WebMux WM108E User manual

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents················································································································i
Packing List·······················································································································iii
Main Components·············································································································· 1
Front View·····································································································································1
Rear View ······································································································································2
WebMux Overview············································································································· 3
Key Features··································································································································3
The WebMux Family ···················································································································5
Network Overview························································································································7
Sample Configurations······································································································ 9
Single WebMux·····························································································································9
Redundant Installation ··············································································································11
Installation without IP Address Change··················································································13
Before you Start··························································································································15
Hardware Setup --- Collect Information·················································································16
Hardware Setup ---Setup the new network·············································································16
Hardware Setup ---Configuration Summary··········································································17
Initial Configuration········································································································ 17
NAT Mode Related Configuration···························································································18
Out-of-Path Related Configuration··························································································20
NAT and Out-of-Path Common Configuration······································································20
What if I made mistake in my configuration? ········································································23
Management Console ······································································································ 24
Login·············································································································································24
Main Management Console·······································································································26
Administration Set Up ···············································································································28
Change Browser Login Password: ···························································································33
Set Clock:·····································································································································34
Upload/Download ·······················································································································36
Add Farm·····································································································································37
Modify Farm ·······························································································································40
Add Server: ·································································································································41

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Modify Server ·····························································································································43
Initial setup change Through Browser ····················································································45
Initial Configuration Worksheets···················································································· 47
Sample Configuration Worksheets·················································································· 48
Contact Information ········································································································ 52
FAQs································································································································· 53
Regulations······················································································································· 56
Appendix 1 – How to Add A Loopback Adapter····························································· 57
Appendix 2 - How to make route delete reboot persistent·············································· 58
Appendix 3 - Phone Paging Codes·················································································· 59
Appendix 4 – Virtual Hosting Issues··············································································· 61
Appendix 5 – Sample Custom CGI Code········································································ 62
Appendix 6 – Access CLI Commands············································································· 63
Index································································································································· 64

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Packing List
•One (1) WebMux unit
•One (1) Power cord
•One (1) User Manual
•One (1) Warranty registration card

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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Main Components
Front View
Toggle Power Switch
This switch toggles power on and off. To power off, the switch must be pressed
and held for 5 seconds.
Reset Button
Press and release the reset button to reset the WebMux. This process may take
several minutes to complete.
Up Arrow Button, Down Arrow Button
When each button pressed, the value of the cursor location increases or
decreased. It goes through lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers and
symbols. When cursor is located at the left most position on the LCD, up and
down arrow also allow user to select different item to setup.
Left Arrow Button and Right Arrow Button
When each button is pressed, the cursor moves to the left and right.
Check Mark Button, and Cross Button
Check Mark Button confirms the selection, Cross Button cancels the selection. At
any time during the system running, hold down to the Check Mark Button will
invoke the configuration menu allowing the IP address changes.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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Rear View
Server LAN Port
Connect this port to the Server LAN switch or hub. This port connects to the
servers and your local computers. It is the right most RJ45 socket. In Out-of Path
configuration, this is the only Ethernet cable to be connected.
Backup WebMux Port
Optionally, you may connect another WebMux to this port so that you can have
redundancy. If you have more than one WebMux, you can connect them using
cross over cable, or regular cable with a hub.
Router LAN Port
Connect this port to the Router LAN switch or hub. In most situations, this port
connects to the Internet side network in NAT mode. It is the left most RJ45
Socket.
Please note: The Router LAN and Server LAN port are not interchangeable.
External Modem Connect Port
To utilize the phone pager function of the WebMux, please connect the external
modem to this port. In some cases, if you prefer support engineers not using
diagnostic port over Internet, our support engineers can also connect through
modem to assist you for setup issues. An USRobotics V.Everything modem is
required, US Robotics part number 3CP3453. Modem dip switch has 3, 8, and 10
down, rest up. A standard external modem cable also needed. Check with your
modem supplier for the cable.
Power Switch
This switches the WebMux on and off. When in the "off" position, the front panel
power switch is disabled.
Power Cord
Please use the supplied power cord to connect the WebMux™ to power source.
1U WebMux has a 115V/230V AC universal power supply.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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WebMux Overview
Key Features
The WebMux is a standalone network appliance designed primarily to load
balance IP traffic to multiple servers. The WebMux includes the following key
features.
•Improves performance by distributing the traffic for a site or domain
among multiple servers. No one server will be bogged down trying to
service a particular site.
•Provides high availability by tracking which servers are functioning
properly and which servers are out of service. If a server unexpectedly
goes down, the WebMux will automatically re-direct the traffic to other
servers, or will bring a standby or backup server online to service the
traffic. WebMux does application level health check to many network
protocols on servers.
•Provides Persistent Connections by memorizing the user browser
session and the server session and sending the same user to the same
server. This is important for sites using shopping cart and dynamically
generated pages, like BroadVision, ASP and JSP sites.
•Provides fault tolerance. This installation requires two WebMuxes, a
primary and a secondary. Two WebMuxs will automatically sync the
configuration datum.
•Easy management. It can be managed via a secured web browser
session from anywhere in the world. By using https 128 bit encryption to
the management web console, remote management of server farms is
truly possible.
•Operating System independent. No software or agent to load on the
servers. Non-intrusive load/failure detection and management.
•Provides Proxy function. When communication is initiated from behind
the WebMux, the WebMux will substitute its own address for the internal
address. This allows the web servers to initiate communication for
services such as credit card validation and mapping services. (Note: this
function only works in NAT mode).

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
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•Built-in Firewall Protections. Stop possible hacker intrusion into your
network from Internet. All IP addresses and ports are blocked except the
farm IP address. Built-in functions will detect any possible denial of service
attack and make your services always available. (Note: this function only
works in NAT mode with “Forwarding Deny”, see setup for details).
•In-Path or Out-of-Path Load Balancing. In normal setup, the WebMux
can be configured In-Path, to act as firewall in addition to the load
balancer and health checker. However, if outbound traffic is much larger
than inbound traffic and you already have a firewall in place, or change of
IP address causes problem, consider using Out-of-Path configuration.
Out-of-Path load balancing is also called direct routing, or one leg
operation.
•Informs you of the status of your network. It provides phone pager and
email notification so that the network administrator can be paged or
emailed whenever a server or WebMux goes down, and when it returns
online. This feature could reduce server room night shift operator costs, or
timely repair should the server goes down unexpectedly.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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The WebMux Family
The 1U WebMux family consists of two models. They are:
•The WebMux
•The WebMux Pro
The table below compares the features of the models.
WebMux WebMux Pro
Topologies:
Ethernet/Fast Ethernet Yes N/A
GB Ethernet (1000Base-TX) N/A Yes
Balancing Method:
Round-Robin Yes Yes
Persistent Round-Robin Yes Yes
Weighted Round-robin Yes Yes
Persistent Weighted Round-
robin Yes Yes
Least Connections Yes Yes
Persistent Least Connections Yes Yes
Weighted Least Connections Yes Yes
Persistent Weighted Least
Connections Yes Yes
Weighted Fast Response Yes Yes
Persistent Weighted Fast
Response Yes Yes
Fault Tolerance:
Diskless Design Yes Yes
Port aggregation Yes Yes
Failover via serial link Yes Yes
Service aware Yes Yes
Server aware Yes Yes
Backup server Yes Yes
Performance:
Maximum concurrent
connections 1,440,000 5,760,000
Maximum new connections per
second 7,000 40,000
Maximum throughput per second 200 MBit/s 1 GBit/s
Maximum Internet Link Speed 2 X T3 1.5 X OC-12

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
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Management:
Secure web browser access Yes Yes
In service/Not in service Yes Yes
Page alarms Yes Yes
Email Notification Yes Yes
Configuration access Yes Yes
Remote telnet access Yes Yes
Persistent connections Yes Yes
Port mapping Yes Yes
Port-specific services Yes Yes
Year 2000 compliant Yes Yes
Security Features
Network Address Translation Yes Yes
Network Port Translation Yes Yes
TCP SYN protection Yes Yes
TCP DoS protection Yes Yes
SSL support Yes Yes
Device Support:
Maximum virtual servers Unlimited Unlimited
Maximum real servers 65,532 65,532
Device's role in the network IP router IP router
UDP-based service support Yes Yes
Misc.
Overnight Exchange Unit Service Contract Service Contract
Free Email/Phone Support Three Years Three Years
Warranty on Hardware/Firmware Three Years Three Years
Power and Cooling Requirement
90 – 130VAC 2.5A or 190-235VAC 1.5A at 50-60Hz input power required.
Absolute operating temperature range is 0-40C. Recommended operation
ambient temperature not to exceed 30C. Max heat producing factor is 405
BTU/hr.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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Network Overview
The WebMux has two modes, In-Path, or NAT (Network Address Translation)
and Out-of-Path (Direct Routing) mode. Each mode has its advantage and
disadvantages. Lets look the NAT mode first.
The main purpose of the WebMux is to balance the traffic among multiple web or
other servers. The diagram above shows an NAT installation with two
WebMuxes. In this configuration, one WebMux is serving as the primary, and the
other is serving as the secondary, or backup, providing a fault tolerant solution.
In order for the web servers to share the incoming traffic, the WebMux must be
connected to the network. There are two interfaces on the WebMux. One
interface connects to the Router LAN. This is the network to which the Internet
router is connected. The other interface is connected to the Server LAN. This
network connects all the web servers. The WebMux routes traffic between these
two networks.
Next, a Virtual Farm or multiple farms must be configured on the WebMux. A
virtual farm is a single representation of the servers to the clients. A farm consists
of a group of servers that service the same domain, website or services. For
example, to configure a farm (or virtual farm) to serve www.cainetworks.com:

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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•First, Server 1 and Server 2 would each need the website
www.cainetworks.com configured on them and HTTP/HTTPS services
started, and
•Second, a farm on the WebMux is defined with Server 1 and Server 2 in it.
The servers would be setup to either share the traffic, or setup as a
primary server and standby server. In either case, if Server 1 goes down,
then all traffic will be automatically directed to Server 2 by the WebMux.
In Out-of-Path mode, only one network in the setup, that is the server LAN, is
connected to the Internet through the firewall and router. Internet traffic or local
connections can both be directly sent to WebMux, which routes the packets to
the proper server(s), then the server routes the return traffic back to the remote
or local clients directly.
In most situations, the incoming traffic is in small requests, and return traffic from
servers back to clients is large amount of data, pictures, or documents. Using
direct routing will allow up to 100 times more traffic to be handled by the WebMux
load balancer. The disadvantage for direct routing is that the firewall protections
built-in to WebMux will no longer function. Users then must provide their own
firewall for incoming and outgoing traffic.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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Sample Configurations
Single WebMux
•This installation requires one WebMux.
•One WebMux interface connects to the Router LAN. The other interface
connects to the Server LAN.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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•The WebMux translates the Internet addresses to an internal non-routable
class-C address. In this example, the netmask is 255.555.255.0. The IP
address of the WebMux interface attached to the Server LAN is
192.168.199.251.
•The Default Gateway for all the servers is 192.168.199.1.
•Farm 1 IP address is 205.133.156.200. Servers 1 and 2 serve Farm 1.
•Farm 2 IP address is 205.133.156.210. Servers 2 and 3 serve Farm 2.
•Change to the server: made default gateway to 192.168.199.1, as well as
the IP address to the 192.168.199.xxx address. If on the server there is a
service attached to the IP address (HTTP/S, FTP, etc), please make sure
the service will run on the new IP address.
Note: Although WebMux working with any IP address range, all server IP addresses
should be Internet non-routable address so that the source address from the Internet does
not conflict with the IP addresses on the Server LAN.
Note: If there is a firewall between the WebMux and the Internet Router, a rule must be
defined in the firewall to allow the IP address of the WebMux interface on the Router LAN
along with the farm IP address to communicate out to the Internet on all ports. If you are
doing Network Address Translation of the farm address to a non-routable address, then
both the farm address and WebMux interface address must be translated to communicate
outbound on all ports.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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Redundant Installation
•The installation requires two WebMuxes. One will be the primary, and the
other the secondary. They connect together with the Ethernet cable that
is either cross-over or through a hub. The primary redundant interface IP
address is 192.168.255.253; the secondary redundant interface IP
address is 192.168.255.254. They can not be changed.
•Both WebMuxes connect to the Router LAN, and to the Server LAN. Each
WebMux interface has a unique IP address.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
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•The registered Internet IP address range is a class C address range. The
IP address of the WebMuxes’ Virtual Farms must be in the same network
range as the Internet router.
•The WebMux translates the Internet addresses to an internal non-routable
class A address. In this example, the subnet-mask 255.0.0.0. The IP
address of the WebMux interfaces attached to the Server LAN are
10.1.1.10 and 10.1.1.20.
•The Default Gateway for all the servers is 10.1.1.1.
•Farm 1 IP address is 205.133.156.200.
•Servers 1 and 2 serve Farm 1.
•Farm 2 IP address is 205.133.156.210.
•Servers 2 and 3 serve Farm 2.
•Change to the servers: made default gateway to 10.1.1.1, as well as the
IP addresses to the 10.3.1.10/20/30 addresses. If on the server there is a
service attached to the IP address (HTTP/S, FTP, etc), please make sure
the service will run on the new IP address.
NOTE: Although WebMux working with any IP address range, all server IP addresses should
be Internet non-routable address so that the source address from the Internet does not
conflict with the IP addresses on the Server LAN.
Note: If there is a firewall between the WebMux and the Internet Router, a rule must be
defined in the firewall to allow the IP address of the WebMux interfaces on the Router LAN in
addition to the farm IP address (could be same as the WebMux Router LAN IP address) to
communicate out to the Internet on all ports. Since WebMux doing Network Address
Translation of the farm address to a non-routable address, the farm addresses on the
WebMux interface must communicate outbound on all ports defined in the farms.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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Installation without IP Address Change
Out-of-Path Mode:
The above diagram is an example about how to configure the WebMux in out-of-
path mode without changing the IP addresses of the web servers and other
servers that already exist on the network. This is particularly helpful when the
changing of an existing network of servers causes problems.
In this configuration, all the servers still remain on the same IP network, and can
communicate. From the servers “view”, the WebMux is on the same network as
the servers. On the WebMux, only server LAN cable is connected, since there is
only one network in direct routing mode. WebMux takes at least two IP
addresses to work in this mode, server LAN Interface IP address and farm IP
address.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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Out-of-path mode also allows two WebMuxes to fully backup each other. Two
WebMuxes connected to each other through a cross-over Ethernet cable.
Two simple changes must be made to each server in the farm. 1) To have a new
loop back adapter installed and have its address set to the farm address. Do not
set the gateway on the loop back adapter. Please refer to Appendix 1 and
Appendix 2 for how to configure a loopback adapter, as well as how to remove
the route from the servers. Please note for Out-of-Path to work properly, the
loopback adapter must route the return traffic through the real network
interface. Please refer to Appendix 1 and 2 for more details on how to
configure the loopback adapter on servers. In case the server running
Windows 2003, the route created during adding loopback adapter cannot
be deleted, please make sure loopback adapter has much higher metric. 2)
If your service is bind to any specific IP address, add the loopback adapter’s IP
address to that service.
The firewall configuration must be changed to point to the new farm address on
the WebMux. Since WebMux always uses one IP address in the server LAN, the
farm address must be a different IP address in the server LAN in Out-of-Path
mode.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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Configuring the WebMux
Before you Start
Please collect the information about names and IP addresses designated by the
arrows in the network topology below.
Network Terminology
A Virtual Farm includes the WebMux setup and the servers under it.
Functionally, it acts as a single unit on a network. For example,
http://www.cainetworks.com is one virtual server farm;
https://www.cainetworks.com is another farm, and ftp://ftp.cainetworks.com is the
third farm. The first farm works on a set of servers on port 80, the second farm
consists of another set of servers on port 443, and the third farm works on a set
of servers on port 21. Please note WebMux does support combining 80/443
ports as one single farm, so that same client browsing the site in HTTP mode will
be send to the same server for HTTPS requests. In the combined mode, ports
80/443 will be combined into one farm.

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
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To serve the Internet, there must be at least one Internet Router. This local
area network that connects the router and the WebMux is called the Router
LAN. In this LAN, the WebMux takes the Internet traffic and distributes it to the
servers behind it. The LAN connecting WebMux and real servers together is
called Server LAN.
In NAT mode, only WebMux boxes are connected to both Router LAN and
Server LAN. At least one WebMux is needed to define the Router LAN and the
Server LAN.
The side of the WebMux that connects to the Router LAN is to send and receive
all the IP packets from the router to the Internet. The side of the WebMux that
connects to the Server LAN is to send and receive IP packets to and from the
servers in the farms. By properly configuring WebMux, one can create one or
more Virtual Farms on top of physical hardware.
Hardware Setup --- Collect Information
•Make a drawing of the existing network and note all the configuration
settings. This will help you to fall back to the existing configurations if
needed.
•Make a new drawing for the new setup with the WebMux™ and the web
farm in place. This will be used as a guide for setup and preparation of all
the necessary material and equipment.
•Collect all the IP addresses, their network masks, network addresses, and
broadcast addresses for the Server LAN and Router LAN WebMux
interfaces. The IP address of the Internet router is also needed.
•Label all the cables. Prepare additional cables if needed.
•Make sure there are enough electrical or UPS outlets for all the new
equipment.
Hardware Setup ---Setup the new network
•Power down all the devices on the network.
•If you have a secondary WebMux, connect the WebMuxes with a cross-
over Ethernet cable.
•Connect the servers to the Server LAN
•Connect the WebMux(es) to the Server LAN
•Connect the WebMux(es) to the Router LAN (NAT mode only).

The WebMux Pro and Model WM108E User Guide – Version 5. 8 Rev16
Copyright© 1997-2005 CAI Networks, Inc.
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•Power up all devices in the network.
•Verify that all the devices are up and running.
•You are now ready to configure WebMux.
Hardware Setup ---Configuration Summary
CAUTION: Do not proceed without collecting all necessary information.
•Turn on WebMux. Turn on the switch on the back of the WebMux and
push the power-on button in the front momentarily. You will see the
version number like this:
•After self-test, hold down the Check-Mark button on the WebMux until
LCD displays the first question – “Enter WebMux host name”.
•During the initial configuration, you will be asked to provide names and IP
addresses. (See next section.) Each item is explained in the order it is
asked.
•Answer the questions. Reboot. Note: When reboot is complete, the
service statistics screen will appear.
•Run the Management Browser.
Initial Configuration
Enter WebMux Host Name:
Enter the host name of the WebMux. Use the right arrow to move the position,
the up and down arrows to select characters, left arrow to move back in position,
check mark button to confirm the change. This host name is for identification
purposes. You may call it webmux1, webmux2, etc. (Trick to enter name