Manual Chapter : BIG-IP Solutions Guide v4.5:Basic Web Site and E-Commerce Configuration

Applies To:

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BIG-IP versions 1.x - 4.x

  • 4.6.1, 4.6.0, 4.5 PTF-08, 4.5 PTF-07, 4.5 PTF-06, 4.5 PTF-05, 4.5 PTF-04, 4.5 PTF-03, 4.5 PTF-02, 4.5 PTF-01, 4.5.9, 4.5.0
Manual Chapter

2

Basic Web Site and E-Commerce Configuration


Working with a basic web site and e-commerce configuration

The most common application of the BIG-IP system is distributing traffic across an array of web servers that host standard web traffic, including e-commerce traffic. Figure 2.1 shows a configuration where a BIG-IP system load balances two sites: www.MySite.com and store.MySite.com. The www.MySite.com site provides standard web content, and the store.MySite.com site is the e-commerce site that sells items to www.MySite.com customers.

To set up load balancing for these sites, you need to create two pools that are referenced by two virtual servers, one for each site. Even though the sites are related and they may even share the same IP address, each requires its own virtual server because it uses a different port to support its particular protocol: port 80 for the HTTP traffic going to www.MySite.com, and port 443 for the SSL traffic going to store.MySite.com. Note that this is true even when there is a port 80 and port 443 on the same physical server, as in the case of Server2.

Note


All BIG-IP system products except the BIG-IP e-Commerce Controller support this configuration.

Note


Note that in this example, as in all examples in this guide, we use only non-routable IP addresses. In a real topology, the virtual server IP addresses would have to be routable on the Internet.

Figure 2.1 A basic configuration

Configuring a basic e-commerce site

To configure the e-commerce site, you need to complete the following tasks in order:

  • Define the load balancing pools
  • Define virtual servers for the inbound traffic

Defining the pools

The first step in a basic configuration is to define the two load balancing pools, a pool to load balance HTTP connections for Server1 and Server2, and a pool to load balance SSL connections for Server2 and Server3.

To create the pools using the Configuration utility

  1. In the navigation pane, click Pools.
    The Pools screen opens.
  2. Click the Add button.
    The Add Pool screen opens.
  3. For each pool, enter the pool name and member addresses in the Add Pool screen. (For additional information about configuring a pool, click the Help button.)

Configuration Notes

Create pool http_pool containing members 192.168.100.1:80 and 192.168.100.2:80.

Create pool ssl_pool containing members 192.168.100.2:443 and 192.168.100.3:443.

To define the pools from the command line

To define a pool from the command line, use the following syntax:

b pool <pool_name> {member <member_definition> ... member <member_definition>}

To create the pools http_pool and ssl_pool from the command line, you would type the following commands:

b pool http_pool { \

member 192.168.100.1:80 \

member 192.168.100.2:80 }

b pool ssl_pool { \
member 192.168.100.2:443 \
member 192.168.100.3:443 }

Defining the virtual servers

The next step in a basic configuration is to define the virtual servers that reference http_pool and ssl_pool, respectively.

To define the virtual servers using the Configuration utility

  1. In the navigation pane, click Virtual Servers.
    The Virtual Servers screen opens.
  2. Click the Add button.
    The Add Virtual Server screen opens.
  3. For each virtual server, enter the virtual server address and pool name. (For additional information about configuring a virtual server, click the Help button.)

Configuration notes

Create virtual server 192.168.200.10:80 using pool http_pool

Create virtual server 192.168.200.10:443 using pool ssl_pool

To define the virtual servers from the command line

Use the bigpipe virtual command as shown below. You can use standard service names in place of port numbers. If you have DNS configured, you can also use host names in place of IP addresses.

b virtual <virt IP>:<port> use pool <pool_name>

The following command defines a virtual server that maps to pools http_pool and ssl_pool, respectively:

b virtual 192.168.200.10:80 use pool http_pool

b virtual 192.168.200.10:443 use pool ssl_pool

Additional configuration options

Whenever you configure a BIG-IP system, you have a number of options:

  • You have the option in all configurations to configure a BIG-IP redundant system for fail-over. Refer to Chapter 13, Configuring a Redundant System , in the BIG-IP Reference Guide.
  • All configurations have health monitoring options. Refer to Chapter 11, Monitors , in the BIG-IP Reference Guide.
  • When you create a pool, there is an option to set up persistence and a choice of load balancing methods. Refer to Chapter 4, Pools , in the BIG-IP Reference Guide.