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Lab 1: The Basics (Networking, Pools and Virtual Servers)¶

In this lab we will access the Management Graphical User Interface (GUI). We will then create the VLANs, and assign self IP addresses to our VLAN. As mentioned during our lecture portion, BIG-IPs may be put in-line or one-armed depending on your customer’s requirements and topology.

Log on to the bigip01 TMUI (GUI) Interface:

UDF - Under Components, select the Access drop-down and then TMUI

Creating VLANs¶

First, you will need to log into bigip01. You will need create two untagged VLANs, one client-side VLAN (client_vlan) and one server-side VLAN (server_vlan) for the devices in your network.

From the sidebar select Network > VLANs then select Create

Under General Properties:
1. Name: client_vlan
The name is for management purposes only, you could name them after your children or pets
1. Tag: <leave blank>
  1. Entering a tag is only required for “Tagged” (802.1q) interfaces, “Untagged” interfaces will automatically get a tag which is used for internal L2 segmentation of traffic.
Under Resources in the Interfaces section:
1. Interface: 1.1
2. Tagging: Untagged
3. Select the Add button. Leave all other items at the default setting.

When you have completed your VLAN configuration, hit the

Finished button

Important

Now create another untagged VLAN named server_vlan on interface 1.2.

Assigning a Self IP addresses to your VLANs¶

Go to Network > Self IPs, select Create.

Create a new self IP, for the server_vlan and client_vlan VLANs. In Network >> Self IPs >> New Self IP, under Configuration enter:

Option	Server-side	Client-side
Name	server_ip	client_ip
IP Address	10.1.20.245	10.1.10.245
Netmask	255.255.255.0	255.255.255.0
VLAN	server_vlan	client_vlan
Port Lockdown	Allow None	Allow None

Caution

A common mistake is to forgot to change the VLAN/Tunnel selection to the appropriate VLAN. Make sure your self IPs are in the appropriate VLAN.

The default Port Lockdown setting of Allow None means the Self IP only responds to ICMP requests.
The Allow Defaults selection opens the following on the self IP of the VLAN.
- TCP: ssh, domain, snmp, https
- TCP: 4353, 6699 (for F5 protocols, such as HA and iQuery)
- UDP: 520, cap, domain, f5-iquery, snmp
- PROTOCOL: ospf

When you have completed your selfIP configuration, hit the Finished button. You should have something similar to the following:

Assigning the Default Gateway¶

Go to Network > Routes and then Add.
1. Here is where we assign our default gateway (and other static routes as desired)

Under Properties
1. Name: def_gw
2. Destination: 0.0.0.0
3. Netmask: 0.0.0.0
4. Resource: Use Gateway…
5. Gateway Address: 10.1.10.1
6. When you have completed defining your default gateway, hit the Finished button

Verify your network configuration
1. Use SSH or WebShell (UDF Only) to access your BIG-IP.
  1. Ping your default gateway, 10.1.10.1
  2. Ping a web server at 10.1.20.11.

Creating Pools¶

In this lab we will build a pool and virtual server to support our web site and verify our configurations by accessing our web servers through the BIG-IP. Verification will be performed visually and through various statistical interfaces.

From the sidebar select Local Traffic >> Pools then select Create. Here we will create our new pool

Under Configuration:
1. Name: www_pool
  - The name is for management purposes only, no spaces can be used
2. Description: <optional>
3. Health Monitor: http
Under Resources
1. Load Balancing Method: <leave at the default Round Robin>
2. Priority Group Activation: <leave at default>
3. New Members:

Address	Service Port
10.1.20.11	80
10.1.20.12	80
10.1.20.13	80

As you enter each IP address and port combination hit Add button

When you have complete your pool configuration, hit the Finished button

Creating Virtual Servers¶

Now let’s build our virtual server

Under Local Traffic select Virtual Servers then select Create.

$C:\Users\RASMUS~1\AppData\Local\Temp\SNAGHTML5118b969.PNG$

Under General Properties
1. Name: www_vs
2. Description: <optional>
3. Type: Standard
4. Source/Address: <leave blank>
  
  Note
  
  The default is 0.0.0.0/0, all source IP address are allowed
5. Destination Address/Mask: 10.1.10.100
  
  Note
  
  The default mask is /32
6. Service Port: 80 or HTTP
Under Configurations
1. The web servers do not use the BIG-IP LTM as the default gateway. This means return traffic will route around the BIG-IP LTM and the TCP handshake will fail. To prevent this we can configure SNAT Automap on the Virtual Server. This will translate the client IP to the self IP of the egress VLAN and ensure the response returns to the BIG-IP.
2. Source Address Translation: Auto Map

$C:\Users\RASMUS~1\AppData\Local\Temp\SNAGHTML58387b2.PNG$

Under Resources
1. iRules: none
2. Policies: none
3. Default Pool: From the drop down menu, select the pool (www_pool) which you created earlier
4. Default Persistence Profile: None
5. Fallback Persistence Profile: None
When you have complete your pool configuration, hit the Finished button
You have now created a Virtual Server

Note

Items in the GUI that are blue are links ie. shortcuts

Now let’s see if our virtual server works!
- UDF - from the ubu-jumpbox go to http://10.1.10.100
1. Open the browser to the Virtual Server you just created
2. Refresh the browser screen several times (use “<ctrl>” F5)

Go to your BIG-IP and view the statistics for the www_vs virtual server and the www_pool pool and its associated members
Go to Statistics > Module Statistics > Local Traffic
1. Choose Virtual Servers from drop down

Go to Local Traffic>Virtual Servers>Statistics
Go to Local Traffic>Pools>Statistics
1. Did each pool member receive the same number of connections?
2. Did each pool member receive approximately the same number of bytes?
3. Note the Source and Destination address when you go to directly and through the virtual server

Let’s archive our configuration in case we have to fall back later.
1. Go to System >> Archives and select Create.
  1. Name your archive lab2_the_basics_net_pool_vs

ExtraCredit!¶

You can also review statistics via the CLI, simply SSH to the management IP of your BIG-IP. Refer to your Student Information page and Network Diagram for the IP address.

Check out the Linux CLI and TMSH
1. Review the information of the following command:
  1. bigtop –n
    Type q to quit.
2. Take a look at the TMOS CLI, type “tmsh” to enter the Traffic Management Shell
  1. (tmos)# show ltm pool
  2. (tmos)# show ltm pool detail
    1. show statistics from all pools
  3. (tmos)# show ltm virtual
  4. (tmos)# show ltm virtual detail
    1. Show statistics of all virtual servers
Check out the Dashboard!
1. Go to Statistics>Dashboard

$C:\Users\RASMUS~1\AppData\Local\Temp\SNAGHTML59e5bf2.PNG$

Click the Big Red F5 ball. This will take you to the Welcome page. Here you can find links to:
1. User Documentation, Running the Setup Utility, Support, Plug-ins, SNMP MIBs

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