Manual Chapter : Configuring Bandwidth Load Balancing

Applies To:

Show Versions

BIG-IP Link Controller

17.1.0, 17.0.0, 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

Configuring Bandwidth Load Balancing

Overview: Configuring bandwidth load balancing

This functionality is not currently available in the U.S.

You can configure BIG-IP Link Controller to use bandwidth load balancing to manage the traffic flowing in and out of a network. In bandwidth load balancing, Link Controller uses a specific link until a traffic threshold has been met. After that threshold is met, the Link Controller shifts traffic to another link. When the traffic falls below the threshold, the Link Controller shifts traffic back to the first link.

The following illustration shows a network for configuring a bandwidth load balancing configuration.

Example of a network for configuring bandwidth load balancing

As the illustration shows, the most cost-efficient configuration is to have the Primary Link handle traffic until it reaches a certain level (for example, 50 Mbps), then send any traffic over a certain level (for example: 50 Mbps) to the Secondary Link. When the traffic decreases, the Link Controller must switch back to using only the Primary Link again.

Task summary for configuring link bandwidth load balancing

This functionality is not currently available in the U.S.

Use the tasks in this implementation to create a bandwidth load balancing configuration to manage the traffic flowing in and out of a network.

Creating the first bandwidth link for load balancing

Gather the IP address of the router associated with the ISP and IP address that corresponds with the external Internet connections. For the link, determine the total bandwidth threshold you want to use.

Create and configure the first link on Link Controller™, which determines how traffic enters and leaves your network.

On the Main tab, click

Link Controller

Links

The Links List screen opens.

Click

Create

The New Link screen opens.

In the

Name

field, type a name for the link.

Link names are limited to

characters.

In the

Router Address

field, type the IP address of the router.

In the

Uplink Address

field, type the IP address that corresponds with the external Internet connection.

For the

Service Provider

field, type the name of the ISP provider.

From the

Configuration

list, select

Advanced

Additional controls display on the screen.

From the

Traffic Limits

field, set the total bandwidth thresholds for the link.

Click

Create

Creating the second bandwidth link for load balancing

Gather the IP address of the router associated with the ISP and IP address that corresponds with the external Internet connection. For the link, determine the total bandwidth threshold you want to use.

Create and configure the second link on Link Controller™, which determines how traffic enters and leaves your network.

On the Main tab, click

Link Controller

Links

The Links List screen opens.

Click

Create

The New Link screen opens.

In the

Name

field, type a name for the link.

Link names are limited to

characters.

In the

Router Address

field, type the IP address of the router.

In the

Uplink Address

field, type the IP address that corresponds with the external Internet connection.

For the

Service Provider

field, type the name of the ISP provider.

From the

Configuration

list, select

Advanced

Additional controls display on the screen.

From the

Traffic Limits

field, set the total bandwidth thresholds for the link.

Click

Create

Creating a default gateway pool

Gather the IP addresses associated with each link.

Create a default gateway pool to load balance the outbound traffic across the links.

On the Main tab, click

Local Traffic

Pools

The Pools list screen opens.

Click

Create

The New Pool screen opens.

In the

Name

field, type a name for the pool.

Names must begin with a letter, and can contain only letters, numbers, and the underscore (_) character.

The pool name is limited to 63 characters.

In the New Members area, add the IP addresses associated with each link.

In the

Address

field, type the IP address.

Click

Add

Click

Finished

Creating a default route to the internet

Configure Link Controller to use the pool as the default gateway connection between the internal network and the internet.

On the Main tab, click

Network

Routes

Click

Add

The New Route screen opens.

In the

Name

field, type a unique name.

From the

Resource

list, select

Use Pool

From the

Pool

list, select

default_gateway_pool

Click

Finished

Creating virtual servers to load balance connections across servers

Gather the IP addresses you want to use for creating the virtual servers.

Create two virtual servers, one for each link, to load balance inbound connections across the servers on the network.

On the Main tab, click

Local Traffic

Virtual Servers

The Virtual Server List screen opens.

Click

Create

The New Virtual Server screen opens.

In the

Name

field, type a unique name for the virtual server.

In the

Destination Address/Mask

field, type the IP address you want to use for the virtual server.

In the

Service Port

field, type

, or select

HTTP

from the list.

Click

Finished

Repeat these steps to create the second virtual server.

Creating a wildcard virtual server

Create a wildcard server to load balance outbound connections across the routers.

On the Main tab, click

Local Traffic

Virtual Servers

The Virtual Server List screen opens.

Click

Create

The New Virtual Server screen opens.

In the

Name

field, type a unique name for the virtual server.

For the

Destination

setting, select

Host

, and type

0.0.0.0

in the

Address

field.

In the

Service Port

field, type

Port

defines a wildcard virtual server that handles all types of services. If you specify a port number, you create a port-specific wildcard virtual server. In that case, the wildcard virtual server handles traffic only for the specified port.

Click

Finished

Creating a wide IP

Before you can create a wide IP, you need IP addresses from two previously created virtual servers.

Create a wide IP to which Link Controller™ load balances incoming DNS requests.

On the Main tab, click

Link Controller

Inbound Wide IPs

The Wide IP List screen opens.

Click

Create

The New Wide IP screen opens.

In the

Name

field, type a name for the wide IP.

From the

Type

list, select a record type for the wide IP.

From the

Load Balancing Method

list, make selections from the

Preferred

Alternate

, and

Fallback

lists.

For the

Member List

field, add the address of the appropriate virtual server.

From the

Virtual Server

list, select a virtual server.

Click

Add

Click

Create

Implementation result for bandwidth load balancing

You now have Link Controller™ configured to use bandwidth load balancing to manage DNS traffic.

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Applies To:

BIG-IP Link Controller

Configuring Bandwidth Load Balancing

Overview: Configuring bandwidth load balancing

Task summary for configuring link bandwidth load balancing

Creating the first bandwidth link for load balancing

Creating the second bandwidth link for load balancing

Creating a default gateway pool

Creating a default route to the internet

Creating virtual servers to load balance connections across servers

Creating a wildcard virtual server

Creating a wide IP

Implementation result for bandwidth load balancing

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Applies To:

BIG-IP Link Controller

Configuring Bandwidth Load Balancing

Overview: Configuring bandwidth load balancing

Task summary for configuring link bandwidth load balancing

Creating the first bandwidth link for load balancing

Creating the second bandwidth link for load balancing

Creating a default gateway pool

Creating a default route to the internet

Creating virtual servers to load balance connections across servers

Creating a wildcard virtual server

Creating a wide IP

Implementation result for bandwidth load balancing

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