Cisco Services Modules

Document ID: 19680

Contents

Introduction
Prerequisites
      Requirements
      Components Used
      Conventions
Configure
      Network Diagram
      Configurations
Verify
      CSM debug and show Commands
      Content Engine show Commands
Troubleshoot
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Related Information

Introduction

This document describes how to configure a Content Switch Module (CSM) for transparent caching, with Cisco Content Engines as caches. The transparent cache sits between the user and the server. The CSM is introduced between the user and the cache. The CSM is intelligent because of its Layer 5 ability to dynamically analyze content and determine if it is cacheable or not. These guidelines apply:

• If cacheable, the CSM load balances the request to the cache service based on the configured predictor.

• If not cacheable, the CSM sends it directly to the origin server. This avoids the performance hit that occurs when the non-cacheable object goes to the cache, only to have its request redirected by the cache to the origin server.

There are several balancing methods available, which depend upon how you want to distribute data over the caches (for example, whole URL, URL string, and so forth).

The CSM can be configured with a list of file extensions to send to the cache. This list is called an Extension Qualifier List (EQL). Once you configure the slb-policy CACHE-POLICY under vserver TRANSPARENT, only requests with the file extensions that are listed in the map CACHEABLE url list are sent the cache. If a file extensions is not listed in the map CACHEABLE url list, then the request will hit slb-policy NONCACHE-POLICY.

Prerequisites

Requirements

There are no specific requirements for this document.

Components Used

The information in this document is based on these software and hardware versions:

• Catalyst 6000 Supervisor Cisco IOS® Software Release 12.1(8)EX for Supervisor Engine 1 with MSFC1 (c6sup11-dsv-mz.121-8a.EX)

• Catalyst 6000 CSM Software Release 2.1(2) (c6slb-apc.2-1-2.bin)

• Cisco Content Engine 565 running Cisco Application and Content Networking System (ACNS) Software Release 5.1.3

The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If your network is live, make sure that you understand the potential impact of any command.

Conventions

For more information on document conventions, refer to the Cisco Technical Tips Conventions.

Configure

In this section, you are presented with the information to configure the features that are described in this document.

Network Diagram

This document uses this network setup:

Configurations

This document uses these configurations:

• CSM

• Content Engine

Building configuration...
Current configuration : 4500 bytes
!
version 12.1
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
!
hostname cat
!
boot buffersize 126968
enable password cisco
!
redundancy
 main-cpu
  auto-sync standard
ip subnet-zero
!
ip name-server 10.107.241.185
!

!--- CSM located in slot 3. Module is running as active
!--- cache and client side on the same CSM VLAN 100.

module ContentSwitchingModule 3
 vlan 100 client
  ip address 10.107.249.251 255.255.255.248
  gateway 10.107.249.249
!

!--- End user located in CSM VLAN 200.

 vlan 200 server
  ip address 10.107.249.251 255.255.255.248
!

!--- Probe setup to check the availability of the Content
!--- Engine default probe values. Interval is 300 seconds.

 probe CACHEPROBE tcp
!

!--- Serverfarm CACHE.
!--- Note: Issue the no nat server command.
!--- CSM needs to do a Layer 2 rewrite.
!--- Balancing predictor is hash URL.

 serverfarm CACHE
  no nat server
  no nat client
  predictor hash url
  real 10.107.249.254
   inservice
  real 10.107.249.252
   inservice
  probe CACHEPROBE
!

!--- Serverfarm OUTBOUND.
!--- Note: Use the serverfarm OUTBOUND to bypass the cache.
!--- Requests that do not match the map CACHEABLE url list
!--- will use serverfarm OUTBOUND. The NAT server has no
!--- effect, as no reals are configured.
!--- Balancing predictor forward.

 serverfarm OUTBOUND
  nat server
  no nat client
  predictor forward
!

!--- Map CACHEABLE URL.

 map CACHEABLE url

!--- Extension Qualifier List (EQL).

  match protocol http url *.pdf
  match protocol http url *.fdf
  match protocol http url *.au
  match protocol http url *.bmp
  match protocol http url *.z
  match protocol http url *.gif
  match protocol http url *.html
  match protocol http url *.js
  match protocol http url *.mocha
  match protocol http url *.jpeg
  match protocol http url *.jpg
  match protocol http url *.jpe
  match protocol http url *.jfif
  match protocol http url *.pjpeg
  match protocol http url *.pjp
  match protocol http url *.mp2
  match protocol http url *.mpa
  match protocol http url *.abs
  match protocol http url *.mpeg
  match protocol http url *.mpg
  match protocol http url *.mpe
  match protocol http url *.mpv
  match protocol http url *.vbs
  match protocol http url *.m1v
  match protocol http url *.pcx
  match protocol http url *.txt
  match protocol http url *.text
  match protocol http url *.mov
  match protocol http url *.tiff
  match protocol http url *.tar
  match protocol http url *.avi
  match protocol http url *.wav
  match protocol http url *.gz
  match protocol http url *.zip
!
 map NONCACHABLE url
  match protocol http url *
!
 policy CACHE-POLICY
  url-map CACHEABLE
  serverfarm CACHE
!
 policy NONCACHE-POLICY
  url-map NONCACHABLE
  serverfarm OUTBOUND
!

!--- Vserver TRANSPARENT.
!--- Note: Virtual IP is all zeros.
!--- Use of persistence rebalance for HTTP 1.1.
!--- Parse-lengh set to 2000 bytes.
!--- Two policies added to vserver TRANSPARENT.

 vserver TRANSPARENT
  virtual 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 tcp www
  serverfarm CACHE
  persistent rebalance
  parse-length 2000
  slb-policy CACHE-POLICY
  slb-policy NONCACHE-POLICY
  inservice
!

!--- Fault Tolerance group 1.
!--- Used to configure redundancy between modules 3 and 4.

 ft group 1 vlan 250
  priority 20
!

!--- CSM located in slot 4. Module is running as standby
!--- cache and client side on the same CSM VLAN 100.

module ContentSwitchingModule 4
 vlan 100 client
  ip address 10.107.249.253 255.255.255.248
  gateway 10.107.249.249
!

!--- End user located in CSM VLAN 200.
!--- Note: Module 3 and 4 VLAN IP addresses are different.

 vlan 200 server 
  ip address 10.107.249.253 255.255.255.248
!

!--- Probe setup to check availability of Content Engine.
!--- Default probe values. Interval 300 seconds.

!
 probe CACHEPROBE tcp
!

!--- Serverfarm CACHE.
!--- Note: Issue the no nat server command. CSM needs to
!--- do a Layer 2 rewrite.
!--- Balancing predictor is hash URL.

 serverfarm CACHE
  no nat server
  no nat client
  predictor hash url
  real 10.107.249.254
   inservice
  real 10.107.249.252
   inservice
  probe CACHEPROBE
!

!--- Serverfarm OUTBOUND
!--- Note: Use the serverfarm OUTBOUND to bypass the cache.
!--- Requests that do not match the CACHEABLE URL list will
!--- use serverfarm OUTBOUND. The NAT server has no effect,
!--- as no reals are configured.
!--- Balancing predictor forward.

 serverfarm OUTBOUND
  nat server
  no nat client
  predictor forward
!

!--- Map CACHEABLE URL.

 map CACHEABLE url

!--- Extension Qualifier List (EQL).

  match protocol http url *.pdf
  match protocol http url *.fdf
  match protocol http url *.au
  match protocol http url *.bmp
  match protocol http url *.z
  match protocol http url *.gif
  match protocol http url *.html
  match protocol http url *.js
  match protocol http url *.mocha
  match protocol http url *.jpeg
  match protocol http url *.jpg
  match protocol http url *.jpe
  match protocol http url *.jfif
  match protocol http url *.pjpeg
  match protocol http url *.pjp
  match protocol http url *.mp2
  match protocol http url *.mpa
  match protocol http url *.abs
  match protocol http url *.mpeg
  match protocol http url *.mpg
  match protocol http url *.mpe
  match protocol http url *.mpv
  match protocol http url *.vbs
  match protocol http url *.m1v
  match protocol http url *.pcx
  match protocol http url *.txt
  match protocol http url *.text
  match protocol http url *.mov
  match protocol http url *.tiff
  match protocol http url *.tar
  match protocol http url *.avi
  match protocol http url *.wav
  match protocol http url *.gz
  match protocol http url *.zip
!
 map NONCACHABLE url
  match protocol http url *
!
 policy CACHE-POLICY
  url-map CACHEABLE
  serverfarm CACHE
!
 policy NONCACHE-POLICY
  url-map NONCACHABLE
  serverfarm OUTBOUND
!

!--- Vserver TRANSPARENT.
!--- Note: Virtual IP is all zeros.
!--- Use of persistence rebalance for HTTP 1.1.
!--- Parse-lengh set to 2000 bytes.
!--- Two policies added to vserver TRANSPARENT.

 vserver TRANSPARENT
  virtual 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 tcp www
  serverfarm CACHE
  persistent rebalance
  parse-length 2000
  slb-policy CACHE-POLICY
  slb-policy NONCACHE-POLICY
  inservice
!

!--- Fault Tolerance group 1.
!--- Used to configure redundancy between modules 3 and 4.

 ft group 1 vlan 250
!
interface GigabitEthernet1/1
 no ip address
 shutdown
!
interface GigabitEthernet1/2
 no ip address
 shutdown
!

!--- CSM client side VLAN. Uplink to the Internet.

interface FastEthernet2/1
 no ip address
 switchport
 switchport access vlan 100
!
interface FastEthernet2/2
 no ip address
 shutdown
!

!--- Cache Engine connected to FE2/3 and FE2/4.
!--- CSM client side VLAN.

interface FastEthernet2/3
 no ip address
 duplex full
 speed 100
 switchport
 switchport access vlan 100
!
interface FastEthernet2/4
 no ip address
 duplex full
 speed 100
 switchport
 switchport access vlan 100
!

!--- CSM Server side VLAN. Connection to end users.

interface FastEthernet2/5
 no ip address
 switchport
 switchport access vlan 200
!

!--- MSFC VLAN 100. Content Engine and client uses this
!--- address as the default gateway.

interface Vlan100
 ip address 10.107.249.250 255.255.255.248
!
ip classless
ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 10.107.249.249
no ip http server
!
line con 0
line vty 0 4
password cisco
login
!
end

device mode content-engine
!
hostname ce1
!
http proxy incoming 80

!--- Accept proxy requests on port 80.

!
http l4-switch enable


!--- Instructs the Content Engine to accept traffic that is
!--- directed to any destination IP.

!
ip domain-name cisco.com
!
!
interface Fastethernet 0/0
 ip address 10.107.249.254 255.255.255.248
 exit
!
interface Fastethernet 0/1
 exit
!
ip default-gateway 10.107.249.250
!
primary-interface Fastethernet 0/0
!
!
no auto-register enable
!
ip name-server 10.107.241.185
!
!
username admin password 1 bVmDmMMmZAPjY
username admin privilege 15
!
authentication login local enable primary
authentication configuration local enable primary
!
! End of ACNS configuration

Verify

This section provides information that you can use to confirm that your configuration is working properly.

Certain show commands are supported by the Output Interpreter Tool ( registered customers only) , which allows you to view an analysis of show command output.

Note: Before you issue debug commands, refer to Important Information on Debug Commands.

CSM debug and show Commands

• show module

• show arp—Provides the Server Load Balancing (SLB) Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache listing.

• show conns—Provides SLB connection information.

• show dfp —Provides SLB Dynamic Feedback Protocol (DFP) manager information.

• show ft—Provides SLB Fault Tolerance (FT) information.

  cat# show module csm 3 ft
  
  FT group 1, vlan 250
  This box is active
  priority 20, heartbeat 1, failover 3, preemption is off
  
  cat# show module csm 4 ft
  
  FT group 1, vlan 250
  This box is in standby state
  priority 10, heartbeat 1, failover 3, preemption is off

• show map —Provides SLB map information.

• show memory—Provides SLB memory information.

• show natpools—Provides SLB client NAT pool information.

• show policy—Provides SLB policy information.

• show probe—Provides SLB probe information.

• show reals—Provides SLB real server information.

• show serverfarms—Provides SLB server farm information.

• show static—Provides SLB static server NAT information.

• show stats—Provides SLB statistics.

• show status—Provides SLB status information.

• show sticky—Provides SLB sticky database.

• show tech-support—Provides SLB technical debug information.

• show vlan—Provides SLB VLAN information.

• show vservers—Provides SLB virtual server information.

  show module csm 3 vservers name transparent detail
  
  TRANSPARENT, state = OPERATIONAL, v_index = 10
    virtual = 0.0.0.0/0:80, TCP, service = NONE, advertise = FALSE
    idle = 3600, replicate csrp = none, vlan = ALL
    max parse len = 2000, persist rebalance = TRUE
    conns = 0, total conns = 47
    Default policy:
      server farm = CACHE
      sticky: timer = 0, subnet = 0.0.0.0, group id = 0
    Policy           Tot Conn     Client pkts  Server pkts
    ------------------------------------------------------
    CACHE-POLICY     44           249          203
    NONCACHE-POLICY  37           111          37
    (default)        0            0            0

• module csm ?—Configures the CSM for transparent caching. Also specifies the location of the CSM that you are configuring.

  cat(config)# module csm ?
  
  <1-6>  slot where the CSM module resides

• vserver proxy—Configures the virtual server.

  cat(config-module-csm)# vserver proxy
  
  cat(config-slb-vserver)# ?
  

• vserver advertise—Advertise the virtual IP address.

• vserver client—Sets the client IP addresses.

• vserver default—Sets a command to its defaults.

• vserver exit—Exits server load balancing submode.

• vserver idle—Sets idle timer.

• vserver inservice—Enables service for this virtual server.

• no vserver—Negates a command or sets its defaults.

• vserver parse-length—Sets the maximum Layer 7 parse length.

• vserver persistent—Enables or disables connection persistence.

• vserver replicate—Sets vserver fault tolerance replication.

• vserver serverfarm—Sets real server farm.

• vserver slb-policy—Sets server load balancing policy.

• vserver sticky—Sets sticky timer.

• vserver url-hash—Sets prefix/suffix match for url-hash algorithm.

• vserver virtual—Configures a virtual server.

• serverfarm cache —Configures the server farm.

  cat(config-module-csm)# serverfarm cache
  
  cat(config-slb-sfarm)# ?
  

• serverfarm bindid—Binds ID for DFP.

• serverfarm default—Sets a command to its defaults.

• serverfarm exit—Exits SLB server farm submode.

• serverfarm failaction—Action to take on real server failure.

• serverfarm nat—Sets the address translation for SLB.

• no serverfarm—Negates a command or sets its defaults.

• serverfarm predictor—Sets the load balancing prediction algorithm.

• serverfarm probe—Configures for the use of a probe.

• serverfarm real —Configures a real server.

• serverfarm redirect-vserver—Configures an SLB redirect virtual server.

Content Engine show Commands

• show statistics http savings—Saves the statistics from the Content Engine.

  ce1# show statistics http savings
  
                         Statistics - Savings
                       Requests           Bytes
  -----------------------------------------------
  Total:               635                2764599
  Hits:                113                254517
  Miss:                505                2483555
  Savings:            17.8 %              9.2 %

  As you can see, there were 113 hits.

Troubleshoot

There is currently no specific information available to troubleshoot this configuration.

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Related Information

• Cisco ACNS Software
• Content Networking Technical Support
• Technical Support - Cisco Systems