HTTP POST with advance balance cookies

[donaghq_2]

Hello

I am trying to keep a session sticky for 20 mins based on cookies. The problem is the application is using HTTP POSTs and the balance method only looks into the HTTP GET. How can I get the CSS to look into the HTTP POST?

Any examples would be great.

Thanks.

Donagh

[Gilles Dufour]

Donagh,

I'm not sure where you got the info that the CSS only looks into HTTP GET but it is wrong.

The CSS looks into any HTTP requests header.

Nothing special to do. If it works for GET it should work for POST.

If not, capture a sniffer trace showing the problem and send it to me with your config.

Gilles.

[donaghq_2]

Hi Gilles

Thanks for your reply. I have obviously been misinformed about the POST and the GET. That is good but now I don't have an answer to my problem!! I am balancing on a cookie called ASP.NET_SessionId=

Here is my config

content Toughbook_PDAs

vip address 10.40.21.28

add service w2k-eolasprd1

add service w2k-eolasprd2

protocol tcp

port 80

string prefix "ASP.NET_SessionId="

sticky-inact-timeout 20

advanced-balance cookies

active

I have attached a trace and I am looking for

ASP.NET_SessionId=1w0cql550wou04albf4jrjfoy45

Hopefully my config is incorrect.

Thank You

Donagh

[Gilles Dufour]

how did you configure the services ?

Is the cookie static for each server ?

The CSS does not learn cookie, so they have to be static and configured under the service so the CSS can do a 1-to-1 match.

You may want to try arrowpoint-cookies.

If you have static cookies and prefer your solution, please send me the services config.

Thanks,

Gilles.

[donaghq_2]

a new cookie is generated for each session so that would explain why my config is not working. i am not sure if the cookie is static for each server but if is my config for the services are very basic

service w2k-eolasprd1

ip address 10.40.28.33

keepalive type tcp

active

service w2k-eolasprd2

ip address 10.40.28.34

keepalive type tcp

active

I should configure the string parameter under the service.

Thanks

Donagh

[Gilles Dufour]

Donagh.

this config won't work.

As I said, the CSS does not have the capability to learn dynamic cookies.

All it can do is locate a specific text inside a cookie, and match it to a pre-configured string associated with a server.

So, I would definitely recommend to use the arrowpoint-cookie.

Replace the 'advanced-balance cookie' with 'advanced-balance arrowpoint-cookie'.

The CSS will create a static cookie for you and associate one value for each server - all automatically.

Gilles.

[donaghq_2]

thanks Gilles. I am trying the arrowpoint cookie. I will let you know. Do I need any other config other than "advance-balance arrowpoint cookies"

Regards

Donagh

[donaghq_2]

PS will the sticy-inact-timeout work with arrowpoint cookies. My aim is that a user stays on the same server based on a cookie for a 20-minute period...

[Gilles Dufour · Accepted solution]

no, this command has no effect on the arrowpoint cookie.

You can however set the cookie expiration time.

Or use browser expiration.

See the commands :

CSS11503-2(config-owner-content[gdufour-WWW])# arrowpoint-cookie ?

browser-expire Allow user's browers to expire cookies.

expiration Configure Expiration time on cookie.

this is documented here :

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/contnetw/ps789/products_tech_note09186a0080094398.shtml

Gilles.

[donaghq_2]

this works! thank you.