CacheR operations
Adding distribution points
Distribution Points in CacheR are currently used to represent availability only.
To add Distribution Points, open the StifleR Dashboard and navigate to Cache Management, then CacheR, and select Distribution Points. If multiple CacheR servers are present, select the CacheR server you want to configure.
Add a new Distribution Point and provide a friendly name and the root URL of the Distribution Point.
Once added, the CacheR Worker service will process the entry. When processing is complete, the Distribution Point status will change to Available, confirming that it has been successfully detected and validated.
Tracking content
Manually adding CacheTracks (packages)
Before manually creating CacheTracks, you must gather several required details. These include the Package ID or Application ID, the Package Version is the ConfigMgr details that is needed so those values need to be collected from there. And the Base URL where the content is hosted. Tools such as BCMon or the PowerShell script Get-ConfigMgrContentLocationFromMP.ps1 can be used to identify and confirm the correct content URLs.
To add a CacheTrack, navigate to Cache Management in the StifleR Dashboard, then CacheR, and select Packages. Choose the appropriate CacheR server if prompted, then select Add to create a new package entry.
Populate all required fields with the collected information and confirm the configuration.
After clicking OK there might be a small delay, DON’T click again!
Once the package has been processed, opening the package details should show that all URLs were successfully parsed and validated. At this stage, use the Download zip file option to verify that CacheR is functioning correctly and that the zip file is accessible. This download URL is also the address that must be used later for client-side reporting.
Additionally, verify on the CacheR server that the zip file has been created in the designated zipfiles directory.
Manually configuring client side reporting
For a client to report its caching status back to CacheR, several values must be provided. These include the Zip file URL, which is the relative path shown under Download File for the package in the StifleR Dashboard, the CacheR Secret Key obtained from the configuration editor, the CacheR URL, and the CacheR Port, which defaults to 9050.
Client-side reporting is performed using the Cacher.Client.exe command-line tool. The syntax requires specifying the CacheR endpoint, port, zip file path, CacheTrack GUID, and the secret key.
Each client must execute this command for every CacheTrack it is expected to report on. To scale this process, it is recommended to distribute and execute these commands using a Configuration Manager Configuration Item or an Intune Remediation Script, ensuring consistent and automated reporting across devices.
Automated CacheTrack Management with CacheRCIManager.ps1
For environments using Configuration Manager, the script CacheRCIManager.ps1 provides a fully automated approach to managing CacheTracks and client-side reporting. This script synchronizes Configuration Manager packages and applications used within one or more Task Sequences into both CacheR and a single Configuration Item (CI).
The script treats the specified Task Sequence or Task Sequences as the authoritative source. Any content referenced in the Task Sequences is automatically added to CacheR and the CI. Conversely, content that no longer exists in the Task Sequences is removed from CacheR and the CI by default. This ensures long-term consistency without manual cleanup.
As a result, a single Configuration Item is created containing one compliance setting per package or application used in the specified Task Sequences. Each compliance setting runs a lightweight PowerShell detection script that invokes Cacher.Client.exe, allowing clients to report their caching status back to the CacheR server.
This approach guarantees that CacheR and the Configuration Item remain fully synchronized with Task Sequence changes. After updating a Task Sequence, simply re-run the script to refresh CacheTracks and reporting logic automatically.
Prerequisites (must be in place before first run)
ConfigurationManager PowerShell module (installed automatically when installing CM Admin Console)
$env:SMS_ADMIN_UI_PATH must exist
CacheR PowerShell module
Unzip CacheRApi.0.1.0.zip and add the unzipped folder into your PowerShell modules folder.
AdminService enabled and reachable on the SMS Provider
Semi optional, only used for cleaning up old CI revisions. More housekeeping than an actual requirement.
A manually created (empty) Configuration Item in ConfigMgr with the exact name given in parameter -DestinationCIName
Script does NOT create the CI for you
Permissions
Account running the script needs full Control on the CI
Required Parameters
-SiteCode
SCCM site code
"P01"
-ProviderMachineName
FQDN of SMS Provider
cm01.contoso.com"
-SourceTSNames
One or more TS names (exact match)
Windows 11 24H2", "Win11 PreCache"
-DestinationCIName
Name of the CI that will be managed
“2Pint CacheR Update”
-CacheRserver
FQDN to CacheR Server
https://cacher.contoso.com
-CacheRPort
WebAPI port (default 9050)
9050
-CacheRApiKey
API key configured in CacheR, found in Config Editor tool
xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx
-DPFQDN
Full https URL to a Distribution Point that CacheR can reach
https://dp01.contoso.com
-SizeInMB
Minimum size of packages to track (default 1 MB)
50
-PrefixToSkip
If a child TS contains content you do not want tracked by CacheR or added to the CI, name it with this prefix (default: SkipPreCache) and it will be automatically excluded.
NoPreCache"
-IgnoreContentDifferences
Keep packages/apps in CI/CacheR even if they are no longer found in TS
-
Typical scheduled execution (example)
Run this daily (or after every TS change) via Scheduled Task running under a service account with the required rights.
Last updated