Book Image

Learning OpenStack Networking (Neutron)

By : James Denton
Book Image

Learning OpenStack Networking (Neutron)

By: James Denton

Overview of this book

OpenStack Neutron is an OpenStack component that provides networking as a service for other OpenStack services to architect networks and create virtual machines through its API. This API lets you define network connectivity in order to leverage network capabilities to cloud deployments. Through this practical book, you will build a strong foundational knowledge of Neutron, and will architect and build an OpenStack cloud using advanced networking features. We start with an introduction to OpenStack Neutron and its various components, including virtual switching, routing, FWaaS, VPNaaS, and LBaaS. You’ll also get hands-on by installing OpenStack and Neutron and its components, and use agents and plugins to orchestrate network connectivity and build a virtual switching infrastructure. Moving on, you’ll get to grips with the HA routing capabilities utilizing VRRP and distributed virtual routers in Neutron. You’ll also discover load balancing fundamentals, including the difference between nodes, pools, pool members, and virtual IPs. You’ll discover the purpose of security groups and learn how to apply the security concept to your cloud/tenant/instance. Finally, you' ll configure virtual private networks that will allow you to avoid the use of SNAT and floating IPs when connecting to remote networks.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
Learning OpenStack Networking (Neutron) Second Edition
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Chapter 10. Load Balancing Traffic to Instances

The Neutron Load Balancing as a Service extension, known as LBaaS, provides users with the ability to load balance traffic to applications running on virtual instances in the cloud. Neutron provides an API to manage virtual IPs, pools, pool members, and health monitors.

In this chapter, we will cover some fundamental load balancing concepts, including:

  • Virtual IPs, pools, and pool members

  • Load balancing algorithms

  • Monitors

  • Persistence

Neutron uses drivers to interact with hardware or software load balancers. In Kilo, the reference driver interacts with HAProxy. HAProxy is a free, open source load balancer that is available for most Unix-based operating systems. Third-party drivers are supported by LBaaS but are outside the scope of this book.

In this chapter, we will work through the following:

  • Integrating load balancers into the network

  • Installing and configuring the LBaaS agent

  • Creating a load balancer

  • Demonstrating load balanced traffic to instances...