize Delivery Optimization by leveraging the ALLUSER=1 flag when installing Microsoft Teams.

The ALLUSER=1 flag ensures that Microsoft Teams is installed in a per-machine mode, instead of a per-user mode. This approach aligns well with the non-persistent nature of these environments, as the Microsoft Teams runtime data is stored in a shared location (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Teams) rather than per-user AppData folders.

To optimize Delivery Optimization in non-persistent environments:

1. Install Microsoft Teams with the ALLUSER=1 Flag: When deploying Microsoft Teams, use the following command-line syntax to install the application in a per-machine mode:

msiexec /i /l*v ALLUSER=1 ALLUSERS=1

This command installs Microsoft Teams in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Teams directory, which can be shared across multiple users on the same virtual desktop.

1. Leverage a Profile Caching Manager: In non-persistent virtual desktop environments, use a profile caching manager, such as Citrix Profile Management or Citrix Workspace Environment Management (WEM), to efficiently synchronize user-specific Microsoft Teams data. This ensures that the appropriate user information, such as profiles and settings, is cached during the user session.

2. Exclude Microsoft Teams Caching Folders: When configuring the profile caching manager, exclude the following folders from the user profile synchronization:

3. %AppData%\Local\Microsoft\Teams

4. %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Teams

This helps reduce the overall user profile size and improve the efficiency of the profile caching process.

By employing these strategies, you can optimize Delivery Optimization in non-persistent virtual desktop environments, reducing the network bandwidth consumption and improving the overall user experience when using Microsoft Teams and other applications.

Optimizing Microsoft Teams Multimedia Experience in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops

Citrix provides built-in optimization for Microsoft Teams in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops environments. This optimization leverages the Citrix Workspace app and the Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA) to deliver an enhanced multimedia experience for Microsoft Teams users.

The key components of Citrix’s Microsoft Teams optimization include:

1. VDA-side HDX Services: The VDA includes HDX services that interface with the Microsoft Teams hosted application to receive commands and open a control virtual channel (CTXMTOP) to the Citrix Workspace app-side media engine.

2. Citrix Workspace App Media Engine: The Citrix Workspace app media engine decodes and renders the multimedia content locally, seamlessly integrating it back into the hosted Microsoft Teams application window.

3. Authentication and Signaling: Authentication and signaling operations are handled natively by the Microsoft Teams hosted application, ensuring a transparent user experience.

To ensure optimal performance and compatibility, Citrix recommends the following best practices:

1. Install Microsoft Teams with the ALLUSER=1 Flag: In non-persistent virtual desktop environments, use the ALLUSER=1 flag when installing Microsoft Teams to ensure a per-machine installation, aligning with the nature of these environments.

2. Maintain Microsoft Teams Versions: Keep Microsoft Teams up to date, as Citrix and Microsoft recommend using the latest available version. Unsupported Microsoft Teams versions may result in a blocking experience for users, prompting them to update the application.

3. Configure User Profile Management: In non-persistent environments, use a profile caching manager, such as Citrix Profile Management or Workspace Environment Management, to efficiently synchronize user-specific Microsoft Teams data, including profiles and settings.

4. Ensure Endpoint Compatibility: Verify that your Citrix Workspace app and VDA versions are compatible with the Microsoft Teams optimization features you plan to use, such as multi-window support, background blurring, and screen sharing.

5. Optimize Network Connectivity: Ensure that your network infrastructure and connectivity to the Microsoft 365 cloud meet the recommended requirements for optimal audio and video quality, including low latency, low jitter, and low packet loss.

By following these best practices and leveraging Citrix’s built-in optimization for Microsoft Teams, you can provide your users with a seamless and high-quality multimedia experience when using Microsoft Teams in a Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops environment.

Conclusion

Configuring Delivery Optimization, bandwidth throttling, and metering strategies in Configuration Manager is essential for efficiently managing content distribution and network bandwidth usage across your organization. By aligning your Delivery Optimization settings with boundary groups, implementing BITS throttling, and controlling metered internet connections, you can strike a balance between user productivity and network performance.

Furthermore, when it comes to optimizing Microsoft Teams in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops environments, Citrix’s built-in optimization capabilities, combined with best practices for installation, versioning, and user profile management, can significantly enhance the multimedia experience for your virtual desktop users.

By leveraging the strategies and recommendations outlined in this article, you can effectively solve Windows 11 update delivery challenges, optimize network bandwidth consumption, and provide your users with a seamless and performant Microsoft Teams experience in your Citrix virtual environment.