Manual Chapter :
Configuring HTTP Load Balancing with Cookie Persistence
Applies To:
Show VersionsBIG-IP AAM
- 15.1.10, 15.1.9, 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
BIG-IP APM
- 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.10, 15.1.9, 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
BIG-IP Analytics
- 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.10, 15.1.9, 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
BIG-IP Link Controller
- 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.10, 15.1.9, 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
BIG-IP LTM
- 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.10, 15.1.9, 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
BIG-IP PEM
- 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.10, 15.1.9, 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
BIG-IP AFM
- 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.10, 15.1.9, 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
BIG-IP DNS
- 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.10, 15.1.9, 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
BIG-IP ASM
- 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.10, 15.1.9, 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
Configuring HTTP Load Balancing with Cookie Persistence
Overview: HTTP load balancing with cookie persistence
Many computing environments want to use a BIG-IP system to
intelligently manage their HTTP traffic. You can easily control your HTTP
traffic by implementing a BIG-IP system feature known as an HTTP profile.
An HTTP profile is a group of settings that affects the behavior of HTTP
traffic. An HTTP profile defines the way that you want the system to
manage HTTP traffic.
You can use the default HTTP profile, with all of its default values, or you
can create a custom HTTP profile. When you create a custom HTTP profile,
you not only modify the setting values, but you can enable more advanced
features such as data compression of server responses.
When you configure the BIG-IP system to manage HTTP traffic, you can
also implement cookie-based session persistence.
Cookie persistence
directs
session requests to the same server based on HTTP cookies that the BIG-IP
system stores in the client’s browser.
Task summary for creating a basic HTTP load
balancing scenario with cookie persistence
This implementation describes how to set up a basic HTTP load
balancing scenario and cookie persistence, using the default
HTTP profile.
Because this implementation configures HTTP load balancing and
session persistence using the default HTTP, you do not need to specifically configure this profile. Instead,
you simply configure some settings on the virtual server when you create it.
Creating a custom cookie persistence profile
A good way to implement cookie persistence is to create a custom cookie persistence profile.
- On the Main tab, click.The Persistence profile list screen opens.
- ClickCreate.The New Persistence Profile screen opens.
- In theNamefield, type a unique name for the profile.
- From thePersistence Typelist, selectCookie.
- From theParent Profilelist, selectcookie.
- Select theCustomcheck box.
- From theCookie Methodlist, selectHTTP Cookie Insert.
- If you want the BIG-IP system to encrypt the pool name specified in the BigIPServer default cookie, select theDefault Cookie Encrypt Pool Namecheck box.
- Retain or change all other profile settings.
- ClickFinished.
The custom cookie persistence profile appears in the Persistence list.
Creating a pool to process HTTP traffic
You can create a pool of web servers to process HTTP requests.
- 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.
- For theHealth Monitorssetting, from theAvailablelist, select thehttpmonitor and move the monitor to theActivelist.
- From theLoad Balancing Methodlist, select how the system distributes traffic to members of this pool.The default isRound Robin.
- For thePriority Group Activationsetting, specify how to handle priority groups:
- SelectDisabledto disable priority groups. This is the default option.
- SelectLess than, and in theAvailable Membersfield type the minimum number of members that must remain available in each priority group in order for traffic to remain confined to that group.
- Using theNew Memberssetting, add each resource that you want to include in the pool:
- Type an IP address in theAddressfield.
- Type80in theService Portfield, or selectHTTPfrom the list.
- (Optional) Type a priority number in thePriorityfield.
- ClickAdd.
- ClickFinished.
The new pool appears in the Pools list.
Creating a virtual server for HTTP traffic
This task creates a destination IP address for application traffic. As part of
this task, you must assign the relevant pool to the virtual server.
You can also use HTTP Cookie Insert persistence with a Performance (HTTP) type of
virtual server.
- 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.
- For theDestination Address/Masksetting, confirm that theHostbutton is selected, and type the IP address in CIDR format.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.The IP address you type must be available and not in the loopback network.
- In theService Portfield, type80, or selectHTTPfrom the list.
- From theHTTP Profilelist, selecthttp.
- In the Resources area of the screen, from theDefault Poollist, select the relevant pool name.
- From theDefault Persistence Profilelist, select the name of the custom cookie profile you created earlier, such asmycookie_profile.This implements cookie persistence, using a custom cookie persistence profile.
- ClickFinished.
You now have a virtual server to use as a destination address for application traffic.