Peer Nest query

Usage and Config Patch
1

Hello,

I am currently testing the PeerNest functionality in BigFix 11.x to optimize content downloads between clients on the same subnet.

I have enabled the following client settings on a few test machines:

_BESClient_PeerNest_Enabled=1
_BESClient_PeerNest_IsPassive=1
_BESClient_Comm_IPCommunicationsMode=OnlyIpv4

All the test machines are located on the same subnet and are reporting to the same BigFix Relay.

For testing purposes, I deployed a 1 GB file to the clients. However, I do not see any indication in the BigFix client logs that the file is being downloaded from another peer. The clients appear to be downloading the content from the Relay instead.

Could someone please advise:

Is any additional PeerNest configuration required?

2

If you have all of your test machines set to “IsPassive” then none of them will share content. Try changing that setting to 0 or just deleting it on some clients and see if that helps.

Ref: Working with PeerNest

3

Thanks for the guidance. I changed _BESClient_PeerNest_IsPassive from 1 to 0 on the test client and restarted the BigFix Client service.

The BESClient.log now confirms:



PeerNest: configure peer nest:
Enabled: True;
MulticastDisabled: False;
GatherEnabled: False;
StatisticsEnabled: True;
IsPassive: False;
Priority: 100;
Timeout: 30

The log also shows:



PeerNest: successfully joined the multicast group 224.0.0.75.

I then deployed a test package of approximately 1.96 GB. The prefetch completed successfully, but I am not yet able to confirm from the log whether the content was downloaded from another PeerNest client or directly from the Relay/Root Server.

4

Try PeerNest logging…

_BESClient_PeerNest_DebugOutPath

Enables the PeerNest log. The PeerNest log is written to a dedicated file in the specified directory. Enable the setting as follows: _BESClient_PeerNest_DebugOutPath=

Note: The full path has to point to a file in an existing folder; the file will be created by the client if not already existing.

We do have some PeerNest statistics collection capabilites starting with 11.0.6 but you do have to access them using the REST API. I bit of overkill for this situation, but just noting the capability in case you find it interesting.

5

In a debug log not getting some right information,
Sun, 02 Aug 2026 17:45:14 +0000 PeerNest: configure peer nest: Enabled: True; MulticastDisabled: False; GatherEnabled: False; StatisticsEnabled: True; IsPassive: False; Priority: 100; Timeout: 30

6

Along with Debug Logs change _BESClient_PeerNest_IsPassive=0
// If set it to 1 (enabled), the client will only download from the other peers. It will not share content with the other peers

Refer : List of settings and detailed descriptions

7

Tried this one too but still file downloading from the relay not peer

8

You should capture and review the PeerNest Debug Logs from the both the PeerNest Host and the Receiver. The Debug Logs should give some indications of where the issue is occurring.

Note that PeerNest is not a Relay. A file will only be shared through PeerNest, if the PeerNest host is already downloading a file itself - other clients will not trigger the PeerNest host to perform any extra downloads that it wasn't doing already. So for your test, you need to be sure to send an action with a download for both the PeerNest Host and for some PeerNest Clients in the same network.