Managing GSLB Pools

How do I manage permissions for DNS GSLB objects?

F5 BIG-IQ Centralized Management makes it straightforward for you to manage permissions that allow users to view only the specific DNS GSLB objects you assign to them.

To provide permissions for a specific set of objects, you complete these tasks.

1. Add a custom resource group - In this task, you specify the GSLB objects that you want this user to work with. You create a resource group for each collection of objects that you want to assign to a user.
2. Add a custom role - Next, you associate the GSLB Viewer role type with the resource groups that contain the objects you want your delegates to view. For example, if you had a resource group made up of two wide IPs, one named SeattlePrime and the other named SeattleSecond, you might name this role viewSeattle.
3. Add a custom user - Finally, you create a user and assign a custom role to that user. The role gives that user permissions to view the objects that belong to the objects in the resource group. In the current example, you could assign your custom user to the viewSeattle role to give that user the ability to view the GSLB objects in the two Seattle wide IPs.

For step-by-step guidance on each of these tasks, refer to How do I give users customized permissions to specific BIG-IP resources based on their job responsibilities? on support.f5.com.

How do I manage GSLB pools in BIG-IQ?

Virtual server pools host the content for which your wide IPs load balance the traffic in your GSLB domain.

The workflows for creating a new pool or changing the settings for a pool that already reside on devices in a managed sync group are very similar. In each case, there are four tasks to perform.

This figure illustrates the workflow you perform to manage the pools in a sync group. Changing the settings or creating the pool is the second step in this process.

You can view the GSLB pools configured for the DNS sync groups you manage by navigating to Configuration > DNS > GSLB > Pools. From there, click a pool to edit it, or click Createto set up a new one.

View GSLB objects

Before you can use a BIG-IQ to manage DNS GSLB objects on a managed device, you must configure at least one Datacenter on that device using the BIG-IP user interface.

Before you can view GSLB objects, you must discover and import BIG-IP devices that are members of a DNS sync group that has GSLB objects.

When you use F5 BIG-IQ Centralized Management to manage your DNS sync group, you can view the GSLB objects that are defined on devices in the sync group.

1. At the top of the screen, click Configuration.

2. On the left, click DNS > GSLB, and then select the object type that you want to view.

   The screen displays a list of the selected object type that are defined on devices managed by this BIG-IQ system. For each object (except iRules, topology records, or topology regions), icons describe the health status and availability.

3. To view overview information about a particular object, select the check box for that object.

   An overview panel and a related items panel display for this object.

4. To see a list of related items for a GSLB object:

   1. Select the check box for that object.

   2. In the Related Items panel, click Show.

      You can view the list of related items; and, for many of the items, you can click a link to view properties for that item.

5. To view the general properties for a GSLB object, click the name of that object.

   The screen displays the properties for the selected object.

Create a GSLB pool

Create a GSLB pool so that you can manage the virtual servers that host the content of your domain.

1. At the top of the screen, click Configuration, then, on the left, click DNS > GSLB > Pools.

   The screen displays the list of pools defined on this device.

2. Click Create.

   The New Pool screen opens.

3. Type a Name for the GSLB pool.

4. Select a Sync Group for the pool.

5. Select the Type of pool.

6. Specify the additional settings needed to suit your requirements for this pool.

   Name, Sync Group, and Type are the only required parameters when you create a pool. The remaining parameters on this screen are optional and perform the same function as they do when you configure a pool on a BIG-IP device.

   Note: For details about the purpose or function of a particular setting, refer to the BIG-IP reference information on support.f5.com.

7. Click Save & Close.

   The system creates the new pool and adds it to the list of pools.

Changes that you make are made only to the pending version. The pending version serves as a repository for changes you stage before deploying them to the managed device. Object settings for the pending version are not the same as the object settings on the actual BIG-IP device until they are deployed or discarded.

Now that you have created a pool, you can add pool members to it. For details about adding a new member, refer to Create a GSLB pool member on support.f5.com.

When you finish specifying the settings for this pool, the next step is to evaluate and then deploy the changes to devices in the sync group. Until you deploy the changes stored in the pending version, objects on the devices in the sync group are not changed.

Edit a GSLB pool

You can view and modify the properties for existing GSLB pools. Since you are working with an existing pool, you can modify only some settings.

1. At the top of the screen, click Configuration, then, on the left, click DNS > GSLB > Pools.

   The screen displays the list of pools defined on this device.

2. Click the name of the pool you want to edit.

   Note: Unless noted here, the parameters on this screen perform the same function as they do when you configure a pool on a BIG-IP device. For details about the purpose or function of a particular setting, refer to the BIG-IP reference information on support.f5.com.

   The screen displays the current settings for the selected pool.

3. To Enable, Disable, or Delete a pool member from this pool, select the check box for that member, then click the appropriate button.

4. Make the changes to the settings you want to revise and then, when your edits are complete, click Save & Close.

   The system updates the pool with the settings you specified.

Changes that you make are made only to the pending version. The pending version serves as a repository for changes you stage before deploying them to the managed device. Object settings for the pending version are not the same as the object settings on the actual BIG-IP device until they are deployed or discarded.

When you finish revising the settings for this pool, the next step is to evaluate and then deploy the changes to devices in the sync group. Until you deploy the changes stored in the pending version, objects on the devices in the sync group are not changed.

Add members to a GSLB pool

Before you can add a GSLB pool member, the virtual server you plan to use must already exist. For details on creating a GSLB server, refer to Create a GSLB server on support.f5.com.

You can use the BIG-IQ to add members to a GSLB pool on a managed BIG-IP device.

1. At the top of the screen, click Configuration, then, on the left, click DNS > GSLB > Pools.

   The screen displays the list of pools defined on this device.

2. Click the name of the pool you want to add members to.

   Note: Unless noted here, the parameters on this screen perform the same function as they do when you configure a pool on a BIG-IP device. For details about the purpose or function of a particular setting, refer to the BIG-IP reference information on support.f5.com.

   The screen displays the current settings for the selected pool.

3. Near the bottom of the screen, click New GSLB Pool Member.

4. From Virtual Servers, select the member that you want to add, and then type in the Ratio weight that you want to assign to this pool member. This weight determines the frequency at which this pool member is selected for load balancing.

   Note: You can use the Add icon to add more members to this pool. Or if you change your mind about adding a member, you can use the Remove icon to delete it.

5. Make any other changes to the settings for this pool, and then when your edits are complete, click Save & Close.

   The system updates the pool with the settings you specified.

Changes that you make are made only to the pending version. The pending version serves as a repository for changes you stage before deploying them to the managed device. Object settings for the pending version are not the same as the object settings on the actual BIG-IP device until they are deployed or discarded.

When you finish revising the settings for this pool, the next step is to evaluate and then deploy the changes to devices in the sync group. Until you deploy the changes stored in the pending version, objects on the devices in the sync group are not changed.