Load balancing with Cisco routers?

[Dynamic]

Just wondering if anyone here has played with load balancing.....

I am helping set up a network for a gaming arena in my area (Project Circuit) I was wondering what would be the best way to run load balancing through the cisco 1841 router.

We are going to be pulling in 2 cable 5d/1u lines into a router, and distributing it to the network (i know that the load balancing will obviously only be used for outbound connections)

Right now i am looking at CEF and ip load-sharing per-packet load balancing ... anyone have any suggestions? I have the cisco 1841 modular router, and there is a 4 port Fast Ethernet WIC on order for it so that i will be able to run lines to the switches. as of now, it has just 2 WAN ports, console and AUX

any help/suggestions would be appreciated

going to be running the cisco 1841 into 2 L3 managed dell 24-port gigabit 2724 switches. as well as a 24port dell powerconnect 10/100 switch.

also I have not touched cisco in close to a year, i have to run through my books.... how would i set up the router to assign IP addresses, or should i have the switches do that? I am really rusty....

Hmm, if anyone would like to contact me ... my AIM is Thrasher1237 .. MSN is Thrasher1237@hotmail.com

[Dynamic]

Well, i got DHCP working ... now I just need to figure out what would be the best solution for load balancing outbound connections with this router .... anyone?

[Mac]

Hey Dyn.

I've been out of the cisco loops for a little while but I think most of the stuff has come a long way.
Since your getting service from the same provider I believe the setting is as simple as providing the two circuit IP's on each link. and it will auto balance itself. I had mentioned I was going to look into this before. I have to apologize I never got around to it. I still have my CCO account with Cisco I will try and pull up some info for you. If I don't scream or yeah at me, that usually helps. Honestly I would like to help because I am interested in this info myself. I have some plans in my future that will require a similar setup, different application though. The main thing I believe I have mentioned is your biggest advantage is same provider for both Lines. which means the need to run BGP and poisoning routes to load balance is not even a consideration. A BIG plus. the down side is, If your ISP dumps, you don't have a secondary backup source that might work. Since your project isn't SUPER mission critical it will be OK. I have to go out in a while but I am so excited I might be able to even Poke around tonight. I have some questions which I think I already know the answer but just to make it easier.

what are they providing you at their end? Straight Ethernet from Cable-modem or other device? and are will you have static or Dynamic IP's from the ISP. I'm pretty sure that in either-case other then Web-hosting its not SUPER important but your Config file will reflect differently depending on what they provide at their end.

Ok I will try and keep this going.

Mac

[Mac]

also a quicky For testing out you are gonna wanna use SNMP and a simple Snapshot tool for testing the load balancing itself. I've used MRTG but its a dog to start from scratch. PRTG is free for trial and is probably the easiest way to go. More when I get back

[Skull]

I didnt know you guys spoke chinese!!

[Mac]

heheh, ok back.. I talked with some of my old work buddies who are CCIE guys while they haven't had to deal with the 1841 yet. most of your configurations for the load balancing are done via GUI. If you need to do Advanced Load balancing then your gonna most likey have to do it via terminal and config t the info in. I'm gonna get cleaned up and get you everything else to make it even easier. Also I can walk you through the SNMP managment stuff. I have a good site for the MIB/OID strings to pole each of the links.

[Mac]

heheh I was just thinking about how to monitor the ips and if your getting straight ethernet it will be ALOT easier to monitor then what I had thought because most of the time before cablemodems and DSL Serial interfaces where sub interfaces on routers so in you would actually have a IP for the (your side of the router) and IP for the ISP's Side of the router then the IP for the Device itself as well as the gateway. 4 IPS. heheh your going to have two+NAT IP for Lan side.

Also in one of the previous post I made mention about BGP and using it. I stated that all wrong I was in a hurry to write it and it didnt come out right.

BGP basically lets you use different ISP's for load balancing however to properly get the same Hops or route time. Think of it like a drag race. For you to load balance you have to have both dragsters running at the same speed/HP/.... Sometimes two different ISP might be at more them one hop away from each other hence the Poisoning routes comment where if you know one is closer you should add (can't think of the term) to the route to make them more equal. This stuff gets yucky... so I will stop talking about it.

Anyway...... I'll try and post a useful Foki for it

[Mac]

Ok your assigning of IP addresses. This to me can be a big deal. I would consider your options. When I was in the Networking field (Educational Institution) We always assigned all the Network Equipment Manually. Then a DHCP Server did all the computers and other stuff the load on the router for dhcp requests would sometimes bring the router to its knees. Your small scale enough and I don't think your going to have to worry about bogging down the router on it making dhcp requests. L3 switches (some of them) can not provide DHCP as a service. My iffy part on that is alot of the protocols have been updated on some of the newer stuff and it might be able to do it now. heheh Considering you have a handful of devices(Network not PC/Xbox stuff) I would assign them manually. but put those device IP's at the end of the IP range. so put the router's Internal IP at say x.x.x.240, switch 1 x.x.x.241, switch2 x.x.x.242 switch3 x.x.x.243......

that will give you enough room to grow in teh Network side and allow the server to host all the low numbers to the equipment.

[{OF}Blong]

yeah right mac. everything here is just behing pulled out of your arse and your truly surfing the pron links lol.

ok im just kidding haha.

[Mac]

I wish porn is easier to search for