iapp help with pool creation for fqdn autopopulate enabled

So, this was quite the challenge; I spent some time looking into how to accomplish this task, and it's not straight-forward.

The command used to generate the pool members syntax is:

[iapp::pool_members $::pool__members]]

in the

Implementation

section of the iApp.

pool__members

is a table generated by the

Presentation

section of the iApp.

iapp::pool_members

is a tcl procedure (similar to a python function) called from the

iapp 1.0.3

package.

The

iapp::pool_members

procedure is written in a way that does not account for the syntax required to add

fqdn { autopopulate enabled }

.

So this solution requires modifying several steps:

1. Update the presentation template to include an 'autopopulate' option.
2. Update Update the iapp utility package to read the variable created by autopopulate and write-out the appropriate pool member syntax.

Let's Begin

1. Copy the Presentation, Implementation and HTML Help templates from the default iApp to your favorite text editor:

   TMUI -> iApps -> Templates ->

2. Update the Presentation Template in the following ways:

   a. Update the pool members table and add

   choice autopopulate

   .

   ...
       table members {
           
           optional (( ssl_encryption_questions.legacy_advanced == "yes"
                   || ssl_encryption_questions.advanced == "yes" )
                   && use_pga == "yes" ) {
               string priority default "0" required
                   validator "NonNegativeNumber" display "small"
           }
   
           choice autopopulate                  <<<--------< Add this line
       }
       optional ( ssl_encryption_questions.help == "max" ) {
           message members_max
       }
   ...
   

   b. In the 'Text' section, add

   pool.members.autopopulate

   section which will provide a 'None, Yes, No' set of options in TMUI when creating the pool member(s).

   ...
       pool.members.port_secure "Port"
       pool.members.autopopulate "Autopopulate" {       <<<--------< Add these lines
           "None" => "",                                <<<--------< Add these lines
           "Yes"  => "enabled",                         <<<--------< Add these lines
           "No"   => "disabled"                         <<<--------< Add these lines
       }                                                <<<--------< Add these lines
       pool.members.connection_limit "Connection limit"
   ...
   

3. Remount /usr as Read-Write (rw) so we can make changes.

    mount -o remount,rw /usr
   

4. Create a copy of the iapp.1.3.0.tcl package so we can customize it without modifying the original:

    cp /usr/share/tcl8.5/iapp/iapp.1.3.0.tcl /usr/share/tcl8.5/iapp/iapp.1.3.0.1.tcl
   

5. Update the new package so it knows it provides iapp 1.3.0.1 package.

    sed -i 's/package provide iapp 1.3.0/package provide iapp 1.3.0.1/g' /usr/share/tcl8.5/iapp/iapp.1.3.0.1.tcl
   

6. Tell scriptd that the new package exists by adding an entry to /usr/share/tcl8.5/iapp/pkgIndex.tcl

    echo 'package ifneeded iapp 1.3.0.1 [list source [file join $dir iapp.1.3.0.1.tcl]]' >> /usr/share/tcl8.5/iapp/pkgIndex.tcl
   

7. Change to /usr/share/compat-tcl8.4/iapp/ directory and add a new symlink:

    cd /usr/share/compat-tcl8.4/iapp/
    ln -s  /usr/share/tcl8.5/iapp/iapp.1.3.0.1.tcl iapp.1.3.0.1.tcl
   

8. Edit /usr/share/tcl8.5/iapp/iapp.1.3.0.1.tcl to account for the new

   pool.members.autopopulate

   property (Step 2):

    vim /usr/share/tcl8.5/iapp/iapp.1.3.0.1.tcl
   

   a. Add

   fqdn  autopopulate

   to the

   fields

   array:

   proc ::iapp::pool_members { args } {
   
        Set defaults.
       array set fields {
           address          addr
           port             port
           port-secure      port_secure
           connection-limit connection_limit
           priority-group   priority
           ratio            ratio
           fqdn             autopopulate   <<<--------< Add this line
       }
   

   b. Update this foreach loop:

   FROM:
   
                Transfer non-port fields from the table to the tmsh string.
               foreach name $nonport_fields {
                   if { [info exists columns($fields($name))] } {
                       append members " $name $columns($fields($name))"
                   }
               }
   
   TO:
   
                Transfer non-port fields from the table to the tmsh string.
               foreach name $nonport_fields {
                   if { [info exists columns($fields($name))] } {
                       if { $name == "fqdn" } {
                           if { $columns($fields($name)) != "" } {
                               append members " fqdn \{ autopopulate $columns($fields($name)) \}"
                           }
                       } else {
                           append members " $name $columns($fields($name))"
                       }
                   }
               }
   

9. Exit the text editor (:wq) and remount /usr as Read-Only (ro)

    mount -o remount,ro /usr
   

10. In the Presentation Template and Implementation Template, make the following changes:

    NOTE: There are over 50 references; make sure you get them all; I suggest a search/replace function in your text editor.

    FROM:
    
        package require iapp 1.3.0
    
    TO:
    
        package require iapp 1.3.0.1
    

11. Create a new, custom iApp Template using the modified Implementation and Presentation templates and the unmodified HTML Help section:

    • TMUI -> iApps -> Templates -> Templates ->

      click

      'Create'
    • Provide a name for your new template.
    • Minimum BIG-IP Version == 11.5.0
    • Copy the 'Implementation Template',

      Modified

      'Presentation Template', and 'HTML Help' section into the appropriate
    • Click 'save'

12. Deploy a new iApp using the customized template.

    TMUI -> iApps -> Application Services -> Applications ->

    click

    'Create'

    NOTE: The FQDN 'ltm node' object must have already been created with 'fqdn { autopopulate enabled }', otherwise you will observe the following error:

    01070734:3: Configuration error: Cannot enable pool member to autopopulate: node (/Common/example.com) has autopopulate set to disabled.
    

Jason,

My apologies for just now responding to your response on Oct 26th.  After I posted my additional questions on Oct 16th, I ended up opening an F5 support case due to business & project pressures and worked with that F5 engineer who was in touch with development for well over a week looking for any solution and it was the engineer who pointed out that you had responded to my 16th post.  I want to express my sincere thanks for your detailed step-by-step response / instructions with how to handle our dilemma with creating pools within the iapp so that they are created with autopopulate enabled.  Although the instructions contained a small amount of steps; I'm certain you spent some time developing and testing the solution which I can't express enough how your support is appreciated.  I am very happy to report that I finally was able to test everything which worked flawlessly and your instructions were very easy to understand and implement.

Please do let me know if there is anyone I can contact to express our appreciation for your knowledge, professional support and assistance.

The last remaining item I have on my list to do within this iapp will be to enable HSTS when the http profile is created. I suspect if it is still not natively supported in the http iapp, your assistance here will be a guide of the similar steps I will need to look into.

Warmest Regards, Robert Booth Sr. Network Engineer Ventech Solutions | HIDS