Course Description
The objective of the Citrix NetScaler 10.5 Essentials and Networking course is to provide the foundational concepts and advanced skills necessary to implement, configure, secure, monitor, optimize, and troubleshoot a Citrix NetScaler system from within a networking framework. This course is designed specifically for learners who have limited or no previous NetScaler experience. In order to successfully complete this course, learners will have access to hands-on exercises within a virtual lab environment. An optional module on NetScaler SDX appliances is included with reinforcement simulation exercises.
This course is based on the Citrix NetScaler 10.0 product, but the skills and fundamental concepts learned are common to earlier product versions.
Upon successful completion of this course, learners are able to:
- Identify the capabilities and functionality of the NetScaler
- Explain basic NetScaler network architecture
- Obtain, install, and manage NetScaler licenses
- Explain how SSL is used to secure the NetScaler
- Implement NetScaler TriScale Technology, including Clustering
- Configure advanced load balancing and GSLB on the NetScaler system
- Optimize the NetScaler system for traffic handling and management.
- Customize the NetScaler system for traffic flow and content-specific requirements
- Demonstrate monitoring and reporting through native NetScaler logging tools
- Employ recommended tools and techniques to troubleshoot common NetScaler network and connectivity issues
Before taking this course, it is recommended that learners have professional networking knowledge. They need not have a NetScaler background as such. For customers already using the NetScaler for load balancing, the course will provide in depth training on load balancing and other related traffic management/optimization features allowing users to go beyond basic load balancing.
Agenda
Course Outline
Getting Started
Introduction to the NetScaler System
NetScaler Functionality
NetScaler Overview
Product Features
NetScaler Operating System Overview
Hardware Platforms
Hardware Components
nCore Configuration Architecture
Deployment Scenarios
Logging in to the NetScaler System
NetScaler Licenses
Performing an Upgrade
Basic Networking
OSI Networking Model
NetScaler Architecture Overview
NetScaler-Owned IP Addresses
Network Topology
NetScaler Network Interfaces
Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs)
IP Routing
Determining the Source IP Address
Packet Forwarding
Use Source IP Mode
Client-IP HTTP Header Insertion
Path MTU Discovery
Link Aggregation
Network Address Translation (NAT)
High Availability
High Availability Functionality
High Availability Node Configuration
Propagation and Synchronization
High Availability Management
Securing NetScaler
NetScaler System Communication
Access Control Lists
Access Control List Configuration
Detailed Access Control List Configuration
Users, Groups, and Command Policies
External Authentication for System Users
Authentication, Authorization, and Auditing (AAA) Issues
Authentication Troubleshooting
Basic Load Balancing
Load Balancing Basics
Entity Management
Server Creation
Services Configuration Overview
Virtual Server Creation
Binding Virtual Servers to Services or a Service Group
Traffic Types
Service Monitoring
Persistence and Persistence Connections
Load-Balancing Configuration Protection
Advanced Services Options
Maintaining of Client Connection for Multiple Client Requests
Specified Source IP Addresses for Back-end Communication Using Network Profiles
Disabling Services
Graceful Shutdown of Services
Removing Services
Configuration Verification
The Load-Balancing Visualizer
Configuring Load Balancing for DataStream
Link Load Balancing
Configuration of Sessionless Load-Balancing Virtual Servers
Load-Balancing Issues
Use of Telnet or Monitors to Check Ports
SSL Offload
SSL
SSL Session Process
Feature and Benefits
Offload Performance
Digital Certificates
SSL Administration
SSL Offload Overview
Deployment Scenarios
Citrix Recommendations for SSL
SSL Renegotiation Attack
SSL Troubleshooting
Intermediate Certificate Not Linked
Global Server Load Balancing
GSLB Deployment Methods
GSLB Concepts
GSLB Entities
GSLB DNS Methods
Metric Exchange Protocol
Implementing GSLB
Viewing and Configuring GSLB with the Visualizer
Configuring Site-to-Site Communication
RPC Node Password
Encryption of Site Metrics Exchange o Source IP Address for an RPC Node o GSLB Site Communication Example o Customizing the GSLB Configuration o Changing the GSLB Method
GSLB Persistence
Using Dynamic Weights for Services
Monitoring GSLB Services
Binding Monitors to a GSLB Service
Monitoring GSLB Sites
Protecting the GSLB Setup Against Failure
Responding with an Empty Address Record When DOWN
Backup IP Address Configuration for a GSLB Domain
Implementing GSLB Failover for Disaster Recovery
AppExpert Classic Policy Engine
Policies Overview
Expression Structures
Content Filtering
Content Filtering Actions
Content Filtering Rules
AppExpert Default Policy Engine
Understanding Packet-Processing Flow
Understanding Policies
Policy Process Evaluation Flow
Identifying Default Policy Expressions
Actions
Understanding Bind Points
Understanding Policy Labels
Pattern Sets
Typecasting
Rewrite, Responder, and URL Transformation
Rewrite, Responder, and URL Transform
Configuring Rewrite Policies and Actions
Responder Actions
Respondwith
Responder Action for Timeouts
Responder Policies
Responder HTML Page Imports
Binding Policies
URL Transformation
URL Transformation Actions
Binding of URL Transformations
Content Switching
Introduction to Content Switching
Understanding Content Switching
Content Switching Based on Network Characteristics
Content-Switching Virtual Servers and Load-Balancing Virtual Servers
Configuring Content-Switching Virtual Servers
Configure a Load-Balancing Setup for Content Switching
Content-Switching Policies
Binding Content-Switching Policies
Content-Switching Rule Precedence Without Priority Specified
Content-Switching Rule Precedence With Priority Specified
Configuring Content Switching for DataStream
Optimizing Traffic
Introduction to Compression
Action Analytics
AppExpert Templates
Terminiology
Deploying NetScaler for an Application
Application Example
AppExpert Template Deployment
Clustering
How Clustering Works
Cluster Synchronization o Cluster Connections
Cluster Communication Interfaces o Striped and Spotted IP Addresses
Traffic Distribution
Cluster and Node States
NetScaler Cluster Set up
NetScaler Cluster Traffic Distribution Mechanisms
To Configure a Cluster Link Aggregation Group Statically
Dynamic Configuration for a Cluster Link Aggregation Group
NetScaler Cluster Management
NetScaler Cluster Troubleshooting
Monitoring and Management
Monitoring Needs
NetScaler Log Management
Simple Network Management Protocol
To Configure SMNPv1 and SMNPv2
AppFlow on the NetScaler System
AppFlow Collectors and EdgeSight Monitoring
AppFlow Actions and EdgeSight Monitoring Responder Policies
Third-Party Collectors
Network Traffic Capture using NSTRACE
Troubleshooting with Filter Expressions
Decoding SSL Traffic with Wireshark
Display NetScaler System Information