Load Balancers

Use the Administration > Integration > Load Balancer page for identifying load balancers as service components. When a load balancer has been defined as a service component, you can add it from a list when you define a service on the Definitions > Services page.   more

The page lists load balancers by:

  • Name - The local name you assign to the load balancer when you add it to the list.

  • Type - The type can be:

    • SteelApp - SteelApp Traffic Manager (former Stingray Traffic Manager)

    • F5 - F5 Local Traffic Manager

    • Other - Any load balancer other than SteelApp or F5

  • Management IP/Port - The address that NetProfiler uses to contact the load balancer. There can be multiple addresses separated by newlines, spaces or commas. The format of the addresses depends on the load balancer type, as follows:

    • SteelApp Traffic Manager (former Stingray Traffic Manager) - Each IP address should be specified with its own port number in the 10.100.100.1:9070 format. However, specifying a port number is optional. Port 9070 is used by default if no port number is specified. NetProfiler uses the IP address:port number specifications to reach the REST server component of the SteelApp Traffic Manager and retrieve configuration information.

    • F5 Local Traffic Manager - The IP address specification does not accept a port number. NetProfiler uses the IP addresses to reach the iConotrol server component of F5 LTM (versions 9 and 10; not version 11)and retrieve configuration information.

    • Other - The address box can be left empty for load balancers of type "Other." NetProfiler contacts only SteelApp and F5 version 9.0 and 10.0 load balancers.

If name resolution is enabled on the Administration > General Settings page, then the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the SteelApp or F5 load balancer can be specified instead of the management IP address.

  • Username - The login name for the load balancer management account. Account requirements are:

    • SteelApp Traffic Manager - This account must have read permission to access the REST API.

    • F5 Local Traffic Manager - This account must have read permission to access the iControl API.

    • Other - These fields are not applicable and are ignored.

  • Status - The result of the attempt by NetProfiler to query the load balancer. Possible results are:

    • Success - The NetProfiler was able to reach the SteelApp or F5 load balancer. This status does not apply to other load balancers.

    • Load balancer is unreachable - The NetProfiler could not reach the load balancer. This could be caused by an incorrect IP address, a firewall blocking access, or network configuration problem.

    • Load balancer query timed out - The load balancer may be unreachable. This indicates that the configuration query from NetProfiler to the load balancer failed to complete within 30 seconds. This can also be caused by an incorrect IP address, a firewall blocking access, or network configuration problem.

    • Load balancer query terminated abnormally - This indicates that the configuration query from NetProfiler to the load balancer terminated with error.

    • Access denied by load balancer - NetProfiler failed to connect to the load balancer. This may be caused by, but is not limited to, one of the following reasons:

      • REST API is not enabled on SteelApp Traffic Manager. Please check the System > Security > Rest API menu on SteelApp Traffic Manager user interface.

      • The port specified in the Management IP/Port section of the Load Balancers table on the Administration > Integration > Load Balancers page does not match the REST port configured on SteelApp Traffic Manager.

      • REST client on NetProfiler is not compatible with the REST server version on SteelApp Traffic Manager. SteelApp Traffic Manager must be running TM REST version 3.0 or higher.

      • Authentication denied by the load balancer. Please verify the user name, password and user permissions.

  • Last Update - Lists the last time the load balancer information was updated. NetProfiler queries SteelApp and F5 version 9 and 10 load balancers for their virtual IP addresses and SNAT configuration. Information for other devices must be entered manually when a service is defined.

  • Actions - Each action that can be performed on a load balancer is listed as a link:

    • Edit - Opens the same popup that is used to add the load balancer. You can change the settings and click Save to edit the definition of the load balancer.

    • Delete - Deletes the entry from the list.

    • Refresh - Causes NetProfiler to query the load balancer again for its virtual IP addresses. This action applies to only SteelApp and F5 load balancers.

  • Options - The Load Balancer page enables you to manage your list with the following features on the Options menu:

    • Add - Enter the information that NetProfiler needs to query the load balancer. This includes the name, type, address, user name and password of the device. For creating a new load balancer component of type "Other," you can leave the Management IP and Ports box blank.

    • Export - Exports all information in the list of load balancers to a JSON file that you can save on your local machine.

    • Import - Imports a JSON file containing load balancer definitions. Does not import XML or CSV files, such as load balancer definition files exported from earlier versions of NetProfiler.

Integrating with other products

Managing services