Hello,
can anybody confirm whether or not Cisco still supports IOS SLB (Server Load Balancing) on current devices (i.e. switches/routers that can be ordered still)?
The feature used to be supported on the higher switches (Cat6k) and 7x00 routers, but appears to be ceased from IOS 12.2(33)SXJ and later releases. See the Note immediately under http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst6500/ios/12-2SX/release/notes/ol_14271/features.html#pgfId-4816849.
In later releases SLB was supported with the Application Control Engine (ACE) modules, and those are also EOS in the meanwhile as per http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/application-networking-services/ace-4700-series-application-control-engine-appliances/eol_C51-728976.html. Cisco recommends Citrix as replacement in this EOS bulletin, so that really looks like there is no other Cisco alternative...
Cisco FN lookup also only returns older HW supporting SLB, and the following post on Support Forum suggested the same: https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/12580811/3850-server-loa-balancing-support
In case SLB is really EOL, could Nexus' Intelligent Traffic Director (ITD - http://blogs.cisco.com/datacenter/itd-load-balancing-traffic-steering-clustering-using-nexus-5k6k7k) be a solution for a simple SLB setup?
Note that what we want to accomplish (High Availability for IP Phone Services, in this case Extension Mobility) is something Cisco itself describes in its SRND at http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/srnd/collab11/collab11/cmapps.html#37411.
In the -still current- 10.x SRND the ACE is even mentioned as potential SLB solution: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/srnd/collab10/collab10/cmapps.html#92657
Thanks!
Dirk
