ALOHA Load-Balancer

Virtual Appliance quickstart guide

Document version: v1.0

Aloha version concerned: v5.0.x

Last update date: 15th June 2012

 Summary

1 Hypervisor Intergration 3
1.1 Citrix Xenserver 6.0 and above . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 Microsoft HyperV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 VMWare ESX 3.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 VMWare VSphere 4.x and above . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2 Configuration settings check-list 6

3 First network configuration 7

3.1 Default network configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.2 Network configuration from DHCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.3 Network configuration through console Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.4 Manual network configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.5 Browse the Web User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

4 Network configuration through the WUI wizard 11

4.1 Launch the wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.2 Step 1 : Network interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.3 Step 2 : Link aggregation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.4 Step 3 : VLANs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4.5 Step 4 : IP Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4.6 Step 5 : IP Routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4.7 Step 6 : VRRP (High Availability) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.8 Step 7 : Aloha management configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.9 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.10 Configuration building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

5 License 18
5.1 Get a time limited license for a standalone ALOHA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.2 Get a time limited license for a cluster of ALOHA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

6 Support & assistance 21

 CHAPTER 1. HYPERVISOR INTERGRATION

1 Hypervisor Intergration

1.1 Citrix Xenserver 6.0 and above

In order to install the ALOHA VA in an Citrix XenServer environment, please follow the steps below :

1. UnZIP aloha-albva-citrix-xenserver.

2. Start XenCenter Client and connect to your Cirtix Xenserver.

3. On the toolbar click on: File/Import.

4. Choose Browse, then browse to the uncompressed file aloha-albva\aloha-albva.xva.

5. Follow the installation wizard.

1.2 Microsoft HyperV

In order to install the ALOHA VA in an HyperV environment, please follow the steps below :

1. Unzip the Aloha from its archive.

2. Move the Aloha VHD file into your VM directory.

3. Run the HyperV Manager and get connected to your HyperV server.

4. Create a new Virtual Machine

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 CHAPTER 1. HYPERVISOR INTERGRATION

5. Fill the form to meet your requirements.

• Memory size: 512 MB is fine, you can put more if you wish.
• check Use an existing virtual hard disk then points the location path to your aloha VHD file
• click on finish

6. Configure your Network card as appropriate.

7. You can now startup your Aloha and get connected to it.

1.3 VMWare ESX 3.5

In order to install the ALOHA VA in an ESX 3.5 environment, please follow the steps below :

1. UnZIP aloha-albva-esx3X.zip.

2. Start VMware Infrastructure Client and connect to your ESX Server.

3. On the toolbar click on: File/Virtual Appliance/Import.

4. Choose ’Import From File’: browse to the uncompressed file aloha-albva\aloha-albva.ovf.

5. Follow the installation wizard.

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 CHAPTER 1. HYPERVISOR INTERGRATION

1.4 VMWare VSphere 4.x and above

In order to install the ALOHA VA in a vSphere environment, please follow the steps below:

1. UnZIP aloha-albva-vsphere4X.zip.

2. Start VMware vSPHERE Client and connect to your vSHPERE Server.

3. On the toolbar click on: File/Deploy OVF Template.

4. Choose ’Deploy from file’: browse to the uncompressed file aloha-albva\aloha-albva.ovf.

5. Follow the installation wizard.

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 CHAPTER 2. CONFIGURATION SETTINGS CHECK-LIST

2 Configuration settings check-list

In order to properly configure your Aloha Load-Balancer, you need at least the information listed below:

• IP address:

• Subnet netmask:

• Default gateway :

• Password:

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 CHAPTER 3. FIRST NETWORK CONFIGURATION

3 First network configuration

The diagram below shows the process flow about ALOHA first network configuration options, using a
DHCP or manual setting. Just read the chapter corresponding to your need.
The easiest way is to let the ALOHA uses the DHCP server when available. If no DHCP servers are
available, then using the startup network configuration wizard is recommended.

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 CHAPTER 3. FIRST NETWORK CONFIGURATION

3.1 Default network configuration

The default IP addresses configured on ALOHA’s eth0 interface are: 192.168.0.200 and 192.168.1.200.
The first prompt should looks like this:

As you can see on the picture above, the Web User Interface is available on two URLs:

• http://192.168.0.200:4444/

• http://192.168.1.200:4444/

Just point a browser to any of them to get the Web User Interface.
If you can’t reach the ALOHA Load-Balancer IP address from your laptop, please read
3.4 Manual Network configuration

3.2 Network configuration from DHCP

If the ALOHA Load-Balancer can reach a DHCP server, then it gets its network configuration from it.
The first prompt should looks like this:

As you can see on the picture above, the Aloha Web User Interface is available at the URL http://10.0.4.146:4444/.
It may be different in your environment

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 CHAPTER 3. FIRST NETWORK CONFIGURATION

3.3 Network configuration through console Wizard

When the prompt below appears, you have 10 seconds to choose between DHCP (type “D”) or static
(type “s”) configuration.

Type “s” to configure a static IP.

The appliance will then ask three questions:

• The IP address you want to configure on the appliance

• The subnet

• The appliance default gateway

The picture below shows an example of configuration:

Type “y” to validate your configuration.

You can now access your Appliance Web User Interface at the address https://10.0.0.17:4444/.
The picture below shows the appliance telling you where to find the WUI:

3.4 Manual network configuration

If you need to update manually the default Aloha IP configuration, just get connected on the console
using the login admin and the password admin.
Then get root rights by running the command:

root

Finally, type the commands below:

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 CHAPTER 3. FIRST NETWORK CONFIGURATION

service network stop

ip link set eth0 up
ip address add x.x.x.x/xx dev eth0
ip route add default via y.y.y.y

where x.x.x.x/xx is the Aloha IP address and subnet and y.y.y.y is its default gateway.

This configuration done through the CLI is not saved. As soon as you run it, you’re
invited to run the wizard through the GUI to configure the network of your Aloha. Please
read “4 First Network configuration through the wizard”

3.5 Browse the Web User Interface

Open the console of your Aloha and it would print out where to find the GUI.
In example:

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 CHAPTER 4. NETWORK CONFIGURATION THROUGH THE WUI WIZARD

4 Network configuration through the WUI

wizard

To set up the network configuration of your ALOHA, you can use the Wizard which will ask you few
questions then build your networking configuration.

Keep in mind that running the wizard will erase all previous network settings you may
already have saved.

4.1 Launch the wizard

• On the WUI, click on the Wizard tab.

• Click on Next in the config or Cancel to quit the wizard.
• Click on Next to continue

4.2 Step 1 : Network interface

This step allows you to configure physical network interfaces.

• Select network speed (Auto / 10 / 100 / 1000 Mbps)

• Select negotiation mode (Auto / half duplex / full duplex)
• (optional) Write a description for the interface
• Click on Next to go to the next step.

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 CHAPTER 4. NETWORK CONFIGURATION THROUGH THE WUI WIZARD

4.3 Step 2 : Link aggregation

This step allows you to aggregate network interfaces together

If you want to aggregate two or more network interfaces:

• Check the network interfaces to aggregate together

• Type a description

• Click Agreg.

Result should looks like the picture below:

• Start again as required

• Click on Next to go to the next step

• If you don’t need to create an aggregate, click on Next to go to the next step

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 CHAPTER 4. NETWORK CONFIGURATION THROUGH THE WUI WIZARD

4.4 Step 3 : VLANs

This step allows you to create tagged virtual interface in order to integrate the Aloha within an archi-
tecture with VLANs.

• Choose the Interface you want to create a new vlan on

• Type the VLAN ID

• (optional) Type a short Description for this virtual interface

• Click on Create

• Click on Next to go to the next step

If you don’t need to create any VLAN interface, click on Next to go to the next step.

4.5 Step 4 : IP Addresses

This step allows you to configure IP addresses related to the ALOHA network interfaces.
These addresses are generally internal IPs or dedicated to the administration, allowing your servers
and monitoring system to reach the ALOHA Load-balancer.

When using two ALOHA Load Balancers in a cluster, the shared Service IP addresses
will be hosted by VRRP protocol, setup at step 6.

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 CHAPTER 4. NETWORK CONFIGURATION THROUGH THE WUI WIZARD

• Choose the Interface you want to configure

• Type in the IP address/mask respecting the format: aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd/mm.

• Click on Add

Result should looks like the image below:

• Start again the operation as required.

• Once done, click on Next

4.6 Step 5 : IP Routes

This step allows you to configure static routes on the ALOHA Load Balancer.

In a production environment, it is necessary to configure at least one route to tell the

ALOHA how to reach users or servers which are located on a different subnet.

You should at least configure the gateway for the default route (0.0.0.0/0).

• Choose a network Interface

• Type in the destination Network, respecting the format aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd/mm

• Click on Add

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 CHAPTER 4. NETWORK CONFIGURATION THROUGH THE WUI WIZARD

Result should looks like the image below:

• Start again the operation as required.

• Once done, click on Next

4.7 Step 6 : VRRP (High Availability)

This step allows you to configure high availability for two ALOHA Load balancers. The IP addresses
dedicated to virtual services will be hosted by the VRRP Protocol on the ALOHA master.

• Choose the Interface

• Fill up the VRRP Address : this is the Virtual IP Address (VIP) which will be presented to the
network

• Fill up the vrID : this is an integer from 0 to 255 for all the server in the cluster sharing the same
service.
This ID must be unique on your network.

• Fill up the Priority: this is an integer from 1 to 254, which is used to choose the master Aloha.
The higher, the stronger.
You can also activate configuration synchronization between two ALOHA Load balancers and
choose a different role for each of them.

• Click on Next

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 CHAPTER 4. NETWORK CONFIGURATION THROUGH THE WUI WIZARD

4.8 Step 7 : Aloha management configuration

This step allows you to configure the management of your Aloha.

• SSH is the remote CLI configuration access

• Web Interface is the WUI and choose the language.

• You can setup your Aloha load balancer Hostname

• You can enable SNMP: choose a community and a network to restrict access

• Click on Next

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 CHAPTER 4. NETWORK CONFIGURATION THROUGH THE WUI WIZARD

4.9 Summary

This step summarizes the different piece of configuration and allows you to apply it.

Click on Apply to install the freshly created configuration.

4.10 Configuration building

This step allows to definitely validate the configuration and to apply it after a reboot.
Click on Yes to save your new configuration and reboot the Aloha.

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 CHAPTER 5. LICENSE

5 License

By default, the ALOHA Load-Balancer is delivered in Evaluation version, with a limitation to 10

connections per second.
This is a good way to check if the ALOHA can meet your requirements.
If you want to test it with “live” traffic, then you can get a time limited license.

5.1 Get a time limited license for a standalone ALOHA

• On your ALOHA WUI, click on the Setup tab, where you’ll see the activation link below:

• Click on [activation].
It will open a new tab in your browser, on Exceliance website.

• Fill the customer details form with your information:

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 CHAPTER 5. LICENSE

• Check the required details looks right:

• Don’t forget to fill up the math question at the bottom of the page:

• Wait for the mail which will come back with a link where you’ll be able to download the license
file.

• Go on the Setup Tab, at the bottom of the page and fill up the license add form.
Click on Add.
Click on Save.

• Now, you should see a new row describing your license:

Check your license status is valid.

• At the top of the Setup page, you should now see the capacity allowed by the license:

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 CHAPTER 5. LICENSE

5.2 Get a time limited license for a cluster of ALOHA

• Run the procedure described in “5.1 Get a time limited license for a standalone ALOHA” to get
a license for the first ALOHA.

• Note the License ID generated

• Run the procedure described in “5.1 Get a time limited license for a standalone ALOHA” to get
a license for the second ALOHA.
When filling the form on Exceliance Website, don’t forget to fill up the license ID field:

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 CHAPTER 6. SUPPORT & ASSISTANCE

6 Support & assistance

Should you have any question about the Aloha Load balancer operating mode, you may contact Ex-
celiance’s technical assistance by email [email protected] or by phone +33 130.676.071 (French
business hours).
Please, prepare your serial number and/or support contract number as well as your firmware revision
(‘setup’ tab) before calling.
To activate your product standard guarantee or your warranty extension, you need to register it on the
dedicated form on our website at:

• French :
http://www.exceliance.fr/fra/enregistrement-des-extensions-de-garantie-xlcare

• English :
http://www.exceliance.fr/en/xlcare-extended-warranty-registration

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