Branch Office

Updated May 27, 2011

This page provides links to the features and prescriptive guidance designed to help IT pros design and optimize branch office infrastructure to drive efficiency, better management, and enhanced security for branch offices.

Getting Started

Getting Started

Download the Branch Office Infrastructure Solutions v3 (BOISv3) Getting Started Guide. Or see details before you download.

Evaluate and Plan

Download the BOISv3 Architecture Guide to determine which Branch Office Architecture best fits your needs. Or see details before you download.

Deploy

Download the BOISv3 Service Design Guides to help you plan and deploy services to your Branch Office. Or see details before you download.

Featured Resources

Scenario evaluation: Managing Branch Offices with Windows Server 2008 R2
Provides an overview of how Windows Server 2008 R2 can be used to manage the challenges of geographically dispersed branch office locations.
Video: Create a read-only domain controller focusing on user IDs and passwords
Provides a demo of how to set up this core element of branch office infrastructure.
Video: Securing branch office user accounts
This demo shows how you can place a domain controller in a branch office, and take measures to make those branch office accounts more secure.
Download: Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7 with SP1
Handy tool in many scenarios, but vital for branch office administration.

Branch Office Technologies

The following technologies are the most useful and popular for the branch office scenario.

BranchCache

Evaluation: BranchCache Technical Overview
Download only. Provides an overview of BranchCache in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
Getting Started: BranchCache Learning Roadmap
For IT pros new to BranchCache. Identifies what you need to learn to fully understand how to deploy and troubleshoot BranchCache. A downloadable version is also available.
Deployment: BranchCache Deployment Guide
Shows how to deploy BranchCache in distributed cache mode or hosted cache mode, as well as in three types of content servers.

More about BranchCache >

Read-only domain controllers

Evaluation: What's New: Read-Only Domain Controllers
Learn about this new type of domain controller for your locations where physical security cannot be guaranteed.
Deployment: Understanding Planning and Deployment for Read-Only Domain Controllers
Describes planning issues to consider before deploying an RODC, and includes procedures for installing and administering an RODC.
Scenario: Read-Only Domain Controllers (RODC) Step-by-Step Guide
Describes how to prepare, install, and administer an RODC in Windows Server 2008.

More about read-only domain controllers >

Hyper-V

Evaluation: Virtualization with Hyper-V
Overview on how to optimize your server hardware by, for example, consolidating multiple server roles as virtual machines on a single physical server.
Deployment: Hyper-V Installation
Install this virtualization technology on Windows Server 2008, including tools for remote administration.
Best practices: Hyper-V: Gotchas
This TechNet Wiki article includes top tips for deploying and optimizing your Hyper-V configuration.

More about Hyper-V >

BitLocker

Evaluation: BitLocker Drive Encryption in Windows 7: Frequently Asked Questions
What BitLocker is, how it works, harware and software requirements, and much more.
Deployment: BitLocker Drive Encryption Deployment Guide for Windows 7
Includes getting started information, best practices, planning, and how to use BitLocker in a a variety of authentication scenarios.
Scenario: BitLocker Drive Encryption Step-by-Step Guide for Windows 7
Provides the instructions you need to use BitLocker Drive Encryption in a Windows 7 test environment.

More about BitLocker >

Network Access Protection (NAP)

Evaluation:Introduction to NAP
Read this white paper for an overview of NAP scenarios and components and a brief description of how NAP works for IPsec-protected communication, 802.1X authenticated connections, remote access VPN connections, and DHCP configuration.
Deployment: NAP Deployment Guide
Provides steps for installing and configuring NAP. It answers the "How" questions a deployment team might ask before implementing a NAP design.
Scenario: Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate NAP for Remote Access VPN
This prescriptive guide builds on two prerequisite test lab guides: Test Lab Guide: Base Configuration and Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate Remote Access VPNs.

More about NAP >

Distributed File System (DFS)

Evaluation: What's New in Distributed File System
Provides an overview of DFS and describes what's new in Windows Server 2008.
FAQ: DFS Replication: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
answers questions about Distributed File System (DFS) Replication (also known as DFS-R or DFSR) for the Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003 R2 operating systems.
Deployment: DFS Step-by-Step Guide for Windows Server 2008
Provides system requirements, installation instructions, and step-by-step walkthroughs for deploying DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication features in Windows Server 2008 in a lab environment.

More about DFS >

Community

Partnerships

See how partners work together with Microsoft to improve branch office service delivery.

Branch Office Webcasts

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Branch Office

Getting Started

Featured Resources

Branch Office Technologies

BranchCache

Read-only domain controllers

Hyper-V

BitLocker

Network Access Protection (NAP)

Distributed File System (DFS)

Community

Partnerships

Branch Office Webcasts

Related Resources

Products

Resources

Solutions

Downloads

Evals

Tools

TechNet Support

Microsoft Support