Dell Unity: How To Configure BranchCache

Summary: BranchCache allows local Local Area Network (LAN) access to remote Network-Attached Storage (NAS) server data, bypassing the Wide Area Network (WAN).

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Instructions

What Is BranchCache?

BranchCache is a share-level option that allows users to access data stored on a remote NAS server locally over the LAN without being required to traverse the WAN to access the NAS server. This is most useful in a remote or branch office environment, where branch offices are required to access data stored on a remote server at the primary office. BranchCache allows this data to be cached locally at the branch, either by a single designated BranchCache server or distributed across clients, to reduce WAN bandwidth used by many clients constantly and repeatedly traversing the WAN for the same data. 
 

With BranchCache enabled, the client uses the WAN to retrieve the hash of the file from the remote NAS server. The searches the local file cache to look for a file with a matching hash. If all or some of the data is available locally, either on the designated BranchCache or another client computer, the data will be retrieved locally. The data is validated using a hash function to ensure the file is the same. Any data that is not cached locally is retrieved from the NAS server over the WAN and then cached locally for future requests. BranchCache works best for data that does not change often, allowing files to be cached for longer periods of time at the branch offices. Microsoft hosts manage this feature, but it is enabled from the Unity Server Message Block (SMB) Shares level.
 

How To Enable BranchCache:

Unisphere (UI):

STORAGE > File > SMB Shares > Properties > Advanced > SMB properties > click 'Branch Cache Enabled

Unisphere SMB properties screen

 
UEMCLI: 
19:31:22 service@FNMXXXXX spa:~/user# uemcli /stor/prov/fs/cifs -id SMBShare_1 show -detail

1:    ID                   = SMBShare_1
      Name                 = SMB1
      Description          =
      File system          = res_1
      Local path           = /
      Export path          = \\DEMO-NAS1\SMB1, \\10.XXX.X.XX\SMB1, \\10.XXX.X.XX\SMB1, \\10.XXX.X.XX\SMB1
      Availability enabled = no
      Encryption enabled   = no
      Creation time        = 2025-09-09 16:37:56
      Last modified time   = 2025-10-15 16:25:38
      Umask                = 022
      ABE enabled          = no
      BranchCache enabled  = no
      DFS enabled          = no
      Offline availability = none
      Default access       = rw
      Advanced host mgmt   = yes
      No access hosts      =
      Read/write hosts     =


19:31:49 service@FNMXXXXX spa:~/user# uemcli /stor/prov/fs/cifs -id SMBShare_1 set -enableBranchCache yes

ID = SMBShare_1
Operation completed successfully.


19:34:01 service@FNMXXXXX spa:~/user# uemcli /stor/prov/fs/cifs -id SMBShare_1 show -detail

1:    ID                   = SMBShare_1
      Name                 = SMB1
      Description          =
      File system          = res_1
      Local path           = /
      Export path          = \\DEMO-NAS1\SMB1, \\10.XXX.X.XX\SMB1, \\10.XXX.X.XX\SMB1, \\10.XXX.X.XX\SMB1
      Availability enabled = no
      Encryption enabled   = no
      Creation time        = 2025-09-09 16:37:56
      Last modified time   = 2025-10-30 19:33:08
      Umask                = 022
      ABE enabled          = no
      BranchCache enabled  = yes
      DFS enabled          = no
      Offline availability = none
      Default access       = rw
      Advanced host mgmt   = yes
      No access hosts      =
      Read/write hosts     =

Additional Information

Dell Unity: NAS Capabilities (March 2025)

Affected Products

Dell EMC Unity, Dell EMC Unity Family |Dell EMC Unity All Flash, Dell EMC Unity Hybrid
Article Properties
Article Number: 000009175
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 31 Oct 2025
Version:  4
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