Manual Chapter :
Performing Basic ASM Configuration
Tasks
Applies To:
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BIG-IP ASM
- 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.8, 15.1.7, 15.1.6, 15.1.5, 15.1.4, 15.1.3, 15.1.2, 15.1.1, 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.5, 14.1.4, 14.1.3, 14.1.2, 14.1.0
Performing Basic ASM Configuration
Tasks
About basic networking
configuration terms
This list summarizes some basic networking configuration terms that you
should know before you start configuring the BIG-IP
system and using Application Security Manager (ASM).
- local traffic policy
- The way to direct traffic using rules with conditions the traffic must meet, and specifying actions to take (such as where to route the traffic, what security policies or DoS profiles to assign to traffic, and many other actions). ASM™ automatically creates a local traffic policy when you create a security policy or attach a security policy to a virtual server (manually).
- pool
- The web server or application server resources that host the web application being protected with a security policy. You can create a local traffic pool, and then assign the pool to a virtual server. On Application Security Manager systems, you can add HTTP pool members to the virtual server as part of creating a security policy.
- self IP address
- An IP address that you associate with a VLAN, to access hosts in that VLAN. You create a self IP address and associate it with a VLAN.
- virtual server
- The virtual server processes incoming traffic for the web application you are securing. When you create a virtual server manually, you assign the local traffic policy and pool to it. On ASM systems, you can create a virtual server as part of creating a security policy.
- VLAN (virtual local area network)
- A logical grouping of network devices. You create a VLAN and associate the physical interfaces on the BIG-IP system with the VLAN. The VLAN can logically group devices on different network segments.
Overview: Performing basic networking configuration tasks
For initial installation, the BIG-IP hardware includes a hardware
setup guide for your platform that you can refer to for details about how to install the
hardware in a rack, connect the cables, and run the setup utility. Next, you must
configure the BIG-IP system on your network before you can use Application Security Manager™ (ASM) to create a security policy. The specific
tasks you need to perform depend on your company's networking configuration, and which
of the other BIG-IP system features are in use.
For using ASM™, the minimum networking configuration tasks that you need
to perform are creating a VLAN and a self-IP address for the system. During the process
of creating a security policy, the system helps you complete other necessary
configuration tasks, such as creating a virtual server and pool. The tasks are included
here in case you want to create them first. For complex networking configurations that
also use other BIG-IP features, you need to perform additional tasks described in the
respective documentation.
Creating a VLAN
VLANs
represent a logical collection of hosts that
can share network resources, regardless of their physical location on the network. You
create a VLAN to associate physical interfaces with that VLAN.- On the Main tab, click.The VLAN List screen opens.
- ClickCreate.The New VLAN screen opens.
- In theNamefield, type a unique name for the VLAN.
- In theTagfield, type a numeric tag, between 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.
- If you want to use Q-in-Q (double) tagging, use theCustomer Tagsetting to perform the following two steps. If you do not see theCustomer Tagsetting, your hardware platform does not support Q-in-Q tagging and you can skip this step.
- From theCustomer Taglist, selectSpecify.
- Type a numeric tag, from 1-4094, for the VLAN.
The customer tag specifies the inner tag of any frame passing through the VLAN. - For theInterfacessetting,
- From theInterfacelist, select an interface number.
- From theTagginglist, selectUntagged.
- ClickAdd.
- For theHardware SYN Cookiesetting, select or clear the check box.When you enable this setting, the BIG-IP system triggers hardware SYN cookie protection for this VLAN.Enabling this setting causes additional settings to appear. These settings appear on specific BIG-IP platforms only.
- For theSyncache Thresholdsetting, retain the default value or change it to suit your needs.TheSyncache Thresholdvalue represents the number of outstanding SYN flood packets on the VLAN that will trigger the hardware SYN cookie protection feature.When theHardware SYN Cookiesetting is enabled, the BIG-IP system triggers SYN cookie protection in either of these cases, whichever occurs first:
- The number of TCP half-open connections defined in the LTM settingGlobal SYN Check Thresholdis reached.
- The number of SYN flood packets defined in thisSyncache Thresholdsetting is reached.
- For theSYN Flood Rate Limitsetting, retain the default value or change it to suit your needs.TheSYN Flood Rate Limitvalue represents the maximum number of SYN flood packets per second received on this VLAN before the BIG-IP system triggers hardware SYN cookie protection for the VLAN.
- ClickFinished.The screen refreshes, and it displays the new VLAN in the list.
Creating a self IP address for a VLAN
Ensure that you have at least one VLAN configured before you create a self IP address.
Self IP addresses enable the BIG-IP system, and other devices
on the network, to route application traffic through the associated VLAN.
- On the Main tab, click.
- ClickCreate.The New Self IP screen opens.
- In theNamefield, type a unique name for the self IP address.
- In theIP Addressfield, type an IPv4 or IPv6 address.This IP address should represent the address space of the VLAN that you specify with theVLAN/Tunnelsetting.
- In theNetmaskfield, type the network mask for the specified IP address.For example, you can type255.255.255.0.
- From theVLAN/Tunnellist, select the VLAN to associate with this self IP address.
- On the internal network, select the internal or high availability VLAN that is associated with an internal interface or trunk.
- On the external network, select the external VLAN that is associated with an external interface or trunk.
- Use the default values for all remaining settings.
- ClickFinished.The screen refreshes, and displays the new self IP address.
The BIG-IP system can now send and receive TCP/IP traffic through the specified VLAN.
Creating a local traffic pool for application security
You can use a local traffic pool
with Application Security Manager system to forward traffic to the
appropriate resources.
Instead of doing it now, you can optionally create a pool if creating a virtual
server during security policy creation.
- On the Main tab, click.The Pool List screen opens.
- ClickCreate.The New Pool screen opens.
- In theNamefield, type a unique name for the pool.
- In the Resources area, for theNew Memberssetting, add to the pool the application servers that host the web application:
- Type an IP address in theAddressfield.
- In theService Portfield, type a port number (for example, type80for the HTTP service), or select a service name from the list.
- ClickAdd.
- ClickFinished.
The BIG-IP system configuration now includes a local traffic pool containing the resources that you want to protect using Application Security Manager.
Creating a virtual server
You can create a virtual server on
the BIG-IP system, and this is where clients send application
requests. The
virtual server
manages the network resources for the web
application that you are securing with a security policy. You can also create a
virtual server as part of creating a security
policy.
However, creating it this way allows you to see additional options available. This
procedure describes the minimum settings
required.
- On the Main tab, click.The Virtual Server List screen opens.
- ClickCreate.The New Virtual Server screen opens.
- In theNamefield, type a unique name for the virtual server.
- In theDestination Address/Maskfield, type an address, as appropriate for your network.The supported format is address/prefix, where the prefix length is in bits. For example, an IPv4 address/prefix is10.0.0.1or10.0.0.0/24, and an IPv6 address/prefix isffe1::0020/64or2001:ed8:77b5:2:10:10:100:42/64. When you use an IPv4 address without specifying a prefix, the BIG-IP system automatically uses a/32prefix.
- In theService Portfield, type80, or selectHTTPfrom the list.
- From theConfigurationlist, selectAdvanced.
- From theHTTP Profilelist, selecthttp.If your networking configuration uses a proxy server, the specifiedhttpprofile must have theAccept XFFsetting enabled for the system to inspect XFF headers. You can locate the profile in .
- From theSource Address Translationlist, selectAuto Map.
- From theDefault Poollist, select the pool that is configured for application security.
- ClickFinished.
About additional
networking configuration
Depending on your network environment, you may need to configure the
following additional networking features on the BIG-IP
system before you start creating security policies.
- DNS
- SMTP
- NTP
- Routes
- Packet filters
- Spanning tree
- Trunks
- ARP
- Redundant systems
Several Application Security features require that the DNS server is on the
DNS lookup server list (
). For example, integrating vulnerability assessment tools, web scraping
mitigation, and external anti-virus protection usually require you to configure DNS servers on
the BIG-IP system.