Apple Caching Server

[chrisvann]

We have many schools with large number of ipads and more often than not they are exhausting the 10mb links with iOS app updates, bringing Internet connectivity to a stand still. I understand you need a static public IP to implement Apple Caching server, does anyone know a way of setting this up in schools or have Y&H any plans to host their own?

 

This is becoming a big problem and any advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Chris (MINT)

[Wubbalubbadub]

Didn't even know this existed!? Sounds great though!

[pete]

You shouldn't need a static public IP to implement it.

 

Briefly: Buy mac mini, pay £13 (or whatever it is now) for OS X server application. Turn on caching service, set amount of disk space to use as cache, download iOS update, watch as disk space used by cache increases.

 

http://help.apple.com/serverapp/mac/4.0/#/apd74DDE89F-08D2-4E0A-A5CD-155E345EFB83

[abillybob]

You do need to ensure that your not sharing the same public IP with other schools though otherwise you'll take down all of the other schools networking for their iPads. I'd seriously recommend contacting your broadband supplier before enabling this feature.

[chrisvann]

Yes the schools are sharing Public ip's and this is the main problem. What we want to do is to be able to host caching servers from within our schools subnets in the YHGFL network.

 

cheers,

 

Chris (MINT)

[pete]

Just configure ListenRanges on the caching server then: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT202657

 

That way they'll only respond to clients in the individual school.

[mwalpole]

Hi Everyone,

 

This is something we at YHGfL are currently investigating. abillybob is correct, the problem encountered currently is that schools are natted out on the same group of public IP's. This causes issues when registering a caching server because all devices within the network will then try and contact the caching server at a single school where the caching server resides. This will not be reachable from other schools/networks. This will stop apple products from the updating etc as apple will say "you have a caching server locally".

 

The reason for this is the single group of public IP’s and also the way in which networks pass through the filtering platform on egress.

 

Putting a caching server in our core network would NOT solve the issue of bandwidth utilisation as you are still using the link to get to our core.

 

We are currently looking at a number of solutions to allow individual networks / schools to have their own Apple caching server.

 

Kind regards

 

Marc

[chrisvann]

Thanks for the response Marc, please keep me updated when there is a solution in place, this would solve bandwidth issues in many of our schools.

 

Pete, listen ranges look a good idea that I wasn't aware of, but I think Apple point the devices to the caching server based on the public IP address they come from, I expect this would still cause issues for schools that aren't running a caching server.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[Brimstone]

Hi Everyone,

 

This is something we at YHGfL are currently investigating. abillybob is correct, the problem encountered currently is that schools are natted out on the same group of public IP's. This causes issues when registering a caching server because all devices within the network will then try and contact the caching server at a single school where the caching server resides. This will not be reachable from other schools/networks. This will stop apple products from the updating etc as apple will say "you have a caching server locally".

 

The reason for this is the single group of public IP’s and also the way in which networks pass through the filtering platform on egress.

 

Putting a caching server in our core network would NOT solve the issue of bandwidth utilisation as you are still using the link to get to our core.

 

We are currently looking at a number of solutions to allow individual networks / schools to have their own Apple caching server.

 

Kind regards

 

Marc

 

Hi,

 

I have a BGFL school that I have helped successfully implemented this, it's correct that Apple point iPads back to the public I.P. that the caching server registers itself with the app store. This can not be done just by setting a listening range for the caching server.

 

You can now created a DNS MX record that points back to your school domain, this record needs to added to your LA core DNS Servers as well.They spoke to the LA so that their reverse proxies and ACL's on their part of the WAN network were aware of this domain. They added the I.P. subnet range for devices in the school for additional security.

 

This will stop other devices in other schools from trying to contact this schools caching server, I am in process of getting many others in BGFL schools correctly configured now as so many have just been turned on without thought which causes complete chaos across the WAN with iOS updates.

[NathenF]

Do your schools have their own IP addresses though? YHGFL only NAT through about 8 AFAIK.

Hi,

 

I have a BGFL school that I have helped successfully implemented this, it's correct that Apple point iPads back to the public I.P. that the caching server registers itself with the app store. This can not be done just by setting a listening range for the caching server.

 

You can now created a DNS MX record that points back to your school domain, this record needs to added to your LA core DNS Servers as well.They spoke to the LA so that their reverse proxies and ACL's on their part of the WAN network were aware of this domain. They added the I.P. subnet range for devices in the school for additional security.

 

This will stop other devices in other schools from trying to contact this schools caching server, I am in process of getting many others in BGFL schools correctly configured now as so many have just been turned on without thought which causes complete chaos across the WAN with iOS updates.

[Sylv3r]

We set this up and our network around a week ago and a MacMini we had lying about. It's working perfectly and saving us a hell of a lot on bandwidth. Even when staff and students are updating apps it's pulling it from the cache rather than a new download.

[Craig-YHGfL]

Hi Brimstone .

 

Would it be possible to discuss the DNS solution you have put in place in more detail please ?

 

Regards

 

Craig

[SchoolsBroadband]

why not just give each school it's own IP address and voila job sorted?

[Craig-YHGfL]

If only if it were that simple.

This would only work if the local subnet used that allocated IP to egress the network, when you are using proxy filtering this is not possible as the filtering uses a group of public IP's . These NAT all of our schools. To put it simply it would not work due to the many exits to the network due to filtering , direct internet and the way the need to use different NAT pools

I am in the process of testing a solution which I belive works at BGFL. Brimstone kindly passed on some info regarding DNS and new options to only look at local subnetsd this would break the filtering for the given subnet. as decided on by the admin of the local server. Once I have tied all of this together I will update the page.

[chrisvann]

Hi Craig, did you get anywhere with the caching server solution you were testing?

 

cheers,

 

Chris

[Jehanzeb]

I've setup a caching server as well and although it's somewhat working my issue is related to iPads not always looking at cache server to download iOS updates or apps. The caching server automatically goes into 'pending' mode and all of a sudden register itself and start to work. It's stop and start issue is causing me a headache. Not sure what can be done.

 

Regards

 

J.

[richhill25]

I know this post is from a while ago but I'm setting up a caching server also at my BGFL school and was hoping for a little bit of guidance please.

 

From what I understand I need to request a static public facing IP from BGFL and get them toupdate their MX record. Is there much else I need to do?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

thanks.

[Jehanzeb]

That's all you need and off course the Apple caching server, once registered using the IP any device under the subnet will cache.

 

Kindest regards

 

J.

[richhill25]

Thanks for your reply!

 

I'll give it a go and let you know if any other requirements pop up.

 

thanks again!