Manual : BIG-IP Controller Reference Guide, version 4.0

Applies To:

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BIG-IP versions 1.x - 4.x

  • 4.0 PTF-04, 4.0 PTF-03, 4.0 PTF-02, 4.0 PTF-01, 4.0.0
Manual
Original Publication Date: 09/27/2007



Introduction

Getting started

Choosing a configuration tool

Using the Administrator Kit

Stylistic conventions
Finding additional help and technical support resources

What's new in version 4.0

3-DNS on the BIG-IP Controller
OneConnectTM content switching with HTTP Keep-Alives
Bridging and Layer 2 forwarding
HTTP Redirect pool property
Load balance any IP protocol
Link aggregation and fail-over
On-the-fly content converter
SNAT automap feature
Health monitors
Performance monitors
Default controller configuration
Web-based Configuration utility enhancements

Learning more about the BIG-IP Controller product family

Configuring the BIG-IP Controller

Introduction

Pools

Load Balancing

Understanding individual load balancing modes
Setting the load balancing method for a pool
Setting ratio weights and priority levels for node addresses
Configuring servers and the BIG-IP Controller for Dynamic
Ratio load balancing

Setting up persistence for a pool

Basic types of persistence
Advanced types of Persistence
Setting up SSL persistence
Setting up simple persistence
Using HTTP cookie persistence
Using destination address affinity (sticky persistence)
Using a simple timeout and a persist mask on a pool
Maintaining persistence across virtual servers that use the
same virtual addresses
Maintaining persistence across all virtual servers
HTTP redirect (specifying a fallback host)

Rules

Pool selection based on HTTP request data
Pool selection based on IP packet header information

Rule statements

Questions (expressions)
Constant operands
Variable operands (variables)
HTTP request string variables
Configuring rules
Configuring virtual servers that reference rules

Cache statement syntax

Configuring a remote origin server

Additional rule examples

Cookie rule
Language rule
Cache rule
AOL rule
IP protocol specific rule

Virtual servers

Using standard or wildcard virtual servers

Defining virtual servers
Defining wildcard virtual servers

Configuring a network virtual server

Mirroring virtual server state

Additional virtual server options

Using additional BIG-IP Controller features with virtual servers

Proxies

Creating a content converter gateway from the command line
Disabling VLANs for a gateway

Nodes

Services

Address translation & forwarding

NATs

Defining a network address translation (NAT)
Additional restrictions

SNATs

Setting SNAT global properties
Configuring SNAT address mappings
Enabling or disabling SNAT automap

Forwarding

Forwarding virtual servers
IP forwarding

VLANs, self IPs, interfaces & trunks

VLANs

Default VLAN mapping with grouping
Creating, renaming, and deleting VLANs
VLAN group
Tagging VLANs
Setting up security for VLANs
Setting fail-safe timeouts for VLANs
Setting the MAC masquerade address

Self IP address

Enabling or disabling SNAT automap

Interface

Interface naming convention
Displaying status for interfaces
Setting the media type
Setting the duplex mode

Trunks

Health monitors

Selecting the monitor template

Working with templates for simple monitors
Working with templates for ECV monitors
Working with templates for EAV monitors

Configuring a monitor

Entering string values
Setting destinations
Using send, receive, url, and get statements
Using transparent and reverse modes
Testing SQL service checks
Running user-added EAVs
Showing, disabling, and deleting monitors

Associating the monitor with a node or nodes

Reviewing types of association
Showing and deleting associations

Redundant systems

Synchronizing configurations between controllers

Configuring fail-safe settings

Arming fail-safe on a VLAN

Mirroring connection and persistence information

Commands for mirroring
Mirroring virtual server state
Mirroring SNAT connections

Using gateway fail-safe

Adding a gateway fail-safe check

Using network-based fail-over

Setting a specific BIG-IP Controller to be the preferred active unit

Setting up active-active redundant controllers

Configuring an active-active system
Understanding active-active system fail-over
Introducing additional active-active BIG/db configuration
parameters
Reviewing specific active-active bigpipe commands
Returning an active-active installation to active/standby mode

Filters

IP filters

Configuring IP filters

Rate filters and rate classes

Configuring rate filters and rate classes

bigpipe Command Reference

bigpipe commands

-?

config

Synchronizing configuration files
Saving configuration files to an archive
Installing an archived configuration file

conn

failover

global

-h and -help

interface

Setting the media type
Setting the duplex mode

load

maint

makecookie

merge

monitor

Showing, disabling, and deleting monitors
Monitor templates
Send, receive and get statements
Transparent and reverse modes
Testing SQL service checks
Running user-added EAVs
Node and port aliasing
Using wildcards to specify node addresses and ports

-n

nat

Defining a NAT
Disabling VLANs for a NAT
Viewing a controller's unit ID number
Disabling ARP requests

node

Marking nodes and node ports up and down
Setting connection limits for nodes and node addresses
Displaying status of all nodes
Associating a health monitor with a node

pool

Creating a pool
Activating HTTP cookie persistence
Activating sticky persistence
Activating SSL persistence
Specifying priority based member activation
Specifying a fallback host for HTTP redirect

proxy

Creating an SSL gateway
Configuring a content converter
Disabling ARP requests
Enabling, disabling, or deleting a gateway
Disabling VLANs for a gateway
Displaying gateway configuration information
Adding a last hop pool to a gateway from the command line

ratio

Setting ratio weight for one or more node addresses

reset

rule

Creating rules
Associating a rule with virtual server
Rule elements

save

self

Self IP addresses and SNAT auto-mapping

service

Setting connection limits on services
Displaying service settings
Configuring TCP services
Configuring UDP services

snat

Defining the default SNAT
Creating individual SNAT addresses
Creating a network SNAT address
SNAT auto-mapping
Deleting SNAT Addresses
Disabling VLANs for a SNAT
Showing SNAT mappings
Limiting connections
Enabling mirroring for redundant systems
Setting idle connection timeouts
Disabling ARP requests
Clearing statistics

summary

trunk

Creating a trunk

unit

verbose

verify

version

virtual

Defining a virtual server
Displaying information about virtual servers
Disabling VLANs for a virtual server
Disabling ARP requests
Setting a user-defined netmask and broadcast for a network
virtual server
Setting a connection limit
Setting translation properties for virtual addresses and ports
Setting up last hop pools for virtual servers
Mirroring virtual server state
Enabling and disabling a virtual server
Enabling and disabling a virtual address
Displaying information about virtual addresses
Deleting a virtual server
Turning software acceleration off for virtual servers using IPFW
rate filters
Enabling and disabling Any IP

vlan

Creating and assigning a VLAN
Tagged VLANs
Enabling and disabling port lockdown
Setting the fail-over timeout and arming the fail-safe
Enabling and disabling SNAT auto-mapping
Setting the MAC masquerade address

vlangroup

BIG-IP Controller Base Configuration Tools

Introducing the BIG-IP Controller base configuration tools

config

Selecting a keyboard
Product selection
Defining a root password
Defining a host name
Configuring a default route
Setting up a redundant system
Configuring interfaces
Defining VLANs and IP addresses
Assigning interfaces to VLANs
Selecting the primary IP address
Configuring settings for remote web access
Configuring a time zone
Configuring the DNS forwarding proxy settings
Configuring remote command line access
NTP support
NameSurfer

config combo

config dns

config ftpd

config httpd

config password

config redundant

config remote

config rshd

config sshd

config telnetd

config timezone

BIG/db Configuration Keys

Supported BIG/db configuration keys

Displaying current setting of a BIG/db configuration key
Setting a BIG/db configuration key
Unsetting a BIG/db configuration key
Failover and Cluster keys
StateMirror keys
Using Gateway Pinger keys
Bigd keys
Other keys

Configuration Files

Glossary