ACE: Can I loadbalance based on client Source IP/and client tcp source port?

hoelpf1 · ‎06-21-2010

We recently migrated serving a client from being thick client at the desktop to being served via a citrix farm. Prior to the migration the clients came from about 5000 unique source IP's to their VIP, now they come from only 31 unique source IP's from the citrix servers in the farm. A citrix server can host 400 client sessions, since the default action of the ACE is to loadbalance based on source IP's, the ACE is sending up to 400 sessions from one citrix server to 1 real server in the farm. Is there anyway I can loadbalance based on client source IP and tcp source port so the ACE views the 400 sessions from one citrix server as unique sessions? The application does not require persistence.

JEAN-MARC MEYER · ‎06-21-2010

Hello,

Yes, you can configure a "Sticky Layer 4 Payload" as descirbed on this Link:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/interfaces_modules/services_modules/ace/vA2_3_0/command/reference/sticky.html#wp1039276

Unfrotunately I do not have any working example. You must calculate the right values for the Offset and the Length to configure.

Regards Jean-Marc

hoelpf1 · ‎06-22-2010

Thanks, but that solves for sticky, and I am trying to solve for load balancing, the decision as to what rserver to send a new tcp session to. The client only initiates a single tcp session, right now 115 or so client sessions come from a single citrix server, and right now they all go to the same rserver, is that a sticky issue or a load balancing decision? If i sticky on tcp port, will it still distribute the 115 evenly across the rservers?

Peter Hoelzl

Sent from pda