Branchcache hosted mode Powershell commands not working - unable to get BC to do anything (2012R2)

Question

Hi,
I am setting up a Branchcache environment in the lab. I've configured everything as per the MS guides, and using some knowledge imparted to me from a recent MCSA course on Server 2012R2.
However a couple of things caused an issue before I was able to even test. I'm running the lab in a segregated OU within our existing AD forest/domain. I'll go through what I've done so far:
Setup and configure content server (installed BC role, BC for network files feature)
Created share on content server and enabled caching
Setup and configured host server (installed roles etc)
Created GPO's for servers to enable BC and enable BC hashing for enabled shares and linked to lab servers OU
Created GPO's for clients to enable BC and linked to lab clients OU
Attempted to run the Powershell command Enable-BCHostedServer -RegisterSCP
When I run that I get the following error:
Enable-BCHostedServer : Could not access the Windows Firewall configuration.
At line:1 char:1
+ Enable-BCHostedServer -RegisterSCP
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (MSFT_NetBranchCacheOrchestrator:root/StandardCi...cheOrchestrator) [Enable-BCHostedServer],CimException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : HRESULT 0x800706d9,Enable-BCHostedServer
So I thought I'd try and see if I could use the Get-BCStatus command. When I run that, I get the following error:
get-bcstatus : A general error occurred that is not covered by a more specific error code.
At line:1 char:1
+ get-bcstatus
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (MSFT_NetBranchCacheStatus:root/StandardCi...anchCacheStatus) [Get-BCStatu
s], CimException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : MI RESULT 1,Get-BCStatus
I would like to point out that we DO NOT use Windows Firewall on our servers or client machines. There is no server firewall at all (prefer to use hardware firewalls) and our client use SEP.
The other thing I cannot get my head around is the certificate stuff. I cannot seem to find any definitive documentation that specifies whether or not it is required in an AD domain environment. All servers are automatically enrolled with a certificate from
our CA upon joining the domain, so I cannot understand why the hosted servers would need an additional certificate to authenticate with clients trying to push cached files.
In the lab, all servers are Windows Server 2012R2 and my test clients are Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 (which is what we have in the real-world).
Sufficed to say, I cannot get Branchcache to work in this lab.
Any help appreciated.

Answer 1

Update:
Upon some further research and reading, I've found a reference that lists the cmdlets that
Get-BCStatus uses.
I have managed to isolate the specific command that is causing it to generate an error - as shown in this screenshot.
As you can see, it looks like the configuration is set up correctly. However, it doesn't work, and the generic error message on the
Get-BCNetworkConfiguration cmdlet is irritating to say the least, since it leaves me at a dead end for troubleshooting.
Here is a screenshot of the output when running the command to enable the hosted mode and register the SCP:
Still at a loss here. My next attempt will be to strip down these servers and rebuild them off the domain and see if I get similar results.
Thanks,
Greg