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  5. Enabling and Disabling Local Traffic Objects
Manual Chapter : Enabling and Disabling Local Traffic Objects

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Manual Chapter
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Enabling and Disabling Local Traffic Objects

Introduction to local traffic operations

Using the BIG-IP® Configuration utility, you can manage the availability of server resources on the network by enabling and disabling certain local traffic server objects. These objects consist of server nodes and pool members, as well as virtual servers and their associated virtual addresses.

About server node state

A node in a server pool must be enabled in order to accept traffic. A node is a logical object on the BIG-IP® system that identifies the IP address of a physical resource on the network.

When you disable a node, the BIG-IP® system allows existing connections to time out or end normally. In this case, by default, the only new connections that the node accepts are those that belong to an existing persistence session.

Viewing the state of a node

It is easy to determine whether a node is currently enabled or disabled.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Nodes .
    The Node List screen opens.
  2. In the Name column, click a node name.
    This displays the properties of the node.
  3. Locate the State property and view the selected value.
  4. Click Cancel.

Enabling a node

You can enable a local traffic node that is currently disabled. When you enable a node, the BIG-IP® system allows all types of connections, including persistent connections.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Nodes .
    The Node List screen opens.
  2. In the Name column, locate the node you want to enable.
  3. Select the check box to the left of the node name.
  4. Click the Enable button.
After you perform this task, the selected node is available to process application traffic.

Disabling a node except for persistent/active connections

You perform this task to disable a local traffic node that is currently enabled. When you disable a node, the BIG-IP® system disallows any incoming connections, but continues to process any persistent or active connections.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Nodes .
    The Node List screen opens.
  2. In the Name column, locate the node you want to disable.
  3. Select the check box to the left of the node name.
  4. Click the Disable button.
After you perform this task, the selected node is disabled.

Forcing a node with active connections offline

You can disable a local traffic node to disallow all connections except for active connections. When you disable the node, the BIG-IP® system disallows any incoming connections (including persistent connections), but continues to process active connections. When all active connections have been processed, the node is fully offline.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Nodes .
    The Node List screen opens.
  2. In the Name column, click a node name.
    This displays the properties of the node.
  3. For the State property, click Forced Offline (Only active connections allowed).
  4. At the bottom of the screen, click Update.
After you perform this task, the selected node will be offline when all active connections have finished processing.

About pool member state

You can enable or disable individual pool members. A pool member is a logical object on the BIG-IP® system that represents a specific server node and service. For example, a node with an IP address of 12.10.10.3 can have a corresponding pool member 12.10.10.3:80.

When you disable a pool member, the node continues to process any active connections or any connections for the current persistence session.

Viewing the state of a pool member

Before performing this task, determine the pool member that you want to force offline.

You can force a pool member, while allowing active connections to be completed before the BIG-IP system takes the member offline.
  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Pools .
    The Pool List screen opens.
  2. Click a pool name in the Pool List.
  3. On the menu bar, click Members.
  4. In the Member list, select the relevant pool member.
  5. Locate the State property and view the selected value.
  6. Click Cancel.

Enabling a pool member

Before performing this task, verify that the corresponding server node address is enabled.

You can enable a pool member that was previously disabled and is currently in an Offline state. You typically enable a pool member when you want to allow the associated virtual server to send traffic to that service on the server node. For example, if you want to allow the BIG-IP system to resume sending traffic to the http service on node 12.10.10.3, you can enable pool member 12.10.10.3:80.
  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Pools .
    The Pool List screen opens.
  2. Click a pool name in the Pool List.
  3. On the menu bar, click Members.
  4. Locate the pool member you want to enable and select the check box to the left of the member name.
  5. Click Enable.
After you perform this task, the service on the associated server node is available for processing traffic.

Disabling a pool member except for persistent/active connections

Before performing this task, determine the pool member that you want to disable.

You can disable a pool member that was previously enabled and is currently in an Available state. You typically disable a pool member when you want to prevent the associated virtual server from sending traffic to that service on the server node. For example, if you want to prevent the BIG-IP system from sending traffic to the http service on node 12.10.10.3, you can disable pool member 12.10.10.3:80.

When you perform this task, the BIG-IP system, by default, allows persistent and active connections to be completed before the BIG-IP system marks the pool member as Offline.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Pools .
    The Pool List screen opens.
  2. Click a pool name in the Pool List.
  3. On the menu bar, click Members.
  4. In the Name column, locate the pool member you want to disable.
  5. Select the check box to the left of the pool member name.
  6. Click the Disable button.
After you perform this task, the service on the relevant node is unavailable for processing traffic, except for persistent and active connections.

Forcing a pool member with active connections offline

Before performing this task, determine the pool member that you want to force offline.

You can force a pool member to accept no new connections, while allowing active connections to be completed before the BIG-IP system takes the member offline.
  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Pools .
    The Pool List screen opens.
  2. Click a pool name in the Pool List.
  3. On the menu bar, click Members.
  4. In the Member list, select the relevant pool member.
  5. For the State property, click Forced Offline (Only active connections allowed).
  6. Click Update.
    The screen refreshes, and the status in the Availability area changes.

About virtual address state

You can enable or disable virtual addresses to manage virtual server availability to process traffic. You typically disable a virtual address when you want to drop or redirect traffic destined for all virtual servers associated with that virtual address.

Enabling a virtual address

You can enable a virtual address that is currently disabled. When you enable a virtual address, all associated virtual servers listen for traffic destined for that virtual address and process the traffic accordingly.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Virtual Servers .
    The Virtual Server List screen displays a list of existing virtual servers.
  2. On the menu bar, click Virtual Address List.
    This displays the list of virtual addresses.
  3. In the Name column, locate the virtual address you want to enable.
  4. Select the check box to the left of the virtual address name.
  5. Click the Enable button.
After performing this task, you can enable any virtual servers corresponding to this virtual address.

Disabling a virtual address

You can disable a virtual address that is currently enabled. When disabled, all associated virtual servers no longer listen for traffic destined for that virtual address.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Virtual Servers .
    The Virtual Server List screen displays a list of existing virtual servers.
  2. On the menu bar, click Virtual Address List.
    This displays the list of virtual addresses.
  3. In the Name column, locate the virtual address you want to disable.
  4. Select the check box to the left of the virtual address name.
  5. Click the Disable button.

Viewing the state of a virtual address

You can view the state of a virtual address in preparation for managing virtual server availability to process traffic.
  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Virtual Servers .
    The Virtual Server List screen displays a list of existing virtual servers.
  2. On the menu bar, click Virtual Address List.
    This displays the list of virtual addresses.
  3. In the Name column, locate the relevant virtual address and in the State column, view its state.

About virtual server state

You can enable or disable virtual servers to manage virtual server availability to process traffic. You typically disable a virtual server when you want to drop or redirect traffic destined for a specific IP address and service.

Viewing the state of a virtual server

You view the state of a virtual server to determine whether a virtual server is currently enabled or disabled.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Virtual Servers .
    The Virtual Server List screen opens.
  2. In the Name column, click the name of the relevant virtual server.
    This displays the properties of the virtual server.
  3. Locate the State property and view the selected value.
  4. Click the Cancel button.

Enabling a virtual server

Before enabling a virtual server, verify that the corresponding virtual address is enabled.

You perform this task to enable a virtual server that is currently disabled. When enabled, the virtual server listens for traffic destined for the virtual server's IP address and service and processes the traffic according to the virtual server configuration.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Virtual Servers .
    The Virtual Server List screen opens.
  2. In the Name column, locate the virtual server you want to enable.
  3. Select the check box to the left of the virtual server name.
  4. Click the Enable button.
After you perform this task, the virtual server listens for application traffic destined for both the virtual server IP address and service, and then processes the traffic accordingly.

Disabling a virtual server

You perform this task when you want to disable a virtual server that is currently enabled. When disabled, the virtual server no longer listens for traffic destined for the IP address and port specified in the virtual server configuration.

  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Virtual Servers .
    The Virtual Server List screen opens.
  2. In the Name column, locate the virtual server you want to disable.
  3. Select the check box to the left of the virtual server name.
  4. Click the Disable button.
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