Target Sets configuration elements

A Target Set associated with an IPFE maps a single externally available IP address to a set of IP addresses for application servers.

In general, it is inadvisable to reduce Delete Age value to less than the default. However, a TSA that has connections with longer SCTP heartbeat interval may require this value to be increased from default.

The Target Sets Page describes the fields on the Target Sets View, Insert, and Edit pages. Data Input Notes apply only to the Insert and Edit pages; the View page is read-only.

Target Sets configuration elements (View pages)
Field Description Data Input Notes
Target Set Number

Unique ID identifying the Target Set.

Format: numeric

Range: 1-32

Target Set Address

Public IP address to present to the outside world.

Format: IPv4 or IPv6 address

The Target Set Address must be on the XSI network

Target Set IP List

List of IP addresses of the associated application servers.

Format: IPv4 or IPv6 address.

IP address type must match that of the Target Set Address.

The IP addresses in Target Set IP List must be on the XSI network.

Weighting

Weighting value is used to apportion load between application servers within the Target Set.

Format: numeric

Range: 0-65535

Default: 100

Initiator Port Range

The port range of each DA-MP in the target set. This includes the user-configurable sub-ranges, even if IPFE Initiator Support is enabled.

The local initiator port range is managed by DSR OAM and Application. This applies to all DSR initiator connections.

Format: numeric

Range: 16384-49151

Supported Protocols

The protocols supported by this Target Set.

Format: radio buttons

Range: TCP only, SCTP only, Both TCP and SCTP

Default: Both TCP and SCTP

Preferred Active

The IPFE that will primarily handle traffic for this Target Set. Disabled means that the Target Set is defined, but not currently in use by an IPFE.

Format: radio buttons

Range: IPFE-A1, IPFE-A2, IPFE-B1, IPFE-B2

Default: IPFE-A1

If a radio button is not activate, you need configure the IPFE address under IPFE > Configure > Options.

Preferred Standby

The mate of the Preferred Active IPFE. If the Preferred Active IPFE is unavailable, the Preferred Standby server takes over.

If the Preferred Standby IPFE has been configured, it will be set when you select the Preferred Active IPFE.

Target Sets configuration elements (Insert and Edit pages)
Field Description Data Input Notes
Target Set
*TS Number

Unique ID identifying the TSA.

Format: pulldown menu

Range:1-32

Default: 1

Protocols

A Target Set can support SCTP, TCP, or both.

Format: radio boxes

Range: TCP only, SCTP only, Both TCP and SCTP

Default: Both TCP and SCTP

Disable

Select to disable this Target Set, but preserve it in this configuration.

Format: checkbox

Range: Disable

Initiator Connection Support

Enable support for connections initiated from the Target Set address with incoming packets routed through the IPFE to the originating server.

Format: checkbox

Default: Disabled

*Delete Age

Connections are dropped if idle for this time (seconds). When setting this value please take into account that TCP connections can sometimes be idle for long periods of time depending on the application protocol.

Format: text box, numeric

Range: 10 - 3110400

Default: 600

Load Balance Algorithm

Algorithm used to determine where new connections should go.

Hash: load balancing by sending the new connection to a server based on hashing the originating port and IP address.

Least Load: load balancing by choosing the server with the least load as reported by the application server. (Requires Monitoring Protocol to be set to Heartbeat.)

The load of an application server is calculated using the load equation:

L(m,c) = (Fm * m/mtotal + Fc * c/ctotal) * Whigh/w where m and mtotal are the currently reserved and total capacity of ingress MPS (messages per second), respectively; c and ctotal are the number of current connections and total connection capacity, respectively; w and whigh are the application server weighing and the highest weighting in the Target IP List, respectively.

The value c includes, as an added component, the rate of new connections, in order to smooth the distribution of a sudden flood of new connections.

Format: Radio box

Range: Hash, Least Load

Default: Least Load

Least Load Parameters
*MPS Factor

Factor Fm in load equation. The total Fm + Fc will be normalized to 100 on commit of this form.

Format: text box; numeric

Range: 0 - 100

Default: 50

*Connection Count Factor

Factor Fc in load equation. The total Fm + Fc will be normalized to 100 on commit of this form.

Format: text box; numeric

Range: 0 - 100

Default: 50

*Allowed Deviation

Percentage within which two application servers' L(m,c) results are considered to be equal, which is used to smooth out load distribution.

If the difference in load between the lowest and next least-loaded application server is greater than or equal to this value, then the IPFE applies the Least Load algorithm and assigns new connections to the least loaded application server.

If the difference in load between the lowest and next least-loaded application server is less than this value, then the IPFE distributes the connection in a weighted round-robin fashion between the application servers that are within the "Allowed Deviation" range.

Format: text box; numeric

Range: 0 - 50

Default: 5

Peer Node Aware Least Load

Enable Peer Node Group awareness when directing connections.

When enabled, the IPFE distribute connections from the same Peer Node Group across servers in the Target Set to provide server redundancy for that group of peers. The IPFE will keep a group count of the connections from a Peer Node Group to each server in the Target Set. Servers with a group count difference that is equal to or greater than D from the lowest group count will generally not be considered. eg. If D is 1, the effect is to send the connection to the server with the lowest group count.

Format: checkbox

Default: Enable

Peer Node Group Distribution Threshold

The value D in Peer Node Aware

Format: text box; numeric

Range: 0 - 10

Default: 1

Primary Public IP Address
*Address

Public IPv4 or IPv6 address presented to the outside world. Do not edit if in use by a local node.

Format: IPv4 or IPv6 address

Active IPFE

IPFE that will primarily handle traffic for this TSA.

If the active IPFE fails, then its mate will take over.

IPFE A1 and IPFE A2 are mates. IPFE B1 and IPFE B2 are mates.

If these radio buttons are diasbled, IPFE Addresses under IPFE>Configuration>Options need to be configured.

Format: Radio buttons

Secondary Public IP Address
Secondary Address

Optional secondary Public IPv4 or IPv6 address presented to the outside world.

For SCTP, this address will serve as a non-primary protocol-linked failover address.

For TCP, this address can serve as an independent address.

IF this field is populated, then the column Secondary IP Address Target Set IP List must be populated.

Do not edit if in use by a local nodes.

Format: IPv4 or IPv6 address

Active IPFE for secondary address

The IPFE that will primarily handle traffic for this TSA's secondary address.

If the active IPFE fails then its mate will take over. IPFE A1 and IPFE A1 are mates. IPFE B1 and IPFE B2 are mates. The setting for this field should complement the setting of Active IPFE in order to provide and alternative path for SCTP dual-homed traffic. This will allow SCTP connections with a very short heartbeat interval to transmit on the secondary path if the heartbeat timeout is short than the IPFE switchover delay.

Format: Radio buttons

Target Set IP List
IP Address

Primary IPv4 or IPv6 address for the application server.

Format: Pulldown menu

Secondary IP Address

Secondary IPv4 or IPv6 address for the application server.

Format: Pulldown menu

Description

Free-form description for the application server.

Format: Text box; alphanumeric

*Weighting

Weighting value used to apportion load between application servers within the Target Set. The following formula determines the selection of an application server:

Application server's % chance of selection = (Application server weight / Sum of all weights in the Target Set ) * 100.

If all application servers have an equal weight, they have an equal chance of being selected. If application servers have unequal capacities, give a higher weight to the servers with the greater capacity.

Format: Text box; numeric

Range: 0 - 65535

Initiator Port Range

Displays the port range of each DA-MP in the target set.

Note: This field cannot be changed.

Format: numeric

Range: 16384-49151