ConfigMgr 2007: WDS Multicast settings in the Distribution Point properties do not seem to apply

When modifying Multicast settings in the properties of a Distribution Point, the values for "MultiCast address", "UDP port range", and "Transfer rate" can all be modified under the "Multicast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties. After configuring the settings, the settings are modified and applied in the GUI of the "Multicast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties.

However, when attempting to Multicast, the Multicast sessions do not work, or do not work based on the values sepcified in the "Multicast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties. Performing network traces confirms that the values being seen in the network traces seem to indicate that the Multicast sessions are using the default values originally set in the "MultiCast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties, and not the modified values. Reinspecting the values under the the "Multicast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties shows that the settings and values in the GUI have been modified and are set to the desired values.

Other values under the "Multicast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties window that may have been changed seem to have been applied and work correctly, such as "Specify the account to connect to the database", "Enable scheduled multicast", and "Maximum" clients. Only the "MultiCast address", "UDP port range", and "Transfer rate" settings seem to have issues.

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This problem is caused by a known issue in ConfigMgr 2007 R2 and R3 where the "MultiCast address", "UDP port range", and "Transfer rate" settings  specified under the "Multicast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties may not actually set the settings correctly. Specifically, the "MultiCast address", "UDP port range", and "Transfer rate" settings are Windows Server 2008/Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Deployment Services (WDS) settings. When these settings are configured in the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties, ConfigMgr 2007 will automatically set the WDS settings in the background. However due to the known issue, the settings are actually never set, even though they show correctly under the "Multicast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties GUI.

Please note that the "Transfer rate" setting is a Windows Server 2008 WDS only setting. Windows Server 2008 R2 automatically detects the optimal network speeds and sets the transfer rate settings accordingly, so the setting does not apply to Windows Server 2008 R2 WDS. Setting the "Transfer rate" setting on a Multicast Distribution Point running on Windows Server 2008 R2 has no effect.

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To resolve the problem, the corresponding registry settings for "MultiCast address", "UDP port range", and "Transfer rate" need to be manually set in the registry after they have been set in the "Multicast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties GUI window. Since the recommended practice when using ConfigMgr 2007 is to NOT configure WDS manually, the corresponding settings should not be set in the WDS console. Instead the corresponding resgistry settings should be set manually instead.

1. On the server hosting the Distibution Point role where multicast is being enabled, make sure that WDS is installed and that the "Deployment Server" and "Transport Server" role services are installed. Additionally, make sure that WDS has not be manually configured on the server.
   
   
2. In the ConfigMgr 2007 Admin console, navigate to "Site Management" --> "Site Settings" --> "Site Systems".
   
   
3. Under the "Site Systems" node, click on the applicable server from Step 1 where WDS is installed.
   
   
4. On the right hand pane, rigt click on "ConfigMgr distirbution point" and choose "Properties".
   
   
5. In the "ConfigMgr distribution point Properties" window, click on the "Multicast" tab.
   
   
6. Make sure that the option "Enable Multicast" is checked.
   
   
7. Set all of the appropriate settings under the "Multicast" tab as desired for the environment, even if some of them ("MultiCast address", "UDP port range", and "Transfer rate") do not seem to actually apply.
   
   
8. Click on the "OK" or "Apply" button to ensure that the settings are saved.
   
   
9. On the server from Step 1, open the Registry Editor by starting "regedit.exe".
   
   
10. To manually set the "MultiCast address" and "UDP port range" settings, in the Registry Editor navigate to:
    
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WDSServer\Parameters
    
    
11. Map the appropriate settings from the "Multicast" tab of the ConfigMgr distribution point Properties GUI to the corresponding registry settings listed below, and then manually change the value of the registry setting to match the settings configured in Step 7:
    
    
• To set the option "Use IP address from the following range" under the "MultiCast address" section:
  
  
• "IPv4 From: " field --> McStartAddr
• "To: " field --> MCEndAddr
  
  
• To set the option "Use UDP ports from the following range:" under the "UDP port range" section:
  
  
• "From: " --> UdpStartPort
• "To: " --> UdpEndPort
  
  
12. The "Transfer Rate" setting should only be set in Windows Server 2008. It should not be set in Windows Server 2008 R2. To manually set the "Transfer Rate" setting in Windows Server 2008, in the Registry Editor navigate to:
    
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WDSServer\Providers\WDSMC
    
    Change the value of "DefaultProfile" to the desired setting (10Mbps, 100Mbps, 1Gbps, or Custom).
    
    If using Custom, make sure to make the necessary customizations under the registry key:
    
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WDSServer\Providers\WDSMC\Profiles\Custom
    
    Do not make any customizations to any of the built in profiles (10Mbps, 100Mbps, 1Gbps). Use the Custom profile if any customizations are desired.
    
    
13. When the registry settings have been changed and set, restart the "Windows Deployment Services Server" service on the server from Step 1 using the Services console found under Adminsitrative Tools.
    
    

Note:
Setting the "Transfer rate" setting on a Multicast Distribution Point running on Windows Server 2008 R2 has no effect. The "Transfer rate" setting is actually only a Windows Server 2008 WDS setting. It does not apply to Windows Server 2008 R2 WDS. Windows Server 2008 R2 automatically detects the optimal network speeds and sets the transfer rate settings accordingly.

Inspecting the registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WDSServer\Providers\WDSMC

on a Windows Server 2008 R2 reveals that there is no "DefaultProfile" value. This is normal and the key value should not be created. Please see the following TechNet documentation regarding this setting:

How to Manage Your Server
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc770637(WS.10).aspx#BKMK_1

General Tasks --> To Configure the network profile for the server
"Note that these procedures only apply to the initial release of Windows Server 2008"

IWdsTransportServicePolicy::NetworkProfile Property
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb736515(VS.85).aspx

"Windows Server 2008 R2:  This property is ignored and has no effect. This property is ignored and has no effect. A WDS Transport Server on Windows Server 2008 R2 automatically uses the optimal network profile."

/set-Server
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc816898(WS.10).aspx

Parameter --> /Transport
[/Profile: {10Mbps | 100Mbps | 1Gbps | Custom}] - Specifies the network profile to be used. This option is only supported for servers running Windows Server 2008

/set-TransportServer
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc794752(WS.10).aspx

Parameter
[/Profile: {10Mbps | 100Mbps | 1Gbps | Custom}]
Specifies the network profile to be used. This option is only available for servers running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003.

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