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BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)
Fundamentals
Module 2: Processing Traffic
Approximate Length: 20 minutes
Based on BIG-IP TMOS version 11.4
For F5 internal and partner use only.
2
•Lesson 1: Nodes, Pools, and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 2: How BIG-IP LTM Processes Traffic
•Lesson 3: Configuring Pools and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 4: Network Map, Statistics, and Logging
© F5 Networks, Inc.
3
Nodes
BIG-IP LTM uses several
objects for managing traffic
Physical or logical server
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
Represented by an IP address
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Pool Members
Represented by an
IP address and a port
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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Pools
A pool is configured with a
load balancing method
Round Robin Ratio (Member)
Load Balancing Load Balancing
A node can be a member of multiple pools
Group of pool members that
represents an application
HTTP: 8080
HTTPS: 443
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080
172.20.10.3:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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Virtual Servers
Represented by an
IP address and a port
Listener
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
HTTPS: 443
BIG-IP LTM is a
default deny device
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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•Lesson 1: Nodes, Pools, and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 2: How BIG-IP LTM Processes Traffic
•Lesson 3: Configuring Pools and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 4: Network Map, Statistics, and Logging
© F5 Networks, Inc.
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How LTM Processes Client Requests – Request Packet #1
18.200.150.10 http://www.f5.com
Module: Pools and Load Balancing
DNS response:
Request packet
www.f5.com – 10.2.2.100
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
Destination IP: 10.2.2.100:80
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
Request packet
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
Member: 172.20.10.1:80
Destination IP: 172.20.10.1:80
BIG-IP LTM modifies the packet
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080 172.20.10.4:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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How LTM Processes Client Requests – Request Packet #2
18.200.150.10
Request packet #2
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
Destination IP: 10.2.2.100:80
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
Request packet #2
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
Member: 172.20.10.2:80
Destination IP: 172.20.10.2:80
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080 172.20.10.4:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
© F5 Networks, Inc.
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Pool Member Availability
18.200.150.10
Module: Using Monitors
SNMP traps can send alerts
Request packet #3
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
about offline pool members
Destination IP: 10.2.2.100:80
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
Request packet #3
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
Member: 172.20.10.4:80
Destination IP: 172.20.10.4:80
What if a pool member
is unavailable?
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080 172.20.10.4:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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Port Translation
18.200.150.10
Request packet
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
Destination IP: 10.2.2.100:80
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
Request packet
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
Member: 172.20.10.3:8080
Destination IP: 172.20.10.3:8080
BIG-IP LTM translates both the
destination IP address and port
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080 172.20.10.4:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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How LTM Processes Server Responses
18.200.150.10
BIG-IP LTM modifies the packet
Request packet
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003 Response packet
Destination IP: 10.2.2.100:80 Source IP: 10.2.2.100:80
Destination IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
Response packet
Source IP: 172.20.10.1:80
Destination IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080 172.20.10.4:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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Asymmetric Routing Problem
18.200.150.10
If BIG-IP LTM changes an IP address,
the response must return through BIG-IP LTM
Request packet Response packet
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003 Source IP: 172.20.10.1:80
Destination IP: 10.2.2.100:80 Destination IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
Request packet
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003 172.20.10.240
172.20.10.241
Destination IP: 172.20.10.1:80
Solution #1: Response packet
Configure the default gateway or Source IP: 172.20.10.1:80
static routing on every pool member Destination IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
DG: 172.20.10.241
Solution #2:
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2
Use 172.20.10.3
Secure Network Address 172.20.10.4
Translation (SNAT)
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080 172.20.10.4:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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Modify the Pool Member’s Default Gateway
18.200.150.10
Request packet Response packet
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003 Source IP: 10.2.2.100:80
Destination IP: 10.2.2.100:80 Destination IP: 18.200.150.10:4003
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
172.20.10.240
172.20.10.241
DG: 172.20.10.240
172.20.10.241
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080 172.20.10.4:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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Using SNAT
18.200.150.10
Use SNAT when modifying the
Module: NATs and SNATs pool members is not an option
Request packet Response packet
Source IP: 18.200.150.10:4003 Source IP: 10.2.2.100:80
Destination IP: 10.2.2.100:80 Destination IP: 172.20.10.240:80
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
Request packet
Source IP: 172.20.10.240:80 Self IP: 172.20.10.240
172.20.10.241
Destination IP: 172.20.10.2:80 Member: 172.20.10.2:80
Broadcast for 172.20.10.240
Response packet
Source IP: 172.20.10.2:80
Destination IP: 172.20.10.240:80
DG: 172.20.10.241
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080 172.20.10.4:80
172.20.10.2:443 172.20.10.3:443 172.20.10.4:443
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TMOS – A Full TCP Proxy Architecture
18.200.150.10
10.2.2.100:80 10.2.2.100:443
TMOS:
Traffic Management Operating System
172.20.10.1 172.20.10.2 172.20.10.3 172.20.10.4
172.20.10.1:80 172.20.10.2:80 172.20.10.3:8080 172.20.10.4:80
© F5 Networks, Inc.
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•Lesson 1: Nodes, Pools, and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 2: How BIG-IP LTM Processes Traffic
•Lesson 3: Configuring Pools and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 4: Network Map, Statistics, and Logging
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Creating a New Pool
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Configuring a Pool
If you leave Node Name blank,
the IP address is used as the node name
Node Name: http_server_1
Address: 10.128.20.201
Service Port: 80
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Creating a New Virtual Server
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Configuring a Virtual Server
General Properties section
Using SNAT to solve the issue of
Configuration section asymmetric routing (slide #17)
Resources section
Content Rewrite section You can create a new pool while
Acceleration section creating a new virtual server
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•Lesson 1: Nodes, Pools, and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 2: How BIG-IP LTM Processes Traffic
•Lesson 3: Configuring Pools and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 4: Network Map, Statistics, and Logging
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Using the Network Map
View the BIG-IP system configuration
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Statistics
Know how much traffic
BIG-IP LTM is processing
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Logging
Module: Using Monitors
Use log files to help with debugging
Use SNMP traps or a centralized syslog
server for automatic notifications
Audits BIG-IP system objects
and user account activity
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Module Review
•Lesson 1: Nodes, Pools, and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 2: How LTM Processes Traffic
•Lesson 3: Configuring Pools and Virtual Servers
•Lesson 4: Network Map, Statistics, and Logging
© F5 Networks, Inc.
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Hands-On Exercise 2.1 – 2.2
• Create a pool of HTTP Web
servers
• Create a virtual server that
uses the new pool
• Test the virtual server and
view statistics
• Modify the SNAT settings
• View logging and the
Network Map
© F5 Networks, Inc.
F5 Worldwide Field Enablement
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