Load Balancing IPSEC VPN UDP-500 & UDP-4500

JonEJonE Member

Hi,

I'm trying to load balance multiple client IPSEC VPN connections to 2 servers, this is part of a Microsoft Always-On VPN solution

We have it working when I have just one server configured, but I think I need to manage the traffic so that the SRC hosts UDP-4500 traffic follows the same SRC hosts UDP-500 traffic so they both hit the same backend server. Otherwise UDP-500 traffic may go to one server and UDP-4500 to the other, which I don't think will work.

The two servers are not peered, or even aware of each other so a particular SRCs traffic really needs to always hit the same server. With multiple SRC Hosts being distributed between the servers ideally 50/50.

I've looked at templates, in particular the SRC-IP template, but am not sure if this can be used to achieve the level of traffic management required ?

I've found information via searching for Kemp LoadMaster to achieve this, but have been unable to find a A10 solution. https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/11/18/always-on-vpn-ikev2-load-balancing-issue-with-kemp-loadmaster/

Does someone know how I can achieve this port following behaviour ?

Thanks.

Comments

  • mdunnmdunn Member ✭✭

    If you use the same source-ip persistence template on both virtual ports and set the match type to server, this will populate the persistence table at the server level rather than the virtual port level:


    slb template persist source-ip vpn-persist
      match-type server
    

    I believe that should accomplish your goals.

  • JonEJonE Member

    To check my understanding, if I configure it as below the persistence should work so a single client always hits the same server ?

    <code>

    !

    slb server RAS1 192.168.99.8 

     port 500 udp 

     port 4500 udp 

    !

    slb server RAS2 192.168.99.9 

     port 500 udp 

     port 4500 udp 

    !

    slb service-group VPN-UDP-4500 udp 

     member RAS1 4500 

     member RAS2 4500 

    !

    slb service-group VPN-UDP-500 udp 

     member RAS1 500 

     member RAS2 500 

    !    

    slb template persist source-ip VPN-PERSIST 

     match-type server

    !    

    slb virtual-server MS-AoVPN 192.168.98.1 /32 

     description MS Always-On-VPN

     port 500 udp 

      service-group VPN-UDP-500 

      template persist source-ip VPN-PERSIST 

     port 4500 udp 

      service-group VPN-UDP-4500 

      template persist source-ip VPN-PERSIST 

    !  

    </code>

    😀

  • mdunnmdunn Member ✭✭
    edited May 2021

    That looks correct to me! I've used the exact same approach for transparent proxy load balancing such that port 80 and 443 hit the same proxy.

  • AndersDLAndersDL Member

    Hi Jon,


    I am aware of a deployment with one of my customers and they load balance across multiple IPSEC tunnels. I haven't tested with the msft always on vpn, but this should work (add port 4500 and such if you want to leverage NAT transversal instead). They use no-dest-nat so the destination IP doesn't change, this may or may not work for you depending on your routing and such.


    This is a sample config they use:


    Just a note - I highly recommend avoid using this within a health monitor with :

    "strict-retry-on-server-err-resp " - quick flaps up/down of servers can cause churn and split the sessions. (very unique case - must flap quickly and have reselect enabled as well)




    -sample:


    slb template port template_delsessiondown 

     del-session-on-server-down 


    slb template udp template_reselectifdown

     re-select-if-server-down 


    slb template persist source-ip persist-source-ip 

     match-type server 


    slb server s_server1 10.0.0.1 

     port 0 udp 

      health-check-disable

     port 500 udp 

      health-check-disable 


    slb server s_server2 10.0.0.2 

     port 0 udp 

      health-check-disable

     port 500 udp 

      health-check-disable 


    slb service-group sg_IPSEC500 udp

     template port template_delsessiondown

     member s_server1 500

     member s_server2 500



    slb service-group sg_UDP_ESP-AH-OTHERS udp

     template port template_delsessiondown

     member s_server1 0

     member s_server2 0


    slb virtual-server vip_IPSEC 1.1.1.1 /32 

     disable-when-all-ports-down 

     port 0 others

      service-group sg_UDP_ESP-AH-OTHERS 

      template persist source-ip persist-source-ip  

      template udp template_reselectifdown

      no-dest-nat

     port 500 udp 

      service-group sg_IPSEC500

      template persist source-ip persist-source-ip  

      template udp template_reselectifdown

      no-dest-nat



    Feel free to reach out to me at adupuislund@a10networks.com - if you have further questions / issues!

  • JonEJonE Member

    Thanks Guys, your replies have led me straight to a working configuration. Following holiday / family bereavement / other work commitments we now have this up and running.

    The config below is working fine, and thought I would share to say thanks and in case it helps others.

    Our front end Virtual Server IP is 192.168.98.1

    The two RAS servers are, 192.168.99.8 & 192.168.99.9


    ```

    !

    slb server S-MS-AoVPN-RAS1 192.168.99.8

    port 500 udp

    health-check-disable

    port 4500 udp

    health-check-disable

    !

    slb server S-MS-AoVPN-RAS2 192.168.99.9

    port 500 udp

    health-check-disable

    port 4500 udp

    health-check-disable

    !

    slb service-group SG-MS-AoVPN-UDP-4500 udp

    template port template_delsessiondown

    member S-MS-AoVPN-RAS1 4500

    member S-MS-AoVPN-RAS2 4500

    !

    slb service-group SG-MS-AoVPN-UDP-500 udp

    template port template_delsessiondown

    member S-MS-AoVPN-RAS1 500

    member S-MS-AoVPN-RAS2 500

    !

    slb template persist source-ip T-MS-AoVPN-SRC-IP

    match-type server

    !

    slb template udp template_reselectifdown

    re-select-if-server-down

    !

    slb virtual-server VS-MS-AoVPN 192.168.98.1 /32

    disable-when-all-ports-down

    port 500 udp

    service-group SG-MS-AoVPN-UDP-500

    template persist source-ip T-MS-AoVPN-SRC-IP

    template udp template_reselectifdown

    port 4500 udp

    service-group SG-MS-AoVPN-UDP-4500

    template persist source-ip T-MS-AoVPN-SRC-IP

    template udp template_reselectifdown

    !

    ```

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