Manual Chapter : BIG-IP Installation guide v3.3: Setting up the Hardware

Applies To:

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BIG-IP versions 1.x - 4.x

  • 3.3.1 PTF-06, 3.3.1 PTF-05, 3.3.1 PTF-04, 3.3.1 PTF-03, 3.3.1 PTF-02, 3.3.1 PTF-01, 3.3.1, 3.3.0
Manual Chapter


2

Setting up the Hardware



Unpacking and installing the hardware

There are four basic tasks you must complete to get the BIG-IP Controller installed and set up.

  • Review the hardware requirements
  • Familiarize yourself with the BIG-IP Controller hardware
  • Review the environmental requirements
  • Connect the peripheral hardware and connect the BIG-IP Controller to the network

Reviewing the hardware requirements

The BIG-IP Controller comes with the hardware that you need for installation and maintenance. However, you must provide standard peripheral hardware, such as a keyboard or serial terminal.

Hardware provided with the BIG-IP Controller

When you unpack the BIG-IP Controller, you should make sure that the following components are included:

  • One power cable
  • One PC/AT-to-PS/2 keyboard adapter
  • Four rack-mounting screws
  • Two keys for the front panel lock
  • One extra fan filter
  • One BIG-IP documentation kit
    The BIG-IP documentation kit contains the following items:
    • The BIG-IP Controller Installation Guide
    • The BIG-IP Controller Administrator Guide
    • The BIG-IP Controller Reference Guide
    • Additionally, if you purchase the global release of the BIG-IP Controller that supports encryption, you receive the F-Secure SSH Client manual, published by Data Fellows.

      If you purchased a hardware-based redundant system, you also received one fail-over cable to connect the two controller units together (network-based redundant systems do not require a fail-over cable).

Peripheral hardware that you provide

For each BIG-IP Controller in the system, you need to provide the following peripheral hardware:

  • You need standard input/output hardware for direct administrative access to the BIG-IP Controller. Either of the following options is acceptable:
  • You also need network hubs, switches, or concentrators to connect to the BIG-IP Controller network interfaces. The devices you select must be compatible with the network interface cards installed in the BIG-IP Controller. The devices can support 10/100 Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, or FDDI/CDDI (including multiple FDDI and full duplex).
    • For Ethernet, you need either a 10Mb/sec or 100 Mb/sec hub or switch
    • For FDDI/CDDI, a concentrator or a switch is optional

      If you plan on doing remote administration from your own PC workstation as most users do, we recommend that you have your workstation already in place. Keep in mind that the First-Time Boot utility prompts you to enter your workstation's IP address when you set up remote administrative access.

Familiarizing yourself with the BIG-IP Controller hardware

The BIG-IP Controller is offered in 4U and 2U hardware configurations. Before you begin to install the BIG-IP Controller, you may want to quickly review the following figures that illustrate the controls and ports on both the front and the back of a 4U BIG-IP Controller and a 2U BIG-IP Controller.

Using the BIG-IP Controller 4U hardware configuration

This section describes the front and back layout of a 4U BIG-IP Controller. If you have a special hardware configuration, such as those that include more than two interface cards, the ports on the back of your unit will differ slightly from those shown below.

Note: The ports on the back of every BIG-IP Controller are individually labeled.

Figure 2.1 Front view of a 4U BIG-IP Controller
1. Fan filter 2. Keyboard lock 3. Reset button 4. Keyboard lock LED 5. Hard disk drive LED 6. Power LED 7. On/off button 8. 3.5 floppy disk drive 9. CD-ROM drive

Figure 2.1 illustrates the front of a 4U BIG-IP Controller with the access panel open. On the front of the unit, you can turn the unit off and on, or you can reset the unit. You can also view the indicator lights for hard disk access and for the keyboard lock.

Figure 2.2, the following figure, illustrates the back of a 4U BIG-IP Controller. Note that all ports are labeled, even those which are not intended to be used with the BIG-IP Controller. Ports marked with an asterisk (*) in the list following are not used by the BIG-IP Controller, and do not need to be connected to any peripheral hardware.

Figure 2.2 Back view of a 4U BIG-IP Controller
1. Fan 2. Power in 3. Voltage selector 4. Mouse port* 5. Keyboard port 6. Universal serial bus ports* 7. Serial terminal port 8. Printer port* 9. Fail-over port 10. Video (VGA) port 11. Internal interface (RJ-45) 12. External interface (RJ-45) 13. Interface indicator LEDs 14. Watchdog card*

*Not to be connected to any peripheral hardware.

Using the BIG-IP Controller 2U hardware configuration

This section describes the front and back layout of a 2U BIG-IP Controller. If you have a special hardware configuration, such as those that include more than two interface cards, the ports on the back of your unit will differ slightly from those shown below.

Note: The ports on the back of every BIG-IP Controller are individually labeled, so it should be clear what each port is, no matter which hardware configuration you have purchased.

Figure 2.3 Front view of a 2U BIG-IP Controller
1. Fan filter 2. Keyboard lock 3. Reset button 4. Keyboard lock LED 5. Hard disk drive LED 6. Power LED 7. On/off button 8. Flash or PC card 9. CD-ROM drive

Figure 2.3 illustrates the front of a 2U BIG-IP Controller with the access panel open. On the front of the unit, you can turn the unit off and on, or you can reset the unit. You can also view the indicator lights for hard disk access and for the keyboard lock.

Figure 2.4, the following figure, illustrates the back of a 2U BIG-IP Controller. Note that all ports are labeled, even those which are not intended to be used with the BIG-IP Controller. Ports marked with an asterisk (*) in the list following are not used by the BIG-IP Controller, and do not need to be connected to any peripheral hardware.

Figure 2.4 Back view of a 2U BIG-IP Controller
1. Fan 2. Power cable plug 3. Not used 4. Mouse port* 5. Keyboard port 6. Universal serial bus ports* 7. Serial terminal port 8. Printer port* 9. Fail-over port 10. Video (VGA) port 11. Internal interface (RJ-45) 12. External interface (RJ-45)

*Not to be connected to any peripheral hardware.

Environmental requirements

General guidelines

A BIG-IP Controller is an industrial network appliance, designed to be mounted in a standard 19-inch rack. To ensure safe installation and operation of the unit:

  • Install the rack according to the manufacturer's instructions, and check the rack for stability before placing equipment in it.
  • Build and position the rack so that once you install the BIG-IP Controller, the power supply and the vents on both the front and back of the unit remain unobstructed. The BIG-IP Controller must have adequate ventilation around the unit at all times.
  • Do not allow the air temperature in the room to exceed 40° C.
  • Do not plug the unit into a branch circuit shared by more electronic equipment than the circuit is designed to manage safely at one time.
  • Verify that the voltage selector is set appropriately before connecting the power cable to the unit.

Guidelines for DC powered equipment

A DC powered installation must meet the following requirements:

  • Install the unit using a 20 Amp external branch circuit protection device.
  • For permanently connected equipment, incorporate a readily accessible disconnect in the fixed wiring.
  • Use only copper conductors.

Installing and connecting the hardware

There are six basic steps to installing the hardware. You simply need to install the controller in the rack, connect the peripheral hardware and the external and internal interfaces, and then connect the fail-over and power cables. If you have a unit with three or more network interface cards (NICs), be sure to review step 3.

Warning: Do not turn on a BIG-IP Controller until all peripheral hardware is connected to the unit.

To install the hardware

  1. Insert the BIG-IP Controller in the rack and secure it using the four rack-mounting screws that are provided.
  2. Connect the hardware that you have chosen to use for input/output:

    · If you are using a VGA monitor and keyboard, connect the monitor connector cable to the video port (number 10 in Figure 2.2 for 4U, or in Figure 2.4 for 2U) and the keyboard connector cable to the keyboard port (number 5 in Figure 2.2 for 4U, or in Figure 2.4 for 2U). Note that a PC/AT-to-PS/2 keyboard adapter is included with each BIG-IP Controller (see the component list on page 2-1).

    · Optionally, if you are using a serial terminal as the console, connect the serial cable to the terminal serial port (number 7 in Figure 2.2 for 4U, or in Figure 2.4 for 2U). Also, you should not connect a keyboard to the BIG-IP Controller. If there is no keyboard connected to the BIG-IP Controller when it is started or rebooted, the BIG-IP Controller defaults to using the serial port as the console.

  3. Connect the external interface (number 12 in Figure 2.2 for 4U, or in Figure 2.4 for 2U) to the network from which the BIG-IP Controller receives connection requests.

    · If you have purchased a unit with three or more network interface cards (NICs), be sure to note or write down how you connect the cables to the internal and external interfaces. When you run the First-Time Boot utility, it automatically detects the number of interfaces that are installed and prompts you to configure more external interfaces, if you want. It is important to select the correct external interface based on the way you have connected the cables to the back of the unit.

  4. Connect the internal interface (number 11 in Figure 2.2 for 4U, or in Figure 2.4 for 2U) to the network that houses the array of servers, routers, or firewalls that the BIG-IP Controller load balances.
  5. If you have a hardware-based redundant system, connect the fail-over cable to the terminal serial port on each unit (number 7 in Figure 2.2 for 4U, or number 7 in Figure 2.4 for 2U).
  6. Connect the power cable to the BIG-IP Controller (number 2 in Figure 2.2 for 4U, or Figure 2.4 for 2U), and then connect it to the power source.

Warning: Before connecting the power cable to a power supply, customers outside the United States should make sure that the voltage selector is set appropriately. This check is necessary only if the controller has an external voltage selector.