Manual Chapter : Managing GSLB Servers

Applies To:

  • BIG-IQ Centralized Management

    8.4.0, 8.3.0, 8.2.0, 8.1.0, 8.0.0, 7.1.0

Updated Date: 07/07/2026

Managing GSLB Servers

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.

Before you can answer any DNS queries or establish a DNS sync group, you must create a data center, a server object, and a listener. When you add BIG-IP DNS devices to the sync group, you must add a server object for each device. Server objects don’t need to be BIG-IP devices; they can be DNS servers, web servers, or even other load balancers. (However, only BIG-IP devices can be added to a sync group.)

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

This figure illustrates the workflow to manage the servers in a sync group. Changing the settings or creating the server is the second step in this process.

Change GSLB server workflow

To manage the servers for a DNS sync group, you manage the server devices or virtual servers that compose them.

You can view the GSLB servers configured for the DNS sync groups that you manage by navigating to Configuration > DNS > GSLB > Servers. From there, click a server to view it, or click Create to set up a new one.

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.

When you add BIG-IP DNS devices to a sync group, each device needs a server object. You can use BIG-IQ to create the GSLB server. The server you add can be composed of server devices, virtual servers, or a combination of both.

You configure the basic server properties first, and then add the server devices or virtual servers required for your environment.

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

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

  2. Click Create.

    The New Server screen opens so you can specify the basic properties for the server, add server devices, and add virtual servers.

  3. Type a Name for the GSLB server.

    The name you specify must exactly match the host name of the BIG-IP device.

  4. Select a Sync Group for the GSLB server.

  5. Select a Product for the server.

    Note: For BIG-IP versions 12.1 and earlier, select either BIG-IP System (Single) or BIG-IP System (Redundant). For BIG-IP versions 13.1 and later, select BIG-IP System.

  6. Select a Data Center for the GSLB server.

  7. Specify the additional settings needed to suit the requirements for this server.

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

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

  8. To complete this GSLB server, you must (at a minimum) configure a server device.

    1. On the left, click SERVER DEVICES.

    2. Click Create.

      The New Server Device screen opens.

    3. Type a Name for the device.

    4. Type an external Address (public) address for the device.

      If BIG-IP DNS configuration synchronization is enabled and all existing addresses for a device are being replaced, you should add and synchronize new addresses before you remove old addresses. Otherwise, the changes may fail to synchronize. Alternatively, you can perform the address configuration changes on each BIG-IP DNS system.

    5. You can type an internal Translation (private) address that corresponds to the external address.

      Link specifies the link to assign to the device. The explicit link is shown in the Address List next to each server IP address. This value is taken from the BIG-IP and is read-only.

    6. To add another row so you can specify settings for another device, click +.

    7. Click Save & Close.

  9. If your environment requires virtual servers for your GSLB server, add them now.

    1. On the left, click VIRTUAL SERVERS.

    2. For Virtual Server Discovery, specify whether the system auto-discovers the virtual servers for this server.

      • Disabled: The system does not auto-discover the virtual servers that are configured on the server. With this setting, you must manually configure any virtual servers for this server by adding them to the Virtual Server List.
      • Enabled: The system auto-discovers the virtual servers that are configured on the server. With this setting, the system automatically adds, deletes, and modifies virtual server settings in the configuration.
      • Enabled (No Delete): The system auto-discovers the virtual servers that are configured on the server. With this setting, the system automatically adds and modifies virtual server settings in the configuration, but does not delete them. This option is useful when you regularly take virtual servers in and out of service.

    3. For Link Discovery, specify whether the system automatically discovers links configured on the server.

      • Disabled: Specifies that you plan to add links manually.
      • Enabled: Specifies that the system uses the discovery feature to add links.
      • Enabled (no delete): Specifies that the system uses the discovery feature and does not delete the links that already exist.

    4. Enable the Expose Route Domains setting if you want BIG-IP DNS to discover virtual servers in all route domains.

    5. Click Create to create a new virtual server.

    6. Type a Name for the virtual server.

    7. Type the IP Address of the virtual server.

    8. Specify the additional settings needed to suit the requirements for this server.

      Note: Name and Address are the only required parameters when you create a virtual server. The remaining parameters on this screen are optional and perform the same function as they do when you configure a server on a BIG-IP device.

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

    9. Click Save & Close.

  10. On the New Server screen, click Save & Close.

    The system creates the new server and adds it to the list of servers.

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 specifying the settings for this server, you need 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.

When you add BIG-IP DNS devices to a sync group, each device needs a server device. You can use BIG-IQ to create the GSLB server device. The server device you add can be composed of server devices, virtual servers, or a combination of both.

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

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

  2. Click Create.

    The New Server screen opens so you can specify the basic properties for the server, add server devices, and add virtual servers.

  3. On the left, click SERVER DEVICES, then click Create.

  4. Type a Name for the device.

    The device name must be unique per server.

  5. Type an external Address (public) address for the device.

    If BIG-IP DNS configuration synchronization is enabled and all existing addresses for a device are being replaced, you should add and synchronize new addresses before you remove old addresses. Otherwise, the changes may fail to synchronize. Alternatively, you can make the address configuration changes on each BIG-IP DNS system.

  6. You can type an internal Translation (private) address that corresponds to the external address.

    Link specifies the link to assign to the device. The explicit link is shown in the Address List next to each server IP address. This value is taken from the BIG-IP device and is read-only.

  7. To add another row so you can specify settings for another device, click +.

  8. Click Save & Close.

    The system creates the new server device and adds it to the list of server devices.

When you add BIG-IP DNS devices to a sync group, each device needs a server. You can use BIG-IQ to create the GSLB virtual server if your requirements and existing topology require it. The virtual server you add can be composed of server devices, virtual servers, or a combination of both.

  1. Click Create.

    The New Server screen opens so you can specify the basic properties for the server, add server devices, and add virtual servers.

  2. On the left, click VIRTUAL SERVERS.

  3. For Virtual Server Discovery, specify whether the system auto-discovers the virtual servers for this server.

    • Disabled: The system does not auto-discover the virtual servers that are configured on the server. With this setting, you must manually configure any virtual servers for this server by adding them to the Virtual Server List.
    • Enabled: The system auto-discovers the virtual servers that are configured on the server. With this setting, the system automatically adds, deletes, and modifies virtual server settings in the configuration.
    • Enabled (No Delete): The system auto-discovers the virtual servers that are configured on the server. With this setting, the system automatically adds and modifies virtual server settings in the configuration, but does not delete them. This option is useful when you regularly take virtual servers in and out of service.

  4. For Link Discovery, specify whether the system automatically discovers links configured on the server.

    • Disabled: Specifies that you plan to add links manually.
    • Enabled: Specifies that the system uses the discovery feature to add links.
    • Enabled (no delete): Specifies that the system uses the discovery feature and does not delete the links that already exist.

  5. If you want BIG-IP DNS to discover virtual servers in all route domains, enable the Expose Route Domains setting.

  6. Click Create to create a new virtual server.

    The New Virtual Server screen opens so you can specify the basic properties for the server.

  7. Type a Name for the GSLB server.

  8. Type the IP Address of the virtual server.

  9. Specify the additional settings needed to suit the requirements for this server.

    Name and Address are the only required parameters when you create a virtual server. The remaining parameters on this screen are optional and perform the same function as they do when you configure a server on a BIG-IP device.

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

  10. Click Save & Close.

    The system creates the new virtual server and adds it to the list of virtual servers.

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

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

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

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

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

    The screen displays the current settings for the selected server.

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

    The system updates the server 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 server, you need 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.