ACE to F5 Migration
Hi All,
I am first time migrating ACE load balancer (running Multi-context) to F5 LTM LB. So could you please guide me what Pre-migration, Migration, Post-migration checklist or points need to be consider while migration and risk/Impact of it on business.
Thanks Ganesh
We migrated about 450 VIPs from a Cisco ACE to F5 LTM. We used F5 migration tool. If I had to do it again, I would move each VIP one by one. It will take longer, but in the end you'll save yourself a headache.
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I'd leave the ACE configuration running;
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Configure one of the VIP on the F5 using a different IP;
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Ask application owner to edit their host file with the new IP and valid their application;
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Once validated complete one of the two options
- Change DNS to the new IP (we did a lot of this)
- Remove the IP from the ACE and give it to the F5 (I had more control if there was an issue doing this way because I didn't have to rely on our security team to undo the DNS change)
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Ask the application owner to validate again.
After a while, I'd move about 5 to 10 application a night. And with the more critical application we'd only do that one, for example exchange.
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