Multicast not working SCCM 2012 SP1

Question

Hi,
Am having issues getting multicast working with SCCM 2012 SP1 / Server 2008 R2.
We have followed all the guidelines in this forum but still no joy
- Multicast setting enabled on DP
- Multicast Enabled on OS Image
- Task Sequence set to down content when needed
- SCCM DP and Client are on same VLAN to rule out routing issues
- Network team confirm all ok there end anyway
- Boot images / WDS and PXE are all healthy
The PC Boots via PXE ok and runs our windows 7 task sequence, when the task sequence starts it says "Opening multicast session" for about 5 seconds and then disappears. Its as though it tries but then fails. Unicast works fine.
I then set the OS image to "Only use Multicast" which produces the following error in the client SMSTS.log
reply has no message header marker
Failed to open session request (Code 0x80004005)
ApplyOperatingSystem 28/01/2014 12:53:25
1944 (0x0798)
ClientRequestToMCS::DoRequest failed. error = (0x80004005).
ApplyOperatingSystem 28/01/2014 12:53:25
1944 (0x0798)
Request to MCS 'SererName' failed with error (Code 0x80004005).
ApplyOperatingSystem 28/01/2014 12:53:25
1944 (0x0798)
Multicast OpenSessionRequest failed (0x80004005).
ApplyOperatingSystem 28/01/2014 12:53:25
1944 (0x0798)
Sending status message: SMS_OSDeployment_PackageDownloadMulticastStatusFail
ApplyOperatingSystem 28/01/2014 12:53:25
1944 (0x0798)
Any idea on how we get this working ?
Thanks

Answer 1

The logs related to multicast that you'll see on the site server are:
mcsisapi.log
Records information for multicast package transfer and client request responses.
Site system server
mcsprv.log
Records multicast provider interaction with Windows Deployment Services (WDS).
Site system server
MCSSetup.log
Records details about multicast server role installation.
Site system server
MCSMSI.log
Records details about multicast server role installation.
Site system server
Mcsperf.log
Records details about multicast performance counter updates.
Site system server
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427342.aspx
>>  Network team confirm all ok there
end anyway
This is something to double and triple check.  If Multicast is not enabled on the routers/switches properly, this will not work.  If there is a firewall between the client and the distribution point that doesn't have the Multicast ports open, this
will not work.
Client -- > Distribution Point Configured for Multicast
Description
UDP
TCP
Server Message Block (SMB)
445
Multicast Protocol
63000-64000
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427328.aspx
I hope that helps,
Nash
Nash Pherson, Senior Systems Consultant
Now Micro -
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