Delivery optimization

The Delivery optimization (DO) settings optimize the delivery of the peer-to-peer client update service.

The DO method uses the internet on PCs, both local PCs and non-local devices, to deliver updated Windows 10+ bits to an organization's networked PCs. This method combines partial bits from PCs with partial bits from Microsoft's data centers to update a computing environment. The DO method addresses and reduces the bandwidth issue that occurs during the update process. These settings must be used along with the Update management device policy settings for a Windows device.

Table 1. Delivery optimization settings
Policy setting Description Supported devices
Allow peer to peer delivery of updates Enable the policy setting to allow the update delivery optimization by using peer to peer delivery of updates. You can optimize delivery updates for Windows Updates, Security updates, Drivers, Windows Store Apps, and Windows Store for Business Apps. Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Peer selection
Delivery optimization method Choose from the options for the delivery optimization download method for Windows updates, apps, and app updates.
  • Use peers on the same NAT only.
  • Use peers on the same AD group or domain across NAT.
  • Use peers on internet.
  • Simple HTTP download. Do not use peers.
  • Bypass delivery optimization (DO), Use BITS protocol.
CAUTION:
If you choose peers on the internet for the DO method, consider the security aspects of your environment.
 Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Group identifier Specify the arbitrary group ID that the device belongs to. Use this setting to create a single group for a local network peer for branches that are on different domains or are not on the same local area network (LAN).
Note: The group identifier value is ignored if the group source is set.
 Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Group source Choose from the options for restricting peer selection to a specific source.
  • Active directory site
  • Authenticated domain SID
  • DHCP option ID
  • DNS suffix

If you set the DHCP Option ID, the delivery optimization client queries the DHCP Option ID 234 and uses the returned GUID value as the group identifier.

Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Allow peer to peer caching on VPN Choose whether to allow the device to participate in peer caching while connected from VPN to the domain network. When allowed, the device can download from or upload to other domain network devices, either on the VPN or on the corporate domain network. Windows 10+ 1703+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Content and device policies
Minimum peer caching content file size (in MB) Specify the minimum content file size that is allowed to use peer caching. The value 0 allows an unlimited file size. Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Minimum RAM capacity (inclusive) required to enabled use of peer caching (in GB) Specify the minimum RAM size to use for peer caching. If the value is set to 1 GB, then devices with 1 GB or higher available RAM are allowed to use peer caching. Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Minimum disk size allowed to use peer caching (in GB) Specify the minimum disk size capacity in GB that is needed for the device to use peer caching. The value 0 allows an unlimited disk size. Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Bandwidth throttling policies
Max upload bandwidth (in KB/s) Specify the maximum upload bandwidth that a device can use across all concurrent upload activity by using delivery optimization. The value 0 allows an unlimited bandwidth. Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Max monthly data upload limit (in GB) Specify the maximum total bytes that delivery optimization is allowed to upload to internet peers for each calendar month. The value 0 allows for no limit to the monthly upload. Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Minimum battery required for peer uploads (percentage) Specify the battery power percentage that is required on the device that uploads data to the LAN and group peers. Uploads are automatically pauses when the battery level drops to less than the set minimum battery level. The suggested value is 40. Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Minimum download speed quality (in KB/s) Specify the minimum download quality of service or speed (QoS) for background downloads. This setting affects the blending of peer and HTTP sources. Delivery optimization complements the download from the HTTP source to achieve the minimum QoS value set. Windows 10+ 1607+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Maximum foreground download bandwidth (percentage) Specify the maximum foreground download bandwidth to be used across all concurrent download activities as a percentage of the available download bandwidth.
Note: This setting does not throttle downloads from the LAN peers. A value of 0 dynamically adjusts to use the available bandwidth for foreground downloads.
 Windows 10+ 1803+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Maximum background download bandwidth (percentage) Specify the maximum background download bandwidth that is used across all concurrent download activities as a percentage of the available download bandwidth.
Note: This setting does not throttle downloads from the LAN peers. A value of 0 dynamically adjusts to use the available bandwidth for foreground downloads.
 Windows 10+ 1803+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Delay HTTP downloads (by seconds) for foreground downloads Specify the time delay for an HTTP source in a foreground (interactive) download that is allowed to use peer-to-peer. After the max delay is reached, the download resumes by using HTTP, either downloading the entire payload or complementing the bytes that might not be downloaded from peers. Windows 10+ 1803+ Professional, Education, Enterprise
Delay HTTP downloads (by seconds) for background downloads Specify the time delay for an HTTP source in a background download that is allowed to use peer-to-peer. After the max delay is reached, the download resumes by using HTTP, either downloading the entire payload or complementing the bytes that might not be downloaded from peers. The suggested value is 3600 seconds. Windows 10+ 1803+ Professional, Education, Enterprise