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Options

The Options tab provides access to the general Multicast settings. A number of these settings can be modified, but be aware that some of them then require a full rebuild. These settings are shared with all multicasted projects and applied to all sessions except if they are already started.

Parameter

Description

Address Range

This parameter is only applicable to the multicast mode. The multicast mode requires infrastructure specific configurations and such address range defined in the network hardware devices.

Cache Location

This parameter allows the user to manually select the partition where the cache is downloaded, or specify a path. It may be a driver letter, or System or Automatic . The default value is Automatic , which selects the partition with the largest - and writeable - free space available.

Client Port Range

Defines the port the multicast clients need to use to communicate with the server. This port could be arbitrary, but it is recommended to control this port by entering the requested value, by default 1610-1611 (UDP).

Client Timeout (ms)

The time in milliseconds for each multicast client to wait any packet from the server before declaring the server offline and terminating with an error.

Delete Cache

Defines if and when the downloaded material is deleted on the client. The following values are available:

  • Never : The downloaded cache is never deleted and thus always available to the user if the deployment succeeds. This may be used for local system recovery, especially if using a setup installation.
  • On Success : The downloaded cache is only deleted if the deployment is successful, to reclaim the disk space. In case of a deployment failure the cache is not deleted and the user may access it for debugging purposes, especially if using the do not reboot option in the project parameters and perform manual operations.
  • Always : The downloaded cache is always deleted, on success and on failure of any type.

History

Defines the total number of days of completed sessions to be kept in the database for the user to look back, including connected devices by MAC address and status. Sessions are removed by order of completion past the defined amount of time. The default value is set to 30 days, the minimum is 1 and maximum 99.

Mode

Defines which mode, Multicast or Broadcast , is to be used for the deployment. The default selection is Multicast . Broadcast is the easier mode as the user is not required to modify his infrastructure switch configuration. However, this option may slow down the network if it is used in a production environment instead of a dedicated subnet.

Packet Size (KB)

Defines the payload the multicast server is to send to the clients for each packet. The allowed values are between 0 and 64 KB, with a default of 64 KB. You can decrease the packet size for cases where its network reliability is low. This way the default performs at the maximum speed for most of the users with a standard network.

Proxy Access

Specifies if an internal tunnel should be used when using an OSD proxy. The OSD proxy may not have direct access to the share on which the WIM image is stored. This setting allows the OSD manager to stream the image to the proxy which in turn multicasts the file to the clients. To activate this option check the Use Tunnel box.

Read Ahead size (MB)

The number of chunks of data the multicast server collects in advance from the source file to be multicasted. The values are between 10 and 50, the default being 10. The higher the number, the more memory is used to cache these chunks.

Retry Count

Defines the number of consecutive retries the multicast server should attempt to communicate with a particular client after unsuccessful attempts before declaring it as failed and ignore it for the rest of the session. The default value is 50.

Retry Timeout (ms)

Defines the time in milliseconds for the multicast server to wait for an acknowledgement before the client failure counter is incremented. The possible value must be between 100 and 10000, the default being 200.

Packets to Send Ahead

Defines the number of packets to send in advance before waiting for the feedback on the first packet, which vastly increases the transfer efficiency on reliable networks. The available values range from 1 to 500. The better the network, the higher the number should be. The default value is set to 5 to work for the majority of cases. This represents a maximum value to reach; if the network is fast the value is not exceeded. The multicast server has an auto-adjust feature to lower the send ahead and avoid failures.

Multicast Server Port (UDP)

This parameter determines on which port the multicast server should listen and to which port the clients should send their requests and acknowledgements. It is only available in the general configuration, not on project level. Modifying this parameters requires restarting the multicast server and, to be correctly applied, restarting all related OSD agents as well. In addition all projects need to be rebuilt if this parameter is modified as it is embedded during the WinPE ISO image build. The default would be the agent port in UDP, typically 1610.

Max Speed (Mbps)

Defines the maximum speed network allowed in megabit per second (Mbps). The default value is 0 , which means the speed is adapted according to the conditions. The speed is re-estimated on a regular basis or if packets start to fail. You may adjust this parameter during a transfer.

Automatic Start Conditions

Defines the start condition for a transfer. The following values are available:

  • None (clear both check boxes): No automatic start. The transfer can only be started manually through the Start button.
  • After (Min.) : The transfer automatically starts after the defined number of minutes after the connection of the first target to the server.
  • Registered Targets : The transfer automatically starts once the defined number of targets are connected to the server.
  • Both conditions : The transfer automatically starts when either the defined number of machines are connected or the defined number of minutes after the first targets connected to the server are reached, whichever comes first.

Registered Targets

Check this box if the session is to be automatically started after a certain number of clients have connected. If the timer condition is also set the session starts when the first of the two set conditions is fulfilled.

After (Min.)

Check this box if the transfer is to be automatically started after a certain amount of time after the first client connected to the server. Clients connecting after the beginning of the transfer join an automatically created new session which starts once the current session is over. If the count condition is also set the session starts when the first of the two set conditions is fulfilled.

 

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