Windows 2008 Server - WDS multicasting

[certifiedgeek]

Accoriding to Microsoft one would consider implementing multicasting if your organization:

– Has network routers that support multicasting

– Wants to use network bandwidth efficiently. This is because with this feature, images are sent over the network only once, and you can specify limitations (for example, to only use 10 percent of your bandwidth).

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So, with that said:

I have a test environment with Windows 2008 Server running Windows Deployment Service with multicasting. There are 25 Intel Quad Core PC’s (all identical) to test mutlticasting. PC NIC’s , Router, Switch, and WDS are set to Gigabit connection.

I have successfully download the images to the workstations several times. However, there are two problems?

1 – WDS network is set to Gigabit, I still receive 10-Mbps.

2 – Can’t find a way to specify limitations on bandwidth.

Any ideas would be helpful and appreciated.

Edited June 24, 2008 by certifiedgeek

[CoffeeFiend]

There are 25 Intel P4 Quad Core PC’s

There is no such thing as a quad core P4.

PC NIC’s , Router, Switch, and WDS are set to Gigabit connection.

(snip)

1 – WDS network is set to Gigabit, I still receive 10-Mbps.

All set manually? Sometimes auto-negotiate doesn't quite work right. And setting it manually to values not supported by the switch or such, doesn't really work either. Some network equipment is picky.

It would help a bit to know what NICs they are, and what switch & router they're connected to.

Or are you getting good network speeds (things actually working at gigabit speeds) e.g. file xfers between PCs, but just not from WDS?

[Br4tt3]

On the limitations on the bandwidth; the answer is QoS (Quality Of Service) which exists within networking devices for example.

[Tripredacus]

We were recommended to use managed switches with 2008.

[certifiedgeek]

Thanks for all of the advice...

Sorry, I had P4's on my mind yesterday. What I mean't to say was "Intel® Core™2 Quad Processors"....

Anyway, we are using managed switches..

Also, I thought about disabling QoS (Quality Of Service) However, was told it would cause to many colisions with the data packets…. But, I will give it a try tomorrow.

I will give more feedback concerning the routers/switches tomorrow since that is handled by a different department and they are in the middle of an upgrade.

The PC NIC is a Realtek 8111/8169 10/100/1000… they are set to auto, but I have the same results setting them manually.

It's almost like WDS and/or Transport server is throttling the bandwidth...

Edited June 24, 2008 by certifiedgeek

[fizban2]

Thanks for all of the advice...

Sorry, I had P4's on my mind yesterday. What I mean't to say was "Intel® Core™2 Quad Processors"....

Anyway, we are using managed switches..

Also, I thought about disabling QoS (Quality Of Service) However, was told it would cause to many colisions with the data packets…. But, I will give it a try tomorrow.

I will give more feedback concerning the routers/switches tomorrow since that is handled by a different department and they are in the middle of an upgrade.

The PC NIC is a Realtek 8111/8169 10/100/1000… they are set to auto, but I have the same results setting them manually.

It's almost like WDS and/or Transport server is throttling the bandwidth...

WDS will take what ever Bandwidth it is given, more likely it is throtteling or QOS being done on your switches, find out from the network group what kind of BW is available and if they have the ability to setup a VLAN specifically for building machines then once the machine is built add it to the main network segments, this would help aleviate BW issues on the main segment and allow better control of resources for build machines (depending on how many machine you build at a time or over the year this might be overkill)

[dexter.inside]

QoS is a very good solution