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  5. Managing GSLB Servers
Manual Chapter : Managing GSLB Servers

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BIG-IQ Centralized Management

  • 6.0.0
Manual Chapter
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Managing GSLB Servers

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. Server objects don’t need to be BIG-IP devices; they can be DNS servers, web servers, or even other load balancers. (Only BIG-IP devices can be added to a sync group.)

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 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.

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.

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.
  3. Type a Name for the GSLB server.
  4. Select a Sync Group for the GSLB server.
  5. Select a Data Center for the GSLB server.
  6. Specify the additional settings needed to suit the requirements for this server.
    Name, Sync Group, 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 reference information on support.f5.com.
  7. You must (at a minimum) configure a server device to complete this GSLB server.
    1. On the left, click SERVER DEVICES.
    2. Click Create.
      The New Server Device screen opens.
    3. Type a Name for the device.
    4. Click Create.
      The New Server Device screen opens.
    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 perform 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 and is read-only.
    7. To add another row so you can specify settings for another device, click +.
    8. Click Save & Close.
  8. 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: Select this if 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 reference information on support.f5.com.
    9. Click Save & Close.
  9. On the New Server screen, click Save & Close.
    The system creates the new server and adds it to the list of servers.

Create a GSLB server device

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.
  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.
  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 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 object. 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. 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.
  3. On the left, click VIRTUAL SERVERS.
  4. 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.
  5. For Link Discovery, specify whether the system automatically discovers links configured on the server.
    • Disabled: Select this if 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.
  6. Enable the Expose Route Domains setting if you want BIG-IP DNS to discover virtual servers in all route domains.
  7. Click Create to create a new virtual server.
    The New Virtual Server screen opens so you can specify the basic properties for the server.
  8. Type a Name for the GSLB server.
  9. Type the IP Address of the virtual server.
  10. 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 reference information on support.f5.com.
  11. 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.
    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 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.
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