Table Of Contents

Preface

Audience

How to Use This Guide

Related Documentation

Symbols and Conventions

Obtaining Documentation, Obtaining Support, and Security Guidelines

Preface

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This guide provides instructions for implementing server load balancing (SLB) on the Cisco Application Control Engine (ACE) module in a Catalyst 6500 series switch or a Cisco 7600 series router, hereinafter referred to as the switch or router, respectively.

You can configure the ACE by using the following interfaces:

•The command-line interface (CLI), a line-oriented user interface that provides commands for configuring, managing, and monitoring the ACE.

•Device Manager graphic user interface (GUI), a Web browser-based GUI interface that provides a graphical user interface for configuring, managing, and monitoring the ACE.

This preface contains the following major sections:

•Audience

•How to Use This Guide

•Related Documentation

•Symbols and Conventions

•Obtaining Documentation, Obtaining Support, and Security Guidelines

Audience

This guide is intended for the following trained and qualified service personnel who are responsible for configuring the ACE:

•System administrator

•System operator

How to Use This Guide

This guide is organized as follows:

Chapter	Description
Chapter 1, Overview	Describes SLB as implemented in the ACE. This chapter includes a procedure that describes how to configure the ACE for load balancing only.
Chapter 2, Configuring Real Servers and Server Farms	Describes real servers, server farms, and load-balancing methods and how to configure them for SLB.
Chapter 3, Configuring Traffic Policies for Server Load Balancing	Describes how to configure class maps to filter interesting SLB traffic and configure policy maps to perform actions on that traffic. Also describes SLB parameter maps and applying policies to interfaces.
Chapter 4, Configuring Health Monitoring	Describes how to configure health probes (keepalives) to monitor the health and status of real servers.
Chapter 5, Configuring Stickiness	Describes how to configure stickiness (connection persistence) to ensure that a client remains stuck to the same server for the duration of a session.
Chapter 6, Configuring Firewall Load Balancing	Describes how to configure firewall load balancing (FWLB) to load balance traffic from the Internet through a firewall to a data center or intranet.
Appendix A, Using TCL Scripts with the ACE	Describes how to upload and execute Toolkit Command Language (TCL) scripts on the ACE.

Related Documentation

In addition to this guide, the ACE documentation set includes the following documents:

Document Title	Description
Release Note for the Cisco Application Control Engine Module	Provides information about operating considerations, caveats, and command-line interface (CLI) commands for the ACE.
Cisco Application Control Engine Module Hardware Installation Note	Provides information for installing the ACE into the Catalyst 6500 series switch or a Cisco 7600 series router.
Cisco Application Control Engine Module Getting Started Guide	Describes how to perform the initial setup and configuration tasks for the ACE.
Cisco Application Control Engine Module Administration Guide	Describes how to perform the following administration tasks on the ACE: •Setting up the ACE •Establishing remote access •Managing software licenses •Configuring class maps and policy maps •Managing the ACE software •Configuring SNMP •Configuring redundancy •Configuring the XML interface •Upgrading the ACE software
Cisco Application Control Engine Module Virtualization Configuration Guide	Describes how to operate your ACE in a single context or in multiple contexts.
Cisco Application Control Engine Module Routing and Bridging Configuration Guide	Describes how to perform the following routing and bridging tasks on the ACE: •Configuring VLAN interfaces •Configuring routing •Configuring bridging •Configuring Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
Cisco Application Control Engine Module Security Configuration Guide	Describes how to configure the following ACE security features: •Security access control lists (ACLs) •User authentication and accounting using a Terminal Access Controller Access Control System Plus (TACACS+), Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS), or Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server •Application protocol and HTTP deep packet inspection •TCP/IP normalization and termination parameters •Network Address Translation (NAT)
Cisco Application Control Engine Module SSL Configuration Guide	Describes how to configure the following Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) features on the ACE: •SSL certificates and keys •SSL initiation •SSL termination •End-to-end SSL
Cisco Application Control Engine Module System Message Guide	Describes how to configure system message logging on the ACE. This guide also lists and describes the system log (syslog) messages generated by the ACE.
Cisco Application Control Engine Module Command Reference	Provides an alphabetical list and descriptions of all CLI commands by mode, including syntax, options, and related commands.
Cisco CSM-to-ACE Conversion Tool User Guide	Describes how to use the CSM-to-ACE conversion tool to migrate Cisco Content Switching Module (CSM) running- or startup-configuration files to the ACE.
Cisco CSS-to-ACE Conversion Tool User Guide	Describes how to use the CSS-to-ACE conversion tool to migrate Cisco Content Services Switches (CSS) running-configuration or startup-configuration files to the ACE.
Cisco Application Control Engine (ACE) Module Troubleshooting Guide, Release A2(x)	Describes the procedures and methodology in wiki format to troubleshoot the most common problems that you may encounter during the operation of your ACE.

Symbols and Conventions

This publication uses the following conventions:

Convention	Description
boldface font	Commands, command options, and keywords are in boldface. Bold text also indicates a command in a paragraph.
italic font	Arguments for which you supply values are in italics. Italic text also indicates the first occurrence of a new term, book title, emphasized text.
{   }	Encloses required arguments and keywords.
[   ]	Encloses optional arguments and keywords.
{x | y | z}	Required alternative keywords are grouped in braces and separated by vertical bars.
[x | y | z]	Optional alternative keywords are grouped in brackets and separated by vertical bars.
string	A nonquoted set of characters. Do not use quotation marks around the string or the string will include the quotation marks.
screen font	Terminal sessions and information the system displays are in screen font.
boldface screen font	Information you must enter in a command line is in boldface screen font.
italic screen font	Arguments for which you supply values are in italic screen font.
^	The symbol ^ represents the key labeled Control—for example, the key combination ^D in a screen display means hold down the Control key while you press the D key.
<   >	Nonprinting characters, such as passwords are in angle brackets.

Notes use the following conventions:

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Note Means reader take note. Notes contain helpful suggestions or references to material not covered in the publication.

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Cautions use the following conventions:

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Caution Means reader be careful. In this situation, you might do something that could result in equipment damage or loss of data.

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For additional information about CLI syntax formatting, see the Cisco Application Control Engine Module Command Reference.

Obtaining Documentation, Obtaining Support, and Security Guidelines

For information on obtaining documentation, obtaining support, providing documentation feedback, security guidelines, and also recommended aliases and general Cisco documents, see the monthly What's New in Cisco Product Documentation, which also lists all new and revised Cisco technical documentation, at:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/general/whatsnew/whatsnew.html