Multicast Tab

On the Multicast tab, you can set the multicast IP address and the settings for how to transfer each multicast transmission. To view this tab, right-click the server in the MMC snap-in, and then click Properties. For more information about multicasting, see Enable Multicast Transmission of an Image.

Important

After you configure the Windows Deployment Services server, if you modify any of these options, or the RPC port number (by running wdsutil /set-server /rpcport:<portnum>), you must restart Windows Deployment Services before the changes will take effect. If you do not, the server will use the old values and may not answer clients. To restart the service, right-click Windows Deployment Services in the MMC snap-in and click Restart.

Option Explanation

Option	Explanation
Multicast IP Address	This setting is applicable only if you are enabling multicast transmissions. You can choose from the following options: Obtain IP address from DHCP. You can only select this option if your DHCP server supports it. If you select it, the IP address will be obtained by using the Multicast Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol (MADCAP) (RFC 2730) for each namespace. For more information, see Multicast Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=81507). You might want to select this setting for manageability reasons—for example, if you have multiple Windows Deployment Services servers for the same clients. Selecting this setting is the same as running: `WDSUTIL /Set-Server [/Server:<name>] /Transport /ObtainIPv4From:DHCP` Use IP addresses from the following range. This option specifies the range of IP addresses for the Windows Deployment Services server to use. When setting this range, make sure that it does not overlap with the ranges defined for other servers. Setting this option is the same as running: `WDSUTIL /Set-Server [/Server:<name>] /Transport /ObtainIPv4From:Range /Start:x.x.x.x /End:y.y.y.y`
Transfer Settings	These settings are only available for clients that boot into a boot image from Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. These settings allow you to enable the following: Single stream transfer. The first setting uses a single multicast stream for all clients, regardless of client speed. Multiple stream transfer. The next two settings allow you to separate slower clients into their own multicast stream. This allows faster clients to complete their deployments more quickly instead of being held back by slower clients. Automatic disconnect. The last option allows you to automatically stop clients that fall below a specified speed. The clients that are disconnected will continue to transfer the image using unicasting.

Multicast IP Address

This setting is applicable only if you are enabling multicast transmissions. You can choose from the following options:

Obtain IP address from DHCP. You can only select this option if your DHCP server supports it. If you select it, the IP address will be obtained by using the Multicast Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol (MADCAP) (RFC 2730) for each namespace. For more information, see Multicast Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=81507). You might want to select this setting for manageability reasons—for example, if you have multiple Windows Deployment Services servers for the same clients.

Selecting this setting is the same as running:

WDSUTIL /Set-Server [/Server:<name>] /Transport /ObtainIPv4From:DHCP
Use IP addresses from the following range. This option specifies the range of IP addresses for the Windows Deployment Services server to use. When setting this range, make sure that it does not overlap with the ranges defined for other servers. Setting this option is the same as running:

WDSUTIL /Set-Server [/Server:<name>] /Transport /ObtainIPv4From:Range /Start:x.x.x.x /End:y.y.y.y

Transfer Settings

These settings are only available for clients that boot into a boot image from Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. These settings allow you to enable the following:

Single stream transfer. The first setting uses a single multicast stream for all clients, regardless of client speed.
Multiple stream transfer. The next two settings allow you to separate slower clients into their own multicast stream. This allows faster clients to complete their deployments more quickly instead of being held back by slower clients.
Automatic disconnect. The last option allows you to automatically stop clients that fall below a specified speed. The clients that are disconnected will continue to transfer the image using unicasting.

Multicast Tab

Additional references