Updates are something already characteristic of Windows. Microsoft's operating system is regularly updated, offering new features, security, design and much more. That is why it is interesting to obtain these updates, both those related to Windows and to the applications in the store.
However, sometimes downloads may be slower, so The Distribution Optimization feature has been available in Windows 10 for some time, with which Microsoft intends to speed up the download processes, especially in areas far away from the servers or in slower connections, as we will show below.
This is how distribution optimization works in Windows 10, the download accelerator for your updates
As we mentioned, in order to try to optimize Windows 10 downloads, from Microsoft they launched the distribution optimization feature. This tool can work both on a local network and on the Internet, in somewhat different ways.
In the case of transmission through the local network, its usefulness is given if you have more than one Windows computer in your home, or in work environments. Its operation in question is simple: a team is responsible for downloading an update, either from Windows or the Microsoft Store and, once obtained, it is transferred through the network to the rest of the computers. In this way, if the connection is not fast enough to deal with the downloads of all the computers, there is no problem because the file is transferred to them without the need for separate downloads.
On the other hand, what is perhaps more interesting is the possibility of sharing the files, in addition to the local network, with other computers via the Internet. In this case, your computer works in a similar way to a CDN: first it downloads the necessary files to be able to carry out the updates, sharing them with other computers connected through the local network. And then your connection and equipment are used to serve others close to you. A) Yes, Although Microsoft's servers are far away, it is possible to accelerate the downloads of others thanks to the proximity, which increases the download speed.
How to enable distribution optimization
As we mentioned, in this case the possibility of enabling this function is only found in Windows 10. If you have this operating system installed on your computer, it is also very important that you know that the functions are enabled both for your team and for the rest. That is, if you activate it, you will not only benefit from faster downloads on your computer, but your computer will also be used to serve others. It is important that you take this into account since, sometimes, especially If your Internet connection offers a reduced speed, it is possible that it will be somewhat affected.
With this in mind, in order to activate distribution optimization, you must go to the settings application, accessible from the start menu or by pressing Windows + I on the keyboard. Once inside, you must choose the option "Update and security" and then on the left side, you will have to select "Distribution optimization". Next, you must activate the option "Allow downloads from other computers". When you enable this option, you will see that the two commented options appear, both the possibility of using the function only with computers on the local network, and the option to also use other computers via the Internet.
And what about privacy?
As Microsoft itself announces between your documents, privacy and security are maintained at all times. This is because personal data is not shared directly. The tool does not have access to documents and files on the computer, and details about the computer being used in question are not shared. What's more, security is guaranteed since the update packages are not modified on the way, and they are sent safely.