Introduction
SSL termination occurs when the ACE, acting as an SSL proxy server, terminates an SSL connection from a client and then establishes a TCP connection to an HTTP server. The ACE uses parameter maps, SSL proxy services, and class maps to build the policy maps that determine the flow of information between the client, the ACE, and the server. SSL termination is a Layer 3 and Layer 4 application because it is based on the destination IP addresses of the inbound traffic flow from the client. Before configuring your ACE for SSL operation, you must first configure it for server load balancing (SLB). This document describes a typical configuration issue.
Requirements
Basic understanding of working of Cisco ACE and familiarity with ACE CLI commands.
Problem
The Cisco ACE SSL termination doesn't seem to work as expected. Following is the device configuration.
probe http EXAMPLE_IT_HTTP
port 8889
interval 5
faildetect 2
passdetect interval 10
passdetect count 2
request method get url /probe/probe.html
expect status 200 206
expect status 300 307
open 1
serverfarm host example_IT_HTTP
failaction reassign across-interface
predictor leastconns
probe example_IT_HTTP
fail-on-all
rserver H-192.168.250.165 8889
inservice
rserver H-192.168.250.166 8889
inservice
serverfarm host example_IT_HTTPS-HTTP
failaction reassign across-interface
predictor leastconns
probe example_IT_HTTP
fail-on-all
rserver H-192.168.250.165 8889
inservice
rserver H-192.168.250.166 8889
inservice
sticky ip-netmask 255.255.255.255 address both example-IT-HTTPS-HTTP
timeout 60
replicate sticky
serverfarm example_IT_HTTPS-HTTP
ssl-proxy service SSL_example_IT
key example_it.key
cert example_it.cert
chaingroup SSL_CHAIN_example_IT
crypto chaingroup SSL_CHAIN_example_IT
cert example_it.ca
class-map match-all example_IT_HTTP
2 match virtual-address XX.235.121.6 tcp eq www
class-map match-all example_IT_HTTPS-HTTP
2 match virtual-address XX.235.121.6 tcp eq www
policy-map type loadbalance first-match example_IT_HTTP-l7slb
class class-default
serverfarm example_IT_HTTP
policy-map type loadbalance first-match example_IT_HTTPS-HTTP-l7slb
class class-default
sticky-serverfarm example-IT-HTTPS-HTTP
policy-map multi-match int41
class example_IT_HTTP
loadbalance vip inservice
loadbalance policy example_IT_HTTP-l7slb
loadbalance vip icmp-reply active primary-inservice
class example_IT_HTTPS-HTTP
loadbalance vip inservice
loadbalance policy example_IT_HTTPS-HTTP-l7slb
loadbalance vip icmp-reply active primary-inservice
ssl-proxy server SSL_example_IT
The load balancing on http works properly but it doesn't work with SSL termination.
Description
The command "show stats crypto" shows all connections as zero.
ACE# sh crypto certificate all
example_it.cert:
Subject: /C=GB/ST=United Kingdom/L=London/O=XXXXXXXX/OU=XXXXXXXXX/CN=*.xxxx.com
Issuer: /C=US/O=Symantec Corporation/OU=Symantec Trust Network/CN=Symantec Class 3 Secure Server CA - G4
CA Cert: FALSE
example_it.ca:
Subject: /C=US/O=VeriSign, Inc./OU=VeriSign Trust Network/OU=(c) 2006 VeriSign, Inc. - For authorized use only/CN=VeriSign Class 3 Public Primary Certification Authority - G5
Issuer: /C=US/O=VeriSign, Inc./OU=VeriSign Trust Network/OU=(c) 2006 VeriSign, Inc. - For authorized use only/CN=VeriSign Class 3 Public Primary Certification Authority - G5
Not Before: Nov 8 00:00:00 2006 GMT
Not After: Jul 16 23:59:59 2036 GMT
CA Cert: TRUE
ACE# sh crypto session
SSL Session Cache Stats for Context
------------------
Number of Client Sessions: 0
Number of Server Sessions: 0
Resolution
The configuration needs to be changed as following.
class-map match-all example_IT_HTTPS-HTTP
2 match virtual-address 22.235.121.6 tcp eq www
Change it to 443 instead of www, which means port 80. Since the original configuration will never match the class "example_IT_HTTPS-HTTP" in the configuration.
Related Information
ACE SSL Terminator doesn't work
Configuring SSL Termination
