As stated throughout this book, PowerShell is a command- line shell and scripting tool. BranchCache has many different PowerShell cmdlets that allow you to configure and maintain the BranchCache feature. Table 11.5 shows just some of the different PowerShell cmdlets for BranchCache.

TABLE 11.5 PowerShell cmdlets for BranchCache

Add- BCDataCacheExtension	Increases the amount of cache storage space that is available on a hosted cache server by adding a new cache file
Clear- BCCache	Deletes all data in all data and hash files
Disable- BC	Disables the BranchCache service
Disable- BCDowngrading	Disables downgrading so that client computers that are running Windows 10 do not request Windows 7/8 specific versions of content information from content servers
Enable- BCDistributed	Enables BranchCache and configures a computer to operate in distributed cache mode
Enable- BCHostedClient	Configures BranchCache to operate in hosted cache client mode
Enable- BCHostedServer	Configures BranchCache to operate in hosted cache server mode
Enable- BCLocal	Enables the BranchCache service in local caching mode
Export- BCCachePackage	Exports a cache package
Export- BCSecretKey	Exports a secret key to a file
Get- BCClientConfiguration Gets the current BranchCache client computer settings Get- BCContentServer        Gets the current BranchCache content server settings Configuration Get- BCDataCache     Gets the BranchCache data cache Get- BCStatus       Gets a set of objects that provide BranchCache status and configuration information Import- BCCachePackage    Imports a cache package into BranchCache Import- BCSecretKey        Imports the cryptographic key that BranchCache uses for generating segment secrets Set- BCAuthentication                                  Specifies the BranchCache computer authentication mode
Cmdlet	Description
Set- BCCache	Modifies the cache file configuration
Set- BCSecretKey	Sets the cryptographic key used in the generation of  segment secrets

Enhanced Features in Windows Server 2022 BranchCache

Microsoft continues to improve on many of the features of Windows Server, and BranchCache is no different. Microsoft has improved BranchCache in Windows Server 2022 and Windows 10/11. The following list includes some of the enhanced features:

Office sizes and the number of branch offices are not limited. Windows Server 2022 BranchCache allows any number of offices along with any number of users once you deploy hosted cache mode with multiple hosted cache servers.

There are no requirements for a Group Policy Object (GPO) for each office location, streamlining deployment. All that is required to deploy BranchCache is a single GPO that contains a small number of settings.

Client computer configuration is easy. You have the ability to configure their clients through the use of a GPO. If this is done, client configuration will automatically be configured through the GPO, and if a client can’t find a hosted cache server, the client will automatically self- configure as a hosted cache mode client.

BranchCache is deeply integrated with the Windows file server. BranchCache is automatically integrated with Windows file server technology. Because of this, the process of finding duplicate pieces in independent files is greatly improved.

Duplicate content is stored and downloaded only once. BranchCache stores only one instance of the content on a hosted cache server or content server, and because of this, you get greater disk storage savings. Since client computers at the remote offices download only one instance of any content, your network saves on additional WAN bandwidth.

Small changes to large files produce bandwidth savings. One advantage of BranchCache is the file server chunking system that helps divide files and web pages into smaller parts. Now when a file is changed, only the part of that file that has been changed gets replicated. This allows BranchCache to use lower bandwidth requirements.

Offline content creation improves performance. When BranchCache is deployed as content or file servers, the data is calculated offline before a client even has the chance to request it. Because of this, the systems get faster performance and bandwidth.

Cache encryption is enabled automatically. BranchCache stores its cached data as encrypted data. This guarantees data security without the need to encrypt the entire drive.

Summary

In this chapter, I discussed file servers and how they can be effective on your network.  I also discussed sharing folders for users to access, and then I discussed how to publish those shared folders to Active Directory.

You learned about NTFS security versus shared folder permissions and how to limit users’ hard drive space by setting up disk quotas. The chapter also covered the Encrypting File System (EFS) and how users can encrypt and compress files.

I also discussed how configuring file and storage solutions can be highly effective within your organization. You now have a better understanding of how Windows Server 2022 can provide you with extended functionality for effectively controlling corporate data.

I talked about Data Deduplication and how it can help protect your corporate data and also provide a backup solution.

This chapter took you through the use of many server tools and utilities such as DFS and encryption. Distributed File System allows you to set up a tree structure of virtual directories that lets users connect to a shared folder anywhere throughout the entire network.

You also learned about EFS and how to use Cipher to modify or configure EFS in a command window. Cipher is the best way to change encrypted directories and files.

Exam Essentials

Know storage technologies. Understand how to use the Fibre Channel, iSCSI, and NAS storage technologies. Know how to configure an iSCSI initiator and how to establish a connection to a target. Practice configuring tiered storage and using thin provisioning and trim.

Know how to configure NTFS security. One of the major advantages of using NTFS over FAT32 is access to additional security features. NTFS allows you to put security at the file and folder layers. NTFS security is in effect whether the user is remote or local to the computer with the data.

Know how to configure shared permissions. Shared permissions allow you to determine the access a user will receive when connecting to a shared folder. Shared permissions are allowed only at the folder layer and are in effect only when the user is remote to the computer with the shared data.

Understand how NTFS and shared permissions work together. NTFS and shared permissions are individually additive— you get the highest level of security and permissions within each type. NTFS is always in effect, and it is the only security available locally. Shared permissions are in effect only when connecting remotely to access the shared data. When the two types of permissions meet, the most restrictive set of permissions applies.

Exam Essentials

Know how to configure disk quotas. Disk quotas allow an organization to determine the amount of disk space that users can have on a volume of a server. You can set up disk quotas based on volumes or by users. Each volume must have its own separate set of disk quotas.

Understand data deduplication. Know that data deduplication involves finding and removing duplicate data within the company network without compromising its integrity. Understand that the goal is to store more data in less space by segmenting files into small chunks, identifying duplicate chunks, and maintaining a single copy of each chunk.

Know how to configure DFS. Distributed File System in Windows Server 2022 offers a simplified way for users to access geographically dispersed files. The DFS Namespace service allows you to set up a tree structure of virtual directories that lets users connect to shared folders throughout the entire network.

Understand EFS and Cipher. Users can encrypt their directories and files by using EFS. Understand how Cipher can help you configure or modify an EFS object while in the command prompt.