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Manual Chapter : Managing GSLB Servers

Applies To:

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BIG-IQ Centralized Management

  • 8.3.0, 8.2.0, 8.1.0, 8.0.0, 7.1.0
Manual Chapter

Managing GSLB Servers

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 servers in BIG-IQ?

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
Workflow for changing object settings on a managed device
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.

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 server

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.
    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.
    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.
      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.
      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.

Create a GSLB server device

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.

Create a GSLB virtual server

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.
    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.

Edit a GSLB server

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.
    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.
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