How to do URL based load balancing on F5

There are many load balancers out there. Some of them offer a great flexibility to control the traffic by allowing a user to upload a custom script that implement the load balancing algorithm to solve a particular problem.

Problem

How to do HTTP URL based load balancing on F5.

Solution and demonstration

This is an iRule script that inspects the HTTP GET URL string to decided where to load balance it: https://github.com/rtomaszewski/f5/blob/master/lb-based-on-url.tcl.

Create default pool

Create VIP

Create custom pools

Testing

To verify that our iRule is working properly we can enable debugging by changing the iRule variable DEBUG to 1.

Next we can simulate traffic

curl -v http://vip/
curl -v http://vip/url1
curl -v http://vip/url2
curl -v http://vip/url3

And watch the logs on the lb.

tail -f /var/log/ltm

Mar  2 15:49:37 local/tmm1 info tmm1[5232]: Rule rule-url-lb-vip-80 <HTTP_REQUEST>: '11.22.33.44': HTTP::uri eq /
Mar  2 15:49:37 local/tmm1 info tmm1[5232]: Rule rule-url-lb-vip-80 <HTTP_REQUEST>: '11.22.33.44': sent traffic to pool pool-vip-80
Mar  2 15:49:37 local/tmm info tmm[5231]: Rule rule-url-lb-vip-80 <HTTP_REQUEST>: '11.22.33.44': HTTP::uri eq /url1
Mar  2 15:49:37 local/tmm info tmm[5231]: Rule rule-url-lb-vip-80 <HTTP_REQUEST>: '11.22.33.44': sent traffic to pool pool-vip-80-url1
Mar  2 15:49:37 local/tmm1 info tmm1[5232]: Rule rule-url-lb-vip-80 <HTTP_REQUEST>: '11.22.33.44': HTTP::uri eq /url2
Mar  2 15:49:37 local/tmm1 info tmm1[5232]: Rule rule-url-lb-vip-80 <HTTP_REQUEST>: '11.22.33.44': sent traffic to pool pool-vip-80-url2
Mar  2 15:49:37 local/tmm1 info tmm1[5232]: Rule rule-url-lb-vip-80 <HTTP_REQUEST>: '11.22.33.44': HTTP::uri eq /url3
Mar  2 15:49:37 local/tmm1 info tmm1[5232]: Rule rule-url-lb-vip-80 <HTTP_REQUEST>: '11.22.33.44': sent traffic to pool pool-vip-80-url3

Reference

https://devcentral.f5.com/wiki/iRules.HomePage.ashx

Cisco is leaving the ADC market and recommends NetScaler from Citrix

The networking giant Cisco is leaving the competitive Application Delivery Controller (ADC) market. The Cisco CSS and Cisco ACE products were not able to keep the pace with the competitors like F5 Networks, Citrix, Radware and Brocade.

The doc [3] provides some guidance how to choice the right hardware.

References

1. http://www.citrix.com/products/netscaler-application-delivery-controller/how-it-helps/cisco.html
2. http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/ciscos-exit-adcs-should-come-no-surprise
3. http://www.citrix.com/content/dam/citrix/en_us/documents/products/ACE_Product_Migration_Guide_final.pdf

Rackspace and Brocade pushing ADX platform

Brocade is Rackspace partner. The company provide load balancing as well as storage solution for the company. Since Brocade ADX load balancer became standard product Rackspace sells it got a bigger momentum and traction on the market. The Gartner magic quadrants for application delivery controllers show how the company progressed and improved.

Working for the best in the industry

Technology leaders

I have recently start doing more analysis and  research of the market trends. It is extraordinary good feeling to know that you can volunteer for a work at the best companies worldwide ;). First it was F5 Networks and now with Rackspace. The blend of Load balancing, Cloud and Linux technologies is going to be the future foundation for next generation data center solution architectures.

References

www.f5.com
www.rackspace.com
www.openstack.org
http://www.diigo.com/user/rtomaszewski/magic_quadrants%20f5