Manual Chapter : Configuring GTM on a Network with One Route Domain

Applies To:

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BIG-IP GTM

  • 11.6.5, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1
Manual Chapter

Configuring GTM on a Network with One Route Domain

Overview: How do I deploy BIG-IP GTM on a network with one route domain?

You can deploy BIG-IP® Global Traffic Manager™ (GTM™) on a network where BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager™ (LTM®) is configured with one route domain and no overlapping IP addresses.

CAUTION:
For BIG-IP systems that include both LTM and GTM, you can configure route domains on internal interfaces only. F5 Networks does not support the configuration of route domains on a standalone BIG-IP GTM.
BIG-IP GTM deployed on a network in front of a BIG-IP LTM configured with a route       domain

BIG-IP GTM deployed on a network in front of a BIG-IP LTM configured with a route domain

Task summary

Perform these tasks to configure a route domain, and then to configure GTM to be able to monitor the LTM systems.

Creating VLANs for a route domain on BIG-IP LTM

You need to create two VLANs on BIG-IP® LTM® through which traffic can pass to a route domain.
  1. On the Main tab, click Network > VLANs .
    The VLAN List screen opens.
  2. Click Create.
    The New VLAN screen opens.
  3. In the Name field, type external.
  4. In the Tag field, type a numeric tag, from 1-4094, for the VLAN, or leave the field blank if you want the BIG-IP system to automatically assign a VLAN tag.
    The VLAN tag identifies the traffic from hosts in the associated VLAN.
  5. For the Interfaces setting:
    1. From the Interface list, select an interface number.
    2. From the Tagging list, select Tagged or Untagged.
      Select Tagged when you want traffic for that interface to be tagged with a VLAN ID.
    3. If you specified a numeric value for the Customer Tag setting and from the Tagging list you selected Tagged, then from the Tag Mode list, select a value.
    4. Click Add.
    5. Repeat these steps for each interface that you want to assign to the VLAN.
  6. If you want the system to verify that the return route to an initial packet is the same VLAN from which the packet originated, select the Source Check check box.
  7. Click Finished.
    The screen refreshes, and displays the new VLAN in the list.
Repeat this procedure, but in Step 3, name the VLAN internal.

Creating a route domain on the BIG-IP system

Before you create a route domain:
  • Ensure that an external and an internal VLAN exist on the BIG-IP® system.
  • If you intend to assign a static bandwidth controller policy to the route domain, you must first create the policy. You can do this using the BIG-IP Configuration utility.
  • Verify that you have set the current partition on the system to the partition in which you want the route domain to reside.
You can create a route domain on BIG-IP system to segment (isolate) traffic on your network. Route domains are useful for multi-tenant configurations.
  1. On the Main tab, click Network > Route Domains .
    The Route Domain List screen opens.
  2. Click Create.
    The New Route Domain screen opens.
  3. In the Name field, type a name for the route domain.
    This name must be unique within the administrative partition in which the route domain resides.
  4. In the ID field, type an ID number for the route domain.
    This ID must be unique on the BIG-IP system; that is, no other route domain on the system can have this ID.
  5. In the Description field, type a description of the route domain.
    For example: This route domain applies to traffic for application MyApp.
  6. For the Strict Isolation setting, select the Enabled check box to restrict traffic in this route domain from crossing into another route domain.
  7. For the Parent Name setting, retain the default value.
  8. For the VLANs setting, from the Available list, select a VLAN name and move it to the Members list.
    Select the VLAN that processes the application traffic relevant to this route domain.
    Configuring this setting ensures that the BIG-IP system immediately associates any self IP addresses pertaining to the selected VLANs with this route domain.
  9. For the Dynamic Routing Protocols setting, from the Available list, select one or more protocol names and move them to the Enabled list.
    You can enable any number of listed protocols for this route domain.
  10. From the Bandwidth Controller list, select a static bandwidth control policy to enforce a throughput limit on traffic for this route domain.
  11. From the Partition Default Route Domain list, select either Another route domain (0) is the Partition Default Route Domain or Make this route domain the Partition Default Route Domain.
    This setting does not appear if the current administrative partition is partition Common.
    When you configure this setting, either route domain 0 or this route domain becomes the default route domain for the current administrative partition.
  12. Click Finished.
    The system displays a list of route domains on the BIG-IP system.
You now have another route domain on the BIG-IP system.

Creating a self IP address for a route domain on BIG-IP LTM

Ensure that external and internal VLANs exist on BIG-IP® LTM®, before you begin creating a self IP address for a route domain.
Create a self IP address on LTM that resides in the address space of the route domain.
  1. On the Main tab, click Network > Self IPs .
  2. Click Create.
    The New Self IP screen opens.
  3. In the Name field, type a unique name for the self IP address.
  4. In the IP Address field, type an IP address.
    This IP address must represent a self IP address in a route domain. Use the format x.x.x.x%n, where n is the route domain ID, for example, 10.1.1.1%1.
    The system accepts IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
  5. In the Netmask field, type the full network mask for the specified IP address.

    For example, you can type ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:0000:0000:0000:0000 or ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff::.

  6. From the VLAN/Tunnel list, select external.
  7. From the Port Lockdown list, select Allow Default.
  8. Click Finished.
    The screen refreshes, and displays the new self IP address.
Repeat all steps, but in Step 6 (from the VLAN/Tunnel list) select VLAN internal.

Defining a server for a route domain on BIG-IP GTM

Ensure that at least one data center exists in the configuration.
On a BIG-IP® GTM™ system, define a server that represents the route domain.
  1. On the Main tab, click DNS > GSLB > Servers .
    The Server List screen opens.
  2. Click Create.
    The New Server screen opens.
  3. In the Name field, type a name for the server.
    Important: Server names are limited to 63 characters.
  4. From the Product list, select either BIG-IP System (Single) or BIG-IP System (Redundant).
    The server type determines the metrics that the system can collect from the server.
  5. In the Address List area, add the self IP address that you assigned to the VLAN that you assigned to the route domain.
    Important: Do not include the route domain ID in this IP address. Use the format x.x.x.x, for example, 10.10.10.1.
  6. From the Data Center list, select the data center where the server resides.
  7. In the Health Monitors area, assign the bigip monitor to the server by moving it from the Available list to the Selected list.
  8. From the Virtual Server Discovery list, select how you want virtual servers to be added to the system.
    Virtual server discovery is supported when you have only one route domain.
    Option Description
    Disabled Use this option when you plan to manually add virtual servers to the system, or if your network uses multiple route domains. This is the default value.
    Enabled The system automatically adds virtual servers using the discovery feature.
    Enabled (No Delete) The system uses the discovery feature and does not delete any virtual servers that already exist.
  9. Click Create.
    The Server List screen opens displaying the new server in the list.

Implementation result

You now have an implementation in which BIG-IP® GTM™ can monitor virtual servers on BIG-IP LTM® systems configured with one route domain.