Deployment Example: SAML v2 Using Sun OpenSSO Enterprise 8.0

7.5 Configuring the Directory Server Load Balancer

Load Balancer 1 (lb1.sp-example.com) is configured in front of the Directory Server user data instances on the service provider side. This section assumes that you have already installed the load balancer. Before beginning, note the following:

Use the following list of procedures as a checklist for completing the task.

  1. To Import the Root Certificate to the User Data Load Balancer

  2. To Configure Directory Server Load Balancer 1

ProcedureTo Import the Root Certificate to the User Data Load Balancer

Install the CA root certificate on the user data load balancer to ensure that a link between the load balancer can be maintained with the CA. Use the same root certificate that you imported in 7.4 Enabling Secure Communication for the Directory Server User Data Instances. For more information, see 3.3 Obtaining Secure Socket Layer Certificates.

  1. Access https://is-f5.siroe.com, the BIG-IP load balancer login page, in a web browser.

  2. Log in to the load balancer as administrator.

  3. Click Proxies.

  4. Click the Cert-Admin tab.

  5. Click Import.

  6. In the Import Type field, choose Certificate and click Continue.

  7. Click Browse in the Certificate File field on the Install SSL Certificate page.

  8. Choose Browser in the Choose File dialog box.

  9. Navigate to ca.cer and click Open.

  10. Enter opensslCA in the Certificate Identifier field.

  11. Click Install Certificate.

    The Certificate opensslCA page is displayed.

  12. Click Return to Certificate Administration on the Certificate opensslCA page.

    opensslCA, the root certificate, is now included in the Certificate ID list.

ProcedureTo Configure Directory Server Load Balancer 1

Before You Begin

This procedure assumes that you have just completed To Import the Root Certificate to the User Data Load Balancer and are still logged into the load balancer console.

  1. Click Configure your BIG-IP (R) using the Configuration Utility.

  2. Create a Pool.

    A pool contains all the backend server instances.

    1. In the left pane, click Pools.

    2. On the Pools tab, click Add.

    3. In the Add Pool dialog, provide the following information:

      Pool Name

      DirectoryServerSP-UserData-Pool

      Load Balancing Method

      Round Robin

      Resources

      Add the IP address and port number of both Directory Server host machines.


      Note –

      Use port number 1489.


    4. Click Done.

  3. Add a Virtual Server.

    The virtual server presents an address to the outside world and, when users attempt to connect, it would forward the connection to the most appropriate real server.


    Tip –

    If you encounter JavaScriptTM errors or otherwise cannot proceed to create a virtual server, try using Internet Explorer.


    1. In the left frame, click Virtual Servers.

    2. Click Add on the Virtual Servers tab.

    3. In the Add a Virtual Server dialog box, provide the following information:

      Address

      Enter the IP address for lb1.sp-example.com

      Service

      489

    4. Continue to click Next until you reach the Pool Selection dialog box.

    5. Assign DirectoryServerSP-UserData-Pool to the virtual server in the Pool Selection dialog box.

    6. Click Done.

  4. Add Monitors

    Monitors are required for the load balancer to detect the backend server failures.

    1. In the left frame, click Monitors.

    2. Click the Basic Associations tab.

    3. Add an LDAP monitor for the Directory Server 1 node.

      In the Node column, locate the IP address and port number previously entered for Directory Server 1 and select the Add checkbox.

    4. Add an LDAP monitor for the Directory Server 2 node.

      In the Node column, locate the IP address and port number previously entered for Directory Server 2 and select the Add checkbox.

    5. At the top of the Node column, in the drop-down list, choose ldap-tcp.

    6. Click Apply.

  5. Configure the load balancer for simple persistence.

    With simple persistence, all requests sent within a specified interval are processed by the same Directory Server instance, ensuring complete replication of entries. For example, when a request requires information to be written to Directory Server 1, that information must also be replicated to Directory Server 2. As the replication takes time to complete, if a related request is directed by the load balancer to Directory Server 2 during the replication process itself, the request may fail as the entry might only be partially created. When properly configured, simple persistence ensures that both requests are routed to Directory Server 1 and processed in consecutive order; the first request is finished before the second request begins processing. Simple persistence ensures that within the specified interval, no errors or delays occur due to replication time or redirects when retrieving data. Simple persistence tracks connections based only on the client IP address.

    1. In the left frame, click Pools.

    2. Click the name of the pool you want to configure.

      In this example, DirectoryServerSP-UserData-Pool.

    3. Click the Persistence tab.

    4. Under Persistence Type, select Simple.

    5. Enter 300 seconds for the Timeout interval.

    6. Click Apply.

  6. Verify the Directory Server load balancer configuration using the following sub-procedure.

    1. Log in as a root user on each Directory Server host machine.

    2. On each host machine, use the tail command to monitor the Directory Server access log.


      # cd /var/opt/mps/sp-users/logs
      # tail -f access
      

      You should see connections to the load balancer IP address opening and closing. For example:

      [12/July/2008:13:10:20-0700] conn=69755 op=-1 msgId=-1 - closed 
      [12/July/2008:13:10:25-0700] conn=69756 op=-1 msgId=-1 
      - fd=27 slot=27 LDAP connection from IP_address to IP_address
      [12/July/2008:13:10:25-0700] conn=69756 op=0 msgId=0 
      - RESULT err=80 tag=120 nentries=0 etime=0 
      [12/July/2008:13:10:25-0700] conn=69756 op=-1 msgId=-1 
      - closing from IP_address
      
    3. Execute the following LDAP search against the Directory Server load balancer from Directory Server 1.


      # cd /var/opt/mps/serverroot/dsrk6/bin
      # ./ldapsearch -h lb1.sp-example.com -p 489 -Z 
      -P /var/opt/mps/sp-users/alias/slapd-cert8.db
      -b "o=spusers.com" -D "cn=directory manager" 
      -w dsmanager "(objectclass=*)"
      
      version: 1
      dn: o=spusers.com
      objectClass: top
      objectClass: organization
      o: spusers.com

      Make sure the returned entries display in the access log on only one Directory Server host machine.

    4. Run dsadm stop to stop Directory Server 1.


      # cd /var/opt/mps/serverroot/ds6/bin
      # ./dsadm stop /var/opt/mps/sp-users
      
    5. Perform the (same) LDAP search against the Directory Server load balancer from Directory Server 2.


      # cd /var/opt/mps/serverroot/dsrk6/bin
      # ./ldapsearch -h lb1.sp-example.com -p 489 -Z 
      -P /var/opt/mps/sp-users/alias/slapd-cert8.db
      -b "o=spusers.com" -D "cn=directory manager" 
      -w dsmanager "(objectclass=*)"
      
      version: 1
      dn: o=spusers.com
      objectClass: top
      objectClass: organization
      o: spusers.com

      Make sure the returned entries display in the access log on only Directory Server 2.


      Note –

      You may encounter the following error message:

      ldap_simple_bind: Cant' connect to the LDAP 
      server — Connection refused

      This means that the load balancer may not fully detect that Directory Server 1 is stopped. In this case, you may have started the search too soon based on the polling interval setting. For example, if the polling interval is set to 10 seconds, you should wait ten seconds to start the search. You can reset the timeout properties to a lower value using the load balancer console.

      1. Click the Monitors tab.

      2. Click the ldap-tcp monitor name.

      3. In the Interval field, set the value to 5.

        This tells the load balancer to poll the server every 5 seconds.

      4. In the Timeout field, set the value to 16.

      5. Click Apply and repeat the LDAP search.

      See your load balancer documentation for more information on the timeout property.


    6. Start Directory Server 1.


      # ./dsadm start /var/opt/mps/sp-users
      
    7. Stop Directory Server 2.


      # cd /var/opt/mps/serverroot/ds6/bin
      # ./dsadm stop /var/opt/mps/sp-users
      
    8. Perform the (same) LDAP search against the Directory Server load balancer from Directory Server 1 to confirm that the request is forwarded to the running Directory Server 1.


      # cd /var/opt/mps/serverroot/dsrk6/bin
       ./ldapsearch -h lb1.sp-example.com -p 489 -Z 
      -P /var/opt/mps/am-users/alias/slapd-cert8.db
      -b "o=spusers.com" -D "cn=directory manager" 
      -w dsmanager "(objectclass=*)"
      
      version: 1
      dn: o=spusers.com
      objectClass: top
      objectClass: organization
      o: spusers.com

      Make sure the returned entries display in the access log on only Directory Server 1.

    9. Start Directory Server 2.


      # ./dsadm start /var/opt/mps/sp-users
      
    10. Log out of both Directory Server host machines and the load balancer console.