ACE - Can it Create/Populate a Serverfarm with Real Servers Based on a DNS Query?

[Michael Mertens]

I have a special requirement for a serverfarm where the ACE would need to load-balance a server farm based upon a response from a DNS query to a delegated DNS server. This delegated DNS server is a "smart connect" node that decides which sub-node should be the active node in the serverfarm, and responds to the DNS query with that sub-node address. There are many application/node architectural reasons why the ACE simply can't be used for making that decision, so I won't muddy the waters with that.

Essentially, the ACE would only have one node in it's serverfarm at one time, based upon the reponse from the Smart-Connect to the DNS query.

Thanks for any input.

Mike.

[Kanwaljeet Singh]

Hi Mike,

I am not quite sure i get the requirement. ACE can do DNS server loadbalancing but if request comes to VIP, it is upto ACE to decide based on configured parameters to loadbalance the request to appropriate server. ACE itself cannot resolve DNS queries.

Regards,

Kanwal

Note: Please mark answers if they are helpful.

[Michael Mertens]

Kanwai,

So when the request comes into the VIP, the ACE would send a DNS query to a rack cluster IP address and the response to that query would end up being the real server that ACE forwards the initial request to. Sounds bizarre, I know, and I questions the performance of such, but that is the architecture I'm being asked to create.

Thanks,

Mike.

[Kanwaljeet Singh]

Hi Mike,

ACE can forward the DNS request to dns server(real server added in ACE) but it will forward the response to the client where it received the request from. It won't be taking any decisions on the basis what the DNS servers responded with.

Regards,

Kanwal

Note: Please mark answers if they are helpful.

[Michael Mertens]

Thanks Kanwalsi for the input.

Mike.