Virtual Webserver Hosting on CSS / CSM and ACE

[Sbutzek]

Hello,

i've a big project on my company.

There shoul'd b e set up about 8 Servers, with 14 virtual Servers on each machine.

Each virtual webserver shout get it's own IP Address.

But this is not the end, they would need more virtual Servers over time.

So the we will use 112 IP Adresses the first time, and about up to 200 for later use.

There shoul'd be implemented many domains. Each Domain should be hostet on 2-8 virtual Webservers depending on the load of the site.

I've read about the Virtual Web Hosting Application Guide:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/customer/products/hw/contnetw/ps789/products_tech_note09186a0080094b4d.shtml

As i understand, i can configure the 8 Servers with an IP Addressrange of 20

10.1.1.10 - 10.1.1.29 for Server 1

10.1.1.30 - 10.1.1.49 for Server 2

and so on....

code:

service web1

ip address 10.1.1.10 range 20

And i can configure a content rule with an VIP Range of 20

10.1.255.10 - 10.1.255-39

content L4_HTTP

vip address 10.1.255.10 range 20

port 80

So as i understand, if client requests virtual IP 10.1.255.10 it will be directed to the Server1 with 10.1.10 or Server 2 with 10.1.1.30.

Or with by requesting 10.1.255.12 it will be directed to Server 1 with 10.1.1.12 or Server 2 10.1.1.32.

As i read, only the first IP Adress will be used for Keepalive checks. How can i check if all virtual Servers are operating? May, there will be shut down only one virtual webserver on a machine and not all.

Is it also possible to do such things on CSM or ACE?

Also my CSS is not directly connected to the Servernet. Does this configuration work if there is a router between the CSS and the Server?

Is there another solution for such things? What would you recommend?

Sven

[Gilles Dufour]

Sven,

I would not go with the range option.

You should looks each ip as a separate server weither this is a virtual or real server.

Configure a service for each ip with its own keepalive and configure a content rule for each domain and assign the services accordingly.

The config will be bigger but it is easier to see what's going on and to do modification and to troubleshoot.

Maybe you could use CVDM for operating the config and do modification.

Gilles.

[Sbutzek]

Hello Gilles,

thanks for quick reply.

We will do this.

Is there a Limit of the Number of Owner / Contentrules on the CSS?

I know only a Limit for Keepalives.

Sven

[Gilles Dufour]

there is no software limit.

The limit is the config size which we recommend to keep below 10k lines.

Gilles.

[Sbutzek]

Hi Gilles,

i did a 'show startup-config line-numbers'

and i have currently 3974 Line.

But the blank Lines are also counted.

What will happen, if i pass the 10k lines?

Sven

[Gilles Dufour]

nothing will happen.

It's just a recommendation because usually a huge config means a lot of things going on and the CSS could get into some issues.

However, some customers have configs larger than 10k lines and there is no problem.

Gilles.