I have users coming into the BIG-IP from several transparent proxies that sit in front of the BIG-IP. The BIG-IP then forwards them (using a forwarding VS) to their destination server. I need a way to make sure if that server then tries to make a brand new connection back to the same client, the BIG-IP sends the connection through the same proxy that the original connection was sent through. Any ideas? I wanted to use the 'persist add UIE' command and create a persistence record for the second connection, but that command does not allow me to specify the 'node' value of the persistence record. TIA!

You can use the session command to add a session table entry to map the client IP address to a proxy pool member on the client to forwarding VS connection. You could then look up the session table entry for the server to client connection. Deb has posted a few good examples which show how to use the session table. As you'll be trying to access the same session table entries from different VIPs, you'll need to add the entries using the 'any virtual' option: http://devcentral.f5.com/wiki/default.aspx/iRules/session session add uie [list $myVar any virtual] and to retrieve it: set session_data [session lookup uie [list $myVar any virtual]] Here are a few of Deb's posts on this to get you started: looking inside persistence table, through different Virtual Servers http://devcentral.f5.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53&forumid=5&tpage=1&view=topic&postid=1688717129 source address persistence http://devcentral.f5.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53&forumid=5&tpage=1&view=topic&postid=16855 URI Session ID based persistence issue http://devcentral.f5.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53&forumid=5&tpage=1&view=topic&postid=15647 Try reading over these posts and reply if you have any questions. Aaron

Wow! Thanks Aaron. I had been looking at the session command, and am glad to know I was on the right track. Is there a way to look at the session table, similar to a 'b persist show all' ?

In 9.4.x the session information is actually stored in the persistence table, so 'b persist show all' should show the records. Note, you can't see the token associated with the record though. Aaron

Hi, does a command like "b persist show " exist from an irule ? thanks

no but you can lookup for specific persistence record. persist https://clouddocs.f5.com/api/irules/persist.html

persistence table manipulation

22 Replies

hooleylist
Cirrostratus
Jun 25, 2009
You can use the session command to add a session table entry to map the client IP address to a proxy pool member on the client to forwarding VS connection. You could then look up the session table entry for the server to client connection.

Deb has posted a few good examples which show how to use the session table. As you'll be trying to access the same session table entries from different VIPs, you'll need to add the entries using the 'any virtual' option:

http://devcentral.f5.com/wiki/default.aspx/iRules/session

session add uie [list $myVar any virtual]

and to retrieve it:

set session_data [session lookup uie [list $myVar any virtual]]

Here are a few of Deb's posts on this to get you started:

looking inside persistence table, through different Virtual Servers

http://devcentral.f5.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53&forumid=5&tpage=1&view=topic&postid=1688717129

source address persistence

http://devcentral.f5.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53&forumid=5&tpage=1&view=topic&postid=16855

URI Session ID based persistence issue

http://devcentral.f5.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53&forumid=5&tpage=1&view=topic&postid=15647

Try reading over these posts and reply if you have any questions.

Aaron
cerpika_14370
Nimbostratus
Jun 25, 2009
Wow! Thanks Aaron. I had been looking at the session command, and am glad to know I was on the right track.

Is there a way to look at the session table, similar to a 'b persist show all' ?
hooleylist
Cirrostratus
Jun 25, 2009
In 9.4.x the session information is actually stored in the persistence table, so 'b persist show all' should show the records. Note, you can't see the token associated with the record though.

Aaron
lorvain_176032
Nimbostratus
Jun 03, 2015
Hi, does a command like "b persist show " exist from an irule ? thanks
- nitass
  Employee
  Jun 03, 2015
  no but you can lookup for specific persistence record. persist https://clouddocs.f5.com/api/irules/persist.html
- lorvain_176032
  Nimbostratus
  Jun 03, 2015
  yes but how to obtain built-in persistence data information. persist lookup only return data for persist made on irule, right ? thanks for feedback
- nitass
  Employee
  Jun 03, 2015
  what does built-in persistence data information mean? what do you want to achieve? yes.
nitass_89166
Noctilucent
Jun 03, 2015
I just want to access to records I can see usign tmsh show ltm persistence persist-records mode cookie key "xxx"

that is for cookie hash persistence. cookie hash persistence utilizes persistence table.

sol6586: Overview of Cookie Hash persistence

https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/6000/500/sol6586.html
- lorvain_176032
  Nimbostratus
  Jun 03, 2015
  OK and is it possible to access it from iRule ?
- nitass_89166
  Noctilucent
  Jun 04, 2015
  the persist lookup command does not work with cookie hash. i am not sure if it is expected behavior or a bug.
- nitass_89166
  Noctilucent
  Jun 10, 2015
  i checked with support and found it (persist lookup cookie hash irule command) is not supported yet. ID527197 Add support for 'persist lookup cookie' cr. Wu, Hiroki, Daniel
nitass
Employee
Jun 03, 2015
I just want to access to records I can see usign tmsh show ltm persistence persist-records mode cookie key "xxx"

that is for cookie hash persistence. cookie hash persistence utilizes persistence table.

sol6586: Overview of Cookie Hash persistence

https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/6000/500/sol6586.html
- lorvain_176032
  Nimbostratus
  Jun 03, 2015
  OK and is it possible to access it from iRule ?
- nitass
  Employee
  Jun 04, 2015
  the persist lookup command does not work with cookie hash. i am not sure if it is expected behavior or a bug.
- nitass
  Employee
  Jun 10, 2015
  i checked with support and found it (persist lookup cookie hash irule command) is not supported yet. ID527197 Add support for 'persist lookup cookie' cr. Wu, Hiroki, Daniel