Microsoft Launches Connected Cache for Free Content Delivery Optimization
Microsoft has launched Connected Cache, a new service designed to optimize content delivery and bandwidth usage for organizations. This free tool is now generally available for eligible Windows Enterprise and Education users, with a release date of July 23, 2025.
Connected Cache operates by caching only the content that is requested, reducing storage use and preventing redundant downloads. It supports both HTTP and HTTPS protocols, enabling caching of Teams content and ensuring compatibility with Intune's HTTPS requirement.
The service complements Microsoft 365 Delivery Optimization by serving content requests from locally deployed cache nodes instead of CDNs. This can lead to significant bandwidth savings during Windows 11 upgrades and Microsoft Intune deployments.
Connected Cache can be deployed on various platforms, including Windows Server, Windows Desktop, and Linux (Ubuntu and Red Hat Enterprise Linux). It uses a Windows installer for cache node deployment to Windows hosts and can be deployed and managed using Azure Marketplace at no additional Azure cost.
Microsoft Connected Cache is now generally available for eligible organizations. It offers a free solution for optimizing content delivery and bandwidth usage, with support for multiple platforms and protocols. Organizations can find detailed information in the Microsoft Connected Cache documentation and release notes.
