f5networks.f5_modules.bigip_gtm_server module – Manages F5 BIG-IP GTM servers

Note

This module is part of the f5networks.f5_modules collection (version 1.25.0).

You might already have this collection installed if you are using the ansible package. It is not included in ansible-core. To check whether it is installed, run ansible-galaxy collection list.

To install it, use: ansible-galaxy collection install f5networks.f5\_modules.

To use it in a playbook, specify: f5networks.f5_modules.bigip_gtm_server.

New in f5networks.f5_modules 1.0.0

Synopsis

  • Manage BIG-IP GTM (now BIG-IP DNS) server configuration. This module is able to manipulate the server definitions in a BIG-IP.

Parameters

Parameter

Comments

availability_requirements

dictionary

If you activate more than one health monitor, specifies the number of health monitors that must receive successful responses in order for the link to be considered available.

at_least

integer

Specifies the minimum number of active health monitors that must be successful before the link is considered up.

This parameter is only relevant when a type of at_least is used.

This parameter will be ignored if a type of either all or require is used.

number_of_probers

integer

Specifies the number of probers that should be used when running probes.

When creating a new virtual server, if this parameter is specified, the number_of_probes parameter must also be specified.

The value of this parameter should always be higher than, or equal to, the value of number_of_probers.

This parameter is only relevant when a type of require is used.

This parameter will be ignored if a type of either all or at_least is used.

number_of_probes

integer

Specifies the minimum number of probes that must succeed for this server to be declared up.

When creating a new virtual server, if this parameter is specified, then the number_of_probers parameter must also be specified.

The value of this parameter should always be lower than, or equal to, the value of number_of_probers.

This parameter is only relevant when a type of require is used.

This parameter will be ignored if a type of either all or at_least is used.

type

string / required

Monitor rule type when monitors is specified.

When creating a new pool, if this value is not specified, the default of all will be used.

Choices:

  • "all"

  • "at_least"

  • "require"

datacenter

string

Data center to which the server belongs. When creating a new GTM server, this value is required.

devices

any

Lists the self IP addresses and translations for each device. When creating a new GTM server, this value is required. This list is a complex list that specifies a number of keys.

The name key specifies a name for the device. The device name must be unique per server. This key is required.

The address key contains an IP address, or list of IP addresses, for the destination server. This key is required.

The translation key contains an IP address to translate the address value above to. This key is optional.

Specifying duplicate name fields is a supported means of providing device addresses. In this scenario, the addresses will be assigned to the name‘s list of addresses.

iquery_options

dictionary

Specifies whether the Global Traffic Manager uses this BIG-IP system to conduct a variety of probes before delegating traffic to it.

allow_path

boolean

Specifies the system verifies the logical network route between a data center server and a local DNS server.

Choices:

  • false

  • true

allow_service_check

boolean

Specifies the system verifies that an application on a server is running, by remotely running the application using an external service checker program.

Choices:

  • false

  • true

allow_snmp

boolean

Specifies the system checks the performance of a server running an SNMP agent.

Choices:

  • false

  • true

limits

dictionary

Specifies resource thresholds or limit requirements at the pool member level.

When you enable one or more limit settings, the system then uses that data to take members in and out of service.

You can define limits for any or all of the limit settings. However, when a member does not meet the resource threshold limit requirement, the system marks the member as unavailable and directs load balancing traffic to another resource.

bits_enabled

boolean

Whether the bits limit it enabled or not.

This parameter allows you to switch on or off the effect of the limit.

Choices:

  • false

  • true

bits_limit

integer

Specifies the maximum allowable data throughput rate for the member, in bits per second.

If the network traffic volume exceeds this limit, the system marks the member as unavailable.

connections_enabled

boolean

Whether the current connections limit it enabled or not.

This parameter allows you to switch on or off the effect of the limit.

Choices:

  • false

  • true

connections_limit

integer

Specifies the maximum number of concurrent connections, combined, for all of the members.

If the connections exceed this limit, the system marks the server as unavailable.

cpu_enabled

boolean

Whether the CPU limit it enabled or not.

This parameter allows you to switch on or off the effect of the limit.

Choices:

  • false

  • true

cpu_limit

integer

Specifies the percent of CPU usage.

If percent of CPU usage goes above the limit, the system marks the server as unavailable.

memory_enabled

boolean

Whether the memory limit it enabled or not.

This parameter allows you to switch on or off the effect of the limit.

Choices:

  • false

  • true

memory_limit

integer

Specifies the available memory required by the virtual servers on the server.

If available memory falls below this limit, the system marks the server as unavailable.

packets_enabled

boolean

Whether the packets limit it enabled or not.

This parameter allows you to switch on or off the effect of the limit.

Choices:

  • false

  • true

packets_limit

integer

Specifies the maximum allowable data transfer rate for the member, in packets per second.

If the network traffic volume exceeds this limit, the system marks the member as unavailable.

string

Specifies whether the system auto-discovers the links for this server. When creating a new GTM server, if this parameter is not specified, the default value disabled is used.

If you set this parameter to enabled or enabled-no-delete, you must also ensure the virtual_server_discovery parameter is also set to enabled or enabled-no-delete.

Choices:

  • "enabled"

  • "disabled"

  • "enabled-no-delete"

monitors

list / elements=string

Specifies the health monitors the system currently uses to monitor this resource.

When availability_requirements.type is require, you may only have a single monitor in the monitors list.

name

string / required

The name of the server.

If the virtual server is auto-discovered from the LTM,then the partition name needs to be included as part of the virtual server name when referencing from the module e.g. “/Common/vsname”.

partition

string

Device partition to manage resources on.

Default: "Common"

prober_fallback

string

Specifies the type of prober to use to monitor this server’s resources when the preferred prober is not available.

This option is ignored in TMOS version 12.x.

From TMOS version 13.x and up, when prober_preference is set to pool a prober_pool parameter must be specified.

The choices are mutually exclusive with prober_preference parameter, with the exception of the any-available or none options.

Choices:

  • "any"

  • "inside-datacenter"

  • "outside-datacenter"

  • "inherit"

  • "pool"

  • "none"

prober_pool

string

Specifies the name of the prober pool to use to monitor this server’s resources.

In TMOS version 13.x and later, this parameter is mandatory when prober_preference is set to pool.

The format of the name can be either be prepended by partition (/Common/foo), or specified just as an object name (foo).

In TMOS version 12.x, prober_pool can be set to an empty string to revert to default setting of inherit.

prober_preference

string

Specifies the type of prober to use to monitor this server’s resources.

This option is ignored in TMOS version 12.x.

From TMOS version 13.x and up, when prober_preference is set to pool a prober_pool parameter must be specified.

Choices:

  • "inside-datacenter"

  • "outside-datacenter"

  • "inherit"

  • "pool"

provider

dictionary

added in f5networks.f5_modules 1.0.0

A dict object containing connection details.

auth_provider

string

Configures the auth provider for to obtain authentication tokens from the remote device.

This option is really used when working with BIG-IQ devices.

no_f5_teem

boolean

If yes, TEEM telemetry data is not sent to F5.

You may omit this option by setting the environment variable F5_TELEMETRY_OFF.

Previously used variable F5_TEEM is deprecated as its name was confusing.

Choices:

  • false ← (default)

  • true

password

aliases: pass, pwd

string / required

The password for the user account used to connect to the BIG-IP.

You may omit this option by setting the environment variable F5_PASSWORD.

server

string / required

The BIG-IP host.

You may omit this option by setting the environment variable F5_SERVER.

server_port

integer

The BIG-IP server port.

You may omit this option by setting the environment variable F5_SERVER_PORT.

Default: 443

timeout

integer

Specifies the timeout in seconds for communicating with the network device for either connecting or sending commands. If the timeout is exceeded before the operation is completed, the module will error.

transport

string

Configures the transport connection to use when connecting to the remote device.

Choices:

  • "rest" ← (default)

user

string / required

The username to connect to the BIG-IP with. This user must have administrative privileges on the device.

You may omit this option by setting the environment variable F5_USER.

validate_certs

boolean

If no, SSL certificates are not validated. Use this only on personally controlled sites using self-signed certificates.

You may omit this option by setting the environment variable F5_VALIDATE_CERTS.

Choices:

  • false

  • true ← (default)

server_type

aliases: product

string

Specifies the server type. The server type determines the metrics the system can collect from the server. When creating a new GTM server, the default value bigip is used.

Choices:

  • "alteon-ace-director"

  • "cisco-css"

  • "cisco-server-load-balancer"

  • "generic-host"

  • "radware-wsd"

  • "windows-nt-4.0"

  • "bigip"

  • "cisco-local-director-v2"

  • "extreme"

  • "generic-load-balancer"

  • "sun-solaris"

  • "cacheflow"

  • "cisco-local-director-v3"

  • "foundry-server-iron"

  • "netapp"

  • "windows-2000-server"

state

string

The server state. If absent, the module attempts to delete the server. This will only succeed if this server is not in use by a virtual server. present creates the server and enables it. If enabled, enables the server if it exists. If disabled, creates the server if needed, and sets state to disabled.

Choices:

  • "present" ← (default)

  • "absent"

  • "enabled"

  • "disabled"

virtual_server_discovery

string

Specifies whether the system auto-discovers the virtual servers for this server. When creating a new GTM server, if this parameter is not specified, the default value disabled is used.

Choices:

  • "enabled"

  • "disabled"

  • "enabled-no-delete"

Notes

Note

  • For more information on using Ansible to manage F5 Networks devices see https://www.ansible.com/integrations/networks/f5.

  • Requires BIG-IP software version >= 12.

  • The F5 modules only manipulate the running configuration of the F5 product. To ensure that BIG-IP specific configuration persists to disk, be sure to include at least one task that uses the f5networks.f5_modules.bigip_config module to save the running configuration. Refer to the module’s documentation for the correct usage of the module to save your running configuration.

Examples

- name: Create server "GTM_Server"
  bigip_gtm_server:
    name: GTM_Server
    datacenter: /Common/New York
    server_type: bigip
    link_discovery: disabled
    virtual_server_discovery: disabled
    devices:
      - name: server_1
        address: 1.1.1.1
      - name: server_2
        address: 2.2.2.1
        translation: 192.168.2.1
      - name: server_2
        address: 2.2.2.2
      - name: server_3
        addresses:
          - address: 3.3.3.1
          - address: 3.3.3.2
      - name: server_4
        addresses:
          - address: 4.4.4.1
            translation: 192.168.14.1
          - address: 4.4.4.2
    provider:
      user: admin
      password: secret
      server: lb.mydomain.com
  delegate_to: localhost

- name: Create server "GTM_Server" with expanded keys
  bigip_gtm_server:
    server: lb.mydomain.com
    user: admin
    password: secret
    name: GTM_Server
    datacenter: /Common/New York
    server_type: bigip
    link_discovery: disabled
    virtual_server_discovery: disabled
    devices:
      - name: server_1
        address: 1.1.1.1
      - name: server_2
        address: 2.2.2.1
        translation: 192.168.2.1
      - name: server_2
        address: 2.2.2.2
      - name: server_3
        addresses:
          - address: 3.3.3.1
          - address: 3.3.3.2
      - name: server_4
        addresses:
          - address: 4.4.4.1
            translation: 192.168.14.1
          - address: 4.4.4.2
    provider:
      user: admin
      password: secret
      server: lb.mydomain.com
  delegate_to: localhost

Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this module:

Key

Description

bits_enabled

boolean

Whether the bits limit is enabled.

Returned: changed

Sample: true

bits_limit

integer

The new bits_enabled limit.

Returned: changed

Sample: 100

connections_enabled

boolean

Whether the connections limit is enabled.

Returned: changed

Sample: true

connections_limit

integer

The new connections_limit limit.

Returned: changed

Sample: 100

datacenter

string

The new datacenter which the server is a part of.

Returned: changed

Sample: "datacenter01"

string

The new link_discovery configured on the remote device.

Returned: changed

Sample: "enabled"

monitors

list / elements=string

The new list of monitors for the resource.

Returned: changed

Sample: ["/Common/monitor1", "/Common/monitor2"]

packets_enabled

boolean

Whether the packets limit is enabled.

Returned: changed

Sample: true

packets_limit

integer

The new packets_limit limit.

Returned: changed

Sample: 100

server_type

string

The new type of the server.

Returned: changed

Sample: "bigip"

virtual_server_discovery

string

The new virtual_server_discovery name for the trap destination.

Returned: changed

Sample: "disabled"

Authors

  • Robert Teller (@r-teller)

  • Tim Rupp (@caphrim007)

  • Wojciech Wypior (@wojtek0806)