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Cisco UCS Director supports the creation and monitoring of F5 load balancers.
Although load balancing may be prevalent in the routing environment, it is also of growing importance in the virtual networking and VM environment. Server load balancing is a mechanism for distributing traffic across multiple virtual servers, offering high application and server resource utilization.
Server load balancing (SLB) is the process of deciding to which server a load-balancing device should send a client request for service. For example, a client request can consist of an HTTP GET for a web page or an FTP GET to download a file. The job of the load balancer is to select the server that can successfully fulfill the client request and do so in the shortest amount of time without overloading either the server or the server farm as a whole.
Depending on the load-balancing algorithm or predictor that you configure, the F5 BIG-IP performs a series of checks and calculations to determine the server that can best service each client request. F5 BIG-IP bases server selection on several factors, including the server with the fewest connections regarding load, source or destination address, cookies, URLs, or HTTP headers.
A high-level process flow of load balancing is as follows:
A client attempts to connect with a service on the load balancer.
The load balancer accepts the connection.
The load balancer decides which host should receive the connection and changes the destination IP address (or port) in order to match the service of the selected host.
The host accepts the load balancer's connection and responds to the original source, to the client (through its default route), and to the load balancer.
The load balancer acquires the return packet from the host and changes the source IP address (or port) to correspond to the virtual server IP address and port, and forwards the packet back to the client.
The client receives the return packet, assuming it came from the virtual server, and continues the rest of the process.
Cisco UCS Director enables the management, orchestration, and monitoring of the F5 load balancer. Following is a summary of the crucial processes:
On adding the F5 load balancer as a managed element, Cisco UCS Director triggers Cisco UCS Director task inventory collection. The polling interval configured on the System Tasks tab specifies the frequency of inventory collection.
After the F5 load balancer is added to the Pod, it is listed with all other components of the pod environment at the account level. To see the F5 component information, navigate to
.There are two ways to implement load balancing on an F5 device using Cisco UCS Director:
Use an iApps (BIG-IP) application service.
iApps application templates let you configure the BIG-IP system for your HTTP applications, by functioning as an interface to consistently deploy, manage, and monitor your servers. You can use default iApps templates or create and customize a template to implement load balancing on the F5 device.
Use Cisco UCS Director to:
This section describes common terms found in the F5 BIG-IP environment. In a load-balancing environment, a virtual server is a construct that allows multiple physical servers to appear as one for load-balancing purposes. A virtual server is bound to physical services running on real servers in a server farm and uses IP address and port information to distribute incoming client requests to the servers in the server farm according to a specified load-balancing algorithm.
Virtual servers—In a load-balancing environment, a virtual server is a construct that allows multiple physical servers to appear as one for load-balancing purposes. A virtual server is bound to physical services running on real servers in a server farm and uses IP address and port information to distribute incoming client requests to the servers in the server farm according to a specified load-balancing algorithm.
Pools—A pool is a collection of virtual servers that provide similar services available on multiple hosts. (See the pool members or nodes entry for additional information.)
Tip | A virtual server can be a member of multiple pools. In a different pool, it can have different attributes and play a different role. For example, a virtual server could be a backup resource for a different type of requests, such as requests from a different part of the world. |
Nodes—Physical servers that receive traffic from a load balancer.
Profiles—A profile can be either local or roaming. We recommended that you operate using roaming profiles rather than local profiles. Using roaming profiles assures you that your settings are always available to you at all times.
In order to create a virtual server that supports load balancing, first add a network element in Cisco UCS Director. After a Load Balancer is added as a network element in Cisco UCS Director, it appears under the Managed Network Element tab.
You must be logged in to the appliance to complete this task.
Adding the F5 Load Balancer triggers the system task inventory collection. The polling interval configured on the System Tasks tab specifies the frequency of inventory collection.
What to Do Next
To modify or edit a virtual server, choose the server, then click the Modify button. To remove a virtual server, choose the server, then click the Delete button.
The Application Services tab provides information on the following items:
Note | F5 BIG-IP devices with versions lower than 12.0 show a blank Active Device column. |
This topic describes how to create an application service for a selected pod.
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 2 | Choose a pod that includes the F5 network, expand the directory as necessary, and click the F5 network. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 3 | Click the Application Services tab. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 4 | Click Create. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 5 | In the
Create
Application Service dialog box, complete the following fields:
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Step 6 | Click Submit. |
In a load-balancing environment, a virtual server is a construct that allows multiple physical servers to appear as one for load-balancing purposes. A virtual server is bound to physical services running on real servers in a server farm. The virtual server uses IP address and port information to distribute incoming client requests to the servers in the server farm according to a specified load-balancing algorithm.
Although the virtual server is of primary importance because it is used to administer pools and pool members, the practical flow of performing the setup is as follows:
Before you can create a virtual server that supports load balancing, you must add the F5 load balancer as a network element.
Tip | To get inventory information about the F5 device, navigate to , then click the middle of the large Pod icon. In the row of Network images, double-click BIG-IP to see current information about it. |
An account with the F5 BIG-IP server.
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 2 | Click a pod in
which one of the Managed Network Elements is the F5 BIG-IP device you want to
use, then click the network.
With a Pod highlighted under and the Managed Network Elements tab selected, a row of information in the table include the IP address for the F5 BIG-IP device you want to. In the left column, click the network associated with this device. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 3 | Click the Virtual Servers tab, then click Create. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 4 | In the
Create
Virtual Server dialogue box, complete the following fields:
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Step 5 | Click Submit. |
The Virtual Servers tab provides information on the following items:
Pod Name
Virtual Server Name
Status
Destination IP Address
Service Port
Type
Partition/Path
Active Device
Note | F5 BIG-IP devices with versions lower than 12.0 show a blank Active Device column. |
Create a Virtual Server.
The Virtual Servers Statistics tab provides information on the following items:
Create a Virtual Server.
The Virtual Address tab provides information on the following items:
Note | F5 BIG-IP devices with versions lower than 12.0 show a blank Active Device column. |
You can update the traffic group for a virtual address associated with the pod.
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . |
Step 2 | Choose a pod. |
Step 3 | Choose the load balancing server. |
Step 4 | Click the Virtual Address tab. |
Step 5 | Choose the virtual address for which you want to update the traffic group, and click Update Traffic Group. |
Step 6 | In the Update Traffic Group dialog box, you can select the new traffic group, or check Inherit Traffic Group from current Partition/Path. |
Step 7 | Click Submit. |
The Pool list tab enables you to create a new pool to the list of pools associated with an F5 load balancer. It also allows you to delete a pool, or to modify a pool by adding or deleting pool members.
The Pool list tab lists the following data for each pool:
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . | ||||||||||
Step 2 | Click the pod that supports the F5 BIG-IP network that you want to use, then click that network. | ||||||||||
Step 3 | Click the
Pool
List tab to view the existing list of pools.
Using controls that appear in this tab, you can also delete a pool from this list, see the members of any selected pool, or add or delete members of an existing pool. | ||||||||||
Step 4 | Click Create. | ||||||||||
Step 5 | In the
Create
Pool dialog box, complete the following fields:
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Step 6 | Click Submit. | ||||||||||
Step 7 | To see additional details about available pools and nodes, see the tabs titled Pool Statistics, Node list, and Node Statistics. |
Create a Pool.
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . |
Step 2 | Click the pod that supports the F5 BIG-IP network of interest to you, then click that network. |
Step 3 | Click the
Pool
List tab to view the existing list of pools.
Using controls that appear in this tab, you can also create or delete a pool from this list, or see the members of any selected pool. |
Step 4 | Click the pool in which you want to add, delete, or modify members, then click View Details. The Pool Members tab appears, listing the members of the pool you most recently selected. |
Step 5 | To add a member to the selected pool, click Add. The Add Pool Member dialog box appears. |
Step 6 | If you want to
use an existing Node, then check the box labeled "Do you want to use existing
node?" Otherwise, provide the Address and Service port.
A message confirms that the member was added to the pool successfully. |
Step 7 | If you do not
want to use an existing Node, then provide the Address and Service Port data
and click Submit.
A message confirms that the member was added to the pool successfully and the new member is listed in the Pool Members tab. |
Step 8 | To return to the Pool List tab, click the Back button. |
The Pool Statistics tab provides the following information:
Create a Virtual Server.
The Node list tab provides information on the following items:
Create a Virtual Server.
The Node Statistics tab provides the following information:
Create a Virtual Server.
The TCP Profiles tab provides information on the following items:
Create a Virtual Server.
The UDP Profiles tab provides information on the following items:
A partition is a logical container that you can create to contain a defined set of BIG-IP system objects. As an Administrator to the BIG-IP system, you can create administrative partitions to control other users' access to BIG-IP objects. When a specific set of objects resides in a partition, you can give certain users the authority to view and manage the objects in that partition only, rather than to all objects on the BIG-IP system.
In order to create a partition, perform the following procedure:
You must be logged in to the appliance to complete the task.
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . | ||||||
Step 2 | Choose the Managed Network Elements tab. | ||||||
Step 3 | Select a device from the Unassigned Pods in the left pane. | ||||||
Step 4 | Double click the element or select it from F5. | ||||||
Step 5 | Click Partition and a list of previously created partitions are displayed. | ||||||
Step 6 | Click Create to add a partition. | ||||||
Step 7 | In the
Create
Partition dialog box, complete the following fields:
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Step 8 | Click Submit. The partition is created successfully. | ||||||
Step 9 | Click
OK to confirm in the
Submit
Result dialog box.
|
You can delete partitions you have created. To delete partitions, click Delete under the Partition tab or in the F5 appliance, go to , select the partition, and click Delete.
The Device Group tab provides information on the following items:
An account with the F5 BIG-IP server.
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 2 | Choose pod in which one of the Managed Network Elements is the F5 BIG-IP device you want to use, then click that network. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 3 | Click the Device Group tab, then click Create. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 4 | In the
Create
Device Group dialog box, complete the following fields:
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Step 5 | Click Submit. |
You can modify a device group or delete a device group by selecting the device group and click the Modify or Delete buttons.
The Traffic Group tab provides information on the following items:
The Traffic Group Device Stats report provides information on the following items:
An account with the F5 BIG-IP server.
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . | ||||||||||||||||||
Step 2 | Choose a pod in which one of the Managed Network Elements is the F5 BIG-IP device you want to use, then click that network. | ||||||||||||||||||
Step 3 | Click the Traffic Group tab, then click Create. | ||||||||||||||||||
Step 4 | In the
Create
Traffic Group dialog box, complete the following fields:
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Step 5 | Click Submit. |
You can modify a traffic group or delete a traffic group by selecting the traffic group and click the Modify or Delete buttons.
Cisco UCS Director lets you force a traffic group to a standby state. By forcing the traffic group into a standby state, the traffic group becomes idle on the device, and becomes active on another device in the device group.
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . |
Step 2 | Choose a pod in which one of the Managed Network Elements is the F5 BIG-IP device you want to use, then click that network. |
Step 3 | Click the Traffic Group tab. |
Step 4 | Choose the traffic group that you want to force into a standby state and click Force Standby. |
Step 5 | In the Force Traffic Group To Standby dialog box, click Submit. |
The Device Info tab provides information on the following items:
The HA Group tab provides information on the following items: