Basic Deployment of BIG-IP LTM (with Persistence) for ABC Portal

Prerequisites and configuration notes

The following are prerequisites for this solution:
- For this deployment, BIG-IP LTM system must be running version 9.0 or later (in my case BIG-IP version is 9.3.1 Build 37.1)
- Assume that the BIG-IP LTM device is already installed in the network, and objects like Self IPs and VLANs have already been created.

Creating Pool
The next step is to define a load balancing pool for the ABC WWW servers. BIG-IP LTM pool is a set of devices grouped together to receive traffic according to a load balancing method.

- On the Main tab, expand Local Traffic, and then click Pools.
- In the upper right portion of the screen, click the Create button.
- From the Configuration list, select Advanced.
- In the Name box, type a name for your pool.In my example, I use abc-http-pool
- In the Slow Ramp Time box, type 300. For this pool, I use the Least Connections load balancing method. I set the Ramp Time in order to ensure that if a pool member becomes available after maintenance or a new member is added, the Least Connections load balancing algorithm does not send all new connections to that member (a newly available member will always have the least number of connections).
- In the IP ToS to Server and Link QoS to Server rows, make sure Pass Through is selected.
- From the Load Balancing Method list, choose your preferred load balancing method (different load balancing methods may yield optimal results for a particular network). In my case, I choose Least Connections (member).
- In this pool, leave the Priority Group Activation Disabled.
- In the New Members section, make sure the New Address option button is selected.
- In the Address box, add the first WWW server to the pool. Type 10.X.X.X
- In the Service Port box, type 80 or select HTTP from the list.
- Click the Add button to add the member to the list.
- Repeat these steps for the remaining servers, 10.X.X.1 and 2.

Creating an HTTP profile
- On the Main tab, expand Local Traffic, and then click Profiles.
- In the upper right portion of the screen, click the Create button.
- In the Name box, type a name for this profile. Type abc-http.
- From the Parent Profile list, select http
- Modify any of the other settings as applicable for your network.
- Click the Finished

Creating the TCP profile
- On the Main tab, expand Local Traffic, and then click Profiles.
- On the Menu bar, from the Protocol menu, click tcp.
- In the upper right portion of the screen, click the Create button.
- In the Name box, type a name for this profile.Type abc-tcp.
- From the Parent Profile list, select tcp.
- Click the Finished

Creating the persistence profile
- On the Main tab, expand Local Traffic, and then click Profiles.
- On the Menu bar, click Persistence.
- In the upper right portion of the screen, click the Create button.
- In the Name box, type a name for this profile. Type abc-cookie.
- From the Persistence Type list, select Cookie.
- Click the Finished

Creating the virtual server
- On the Main tab, expand Local Traffic, and then click Virtual Servers
- In the upper right portion of the screen, click the Create button.
- In the Name box, type a name for this virtual server.Type abc-http-vs.
- In the Destination section, select the Host option button.
- In the Address box, type the IP address of this virtual server.
- In the Service Port box, type 80, or select HTTP from the list
- From the Configuration list, select Advanced.
- Leave the Type list at the default setting: Standard.
- From the Protocol Profile (Client) list select the name of the profile created in the Creating the TCP profile section. Select abc-tcp.
- From the HTTP Profile list, select the name of the profile created in the Creating an HTTP profile section. Select abc-http.
- From the SNAT Pool list, select AutomapIn the Resources section, from the Default Pool list, select the pool created in the Creating the pool section. Select abc-http-pool.
- From the Default Persistence Profile list, select the persistence profile created in the Creating the persistence profile section. Select abc-cookie

- Click the Finished button.