Mastering NetScaler Console: Zero to hero in 31days - Day 8

Config jobs

Hello, my name is Andrew and I tend to get a lot of questions about NetScaler Console. The purpose of this series is to offer some pointers on what it is, what it can offer and why you should take some notice. This is the eighth post in a set which is designed to cover the top topics that will get you trained up.

Knowledge is power, right? ????????

31 days seems an arbitrary number. Naturally, I need to complete this before you all head off on holiday!

Today is all about NetScaler Console Config Jobs.

How does this normally come up?

I spoke with Customer X, we talked at length about the various NetScaler’s they will be deploying. During the discussion, I typically ask something like this:

As you have a few NetScaler’s in this setup, what tools do you have to help with the management of the firmware configurations?

The answer is NetScaler Console. The next question might require a focus on the options to track specific types of setup on specific appliances across an estate, and how to manage that. This piece will show you how that can be achieved with NetScaler Console, whichever flavour you have( on-premises or service).

Who would be interested in this?

Any Network Admin with multiple NetScaler’s deployed, or any customer looking at the new Universal hybrid Multi-cloud (UHMC from now on) offering from Cloud Software Group.

UHMC needs NetScaler Console to provide the licensing function to the NetScaler appliances. It is not optional, it's a requirement. One of the big benefits of UHMC is that customers can take a look outside the Citrix bubble and maybe look at new use cases for NetScaler.

Mastering sounds 'heavy'?

Ultimately, this is Linkedin who would be crazy enough to write technical content on this platform??

What are the key configuration tasks that I need to be able to do?

The last few posts have covered Infrastructure management, instance advisor and security advisor. This post is designed to help a NetScaler admin get configuration deployed across a number of instances.

There are a few different ways to manage configuration, configuration jobs is the entry point. This graphic sums up the module.

What kind of things can it do?

Using Templates, source instances or other(s)

Lets say that you have an Admin, she has amazing skills, lets call her Stephany. Stephany has crafted a base configuration that is based on her extensive field experience, it includes a whole load of best practise. When you have based your NetScaler builds on this template, you find that the you have less issues and better security. She knows where all the holes are, and plugs them!

Would it not be cool to have this as a kind of standard for your company? Config Jobs allow you to pull this set of settings into the custom job and send it out to some selected appliances. You could send it to all of them, but you have a process to follow, as such SA gets the new config jobs first for approval of the Change Board(a touchy bunch!).

There are a number of ways in which you could import the settings Steph has created.

1. Record and Play.
2. File.
3. Instance.
4. Templates.

Lets create a job

Here are the templates, I have dragged and dropped the NSConfigureSyslogServer template to the working area on the right hand side. In this case there are some variables(just one, the IP for the syslog server), plus I get to move the configuration lines around or take them out if they are not needed.

Here are those variables. In this case, I have added the Syslog target

Once I am happy with the job, I can choose my instances. I have a HA pair that my Console manages, so have selected them.

The variables are pretty simple in this case, but you can have a json file with everything in it.

A simple preview of what will be deployed.

The check box for roll back can be handy too. Checking the box adds in the ‘undo’ commands if they are needed.

There are quite a few options to the way in which the job gets fired. It can be set to run at a suitable time in the future, or now. There are also options for notification of the execution report. The other useful option would be to have the job complete the execution in a sequential manner, one after another. Alternatively, do the job on all appliances at the same time (no pressure, you got this!)

Ok, so what else?

Here is tip of the day from Sanyukta, what if you need to do a file copy as part of the config job. Maybe you need some certificate(s) deployed at the same time.

Configuration jobs in NetScaler Console use Secure Shell (SSH) commands to configure instances, and you can configure a configuration job to use secure copy (SCP) to securely transfer files. SCP is based on the SSH protocol. One of the SCP commands that you can include in a configuration job is the “put” command. You can use the “put” command in configuration jobs to upload or transfer one or more files stored in a local directory on your system to NetScaler Console and then to a directory on the NetScaler instance or instances.

Now there is something that I didn’t know! The docs page is here

If it is not clear, here is a scenario.

Bob and Alice have been using NetScaler Console Service in the scenarios for the last few days.?

Alice wants Acme to have a common config on all the new appliances, she thinks that using standard templates will help ensure that appliances are setup in the same way

She uses Config jobs to define some templates and lets Bob know how to make use of them. Any new boxes can be built quickly and have a consistent Acme template.

Alice completes the set of some new appliances in record time. ?Happy days, as this allows Bob and Alice to focus time on other tasks that are important to Acme.

The Call to Action

Let me know if this piece raises any questions/comments, drop them into the space below. I will endeavour to answer directly or update the post to better address the question(s).

Summary

Buckle up. The NetScaler Console is the best tool for many different jobs when working in conjunction with the NetScaler Appliance. They are the perfect tag team. ??. The NetScaler Console can offer a one-stop shop to see all your appliances from one place, and deploy and update them in a consistent way

Let me show you how to make the most of it!

Have a good one.