The Cisco GSS:

(Global Site Selector)

What is it!?!?

The simple description is this... Picture that you have a data center in NYC, NY and another in Los Angeles, CA.  Your primary data center is in NYC, NY and it has a catastrophic failure... What do you do? Well, you manually move all of traffic to your Los Angeles, CA data center, at a huge cost of time and expense!

The Cisco GSS Global Site Selector alleviates this problem (global load balancing), by using the same DNS host names for your servers and devices, but gives the client machines a new IP address of the resources in your Los Angeles, CA data center. This failover takes approximately 60 seconds! So, yes, WOW, your business is restored in about 60 seconds! These devices are complex, but certainly worth every penny, especially when time is money and a down facility can cost the business bottom line up to millions of dollars an hour, in lost business, lost productivity and critical manufacturing / distribution centers standing around for hours, if not days or weeks!

Cisco has this to say about the purpose of the GSS 4480 / 4491 / 4492:

"As the repository for business applications and information, the data center is critical to everyday business operations and productivity. To protect these operations, enterprises are distributing information and network applications across multiple geographic locations as part of their business-continuance and disaster-recovery strategies. The new Cisco GSS 4480 appliance acts as a centralized command and control device: it works with Cisco's content switches to offload current Domain Name System control functions and direct user requests to the best available resource across the distributed, data center infrastructure. This enables companies to use multiple data center sites to improve performance and scalability, and maximize return on investments across all sites simultaneously."; Cisco Systems, January 14, 2004.

Why a Cisco GSS / ACE 4400 Series Global Site Load-balancer?

The Cisco ACE GSS 4400 Series Global Site Selector Appliances and you...

Do you need help to ensure data center availability, the Cisco ACE GSS global load balancer appliances provide global load balancing and intelligent failover between data centers to help ensure business continuity, full Domain Name System (DNS) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) support, as well as protection from DNS-based distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The overall savings to the business bottom line due to outage avoidance id HUGE!

Can I configure this myself or do I need help?

The answer, is yes and no, of course. No new technology is simple and we recommend an expert to at least bounce your design off of, to validate your implementation and save costly implementation project changes and design errors.

Here is a sample "Create a DNS Rule" how to that we created for one of our premier customers...  Before we walk you through a simple set of steps to perform a configuration, please be aware of these simple methodologies...   First, let us clue you in to the backwards mentality of the box itself...  All steps read from the right to the left.  If you can understand this... you have reached the understanding halfway point.  Now Second, please take this bit of advice.  Slow down, settle down and do not let this box intimidate you! It is not rocket science, it is merely a device that balances other devices and sites to achieve the goal of high availability! GSSM New DNS Rule Instructions...

To add a new DNS rule is simple by adding the following commands, in order, to the existing GSSM configuration…  This is accomplished after initial network setup and setting the devices in a master / Slave configuration...

1. Navigate to the GSSM Web GUI, under the DNS Rules Tab, and click on Answers, and then the create the new answer button (the white sheet of paper).

Complete the configuration of the window with the actual information.

2. The next step is to configure Answer groups by clicking on the answer group section button.

3. Configure the name, type, group, and proper comment for the new answer group. Additionally, click on the Add Answers button and add the new servers that were previously created. Like So...

Check the appropriate servers that were previously configured and click Add Selected. Finally, click Submit on the General Configuration window.

4. Next configure the Domain List, to include the domain name (ex. www.awesometechhome.com) that we are looking to add. The screen looks as follows...

Configure the Domain group name, owner, and comment necessary. Then click on the Add Domains button.

5. Configure the actual host DNS name that will be the (VIP or DNS record)

Click Add and then submit on the Domain List General Configuration.

6. The final Section to configure is the DNS Rules. Click new rule and configure...

Input the new rule name, owner, source address list, domain list, and balance clauses that were previously configured. The new rule is automatically put into service.

*IMPORTANT - For the new DNS RULE to get used, it is necessary to make the addition of the new delegation record to the DNS Server or DNS Proxy itself. You are now DONE.

This is a simple rule that we hope will get you on your way.  By no means is this the limits of the ACE / GSS possibilities. Call us to discuss your most complex needs... We are the experts in this field and have been referred many times by Cisco themselves to implement these devices because of the lack of expertise in the industry!!!  Email us at info@awesometechhome.com for a free consultation or call one of our fine salespersons...  They do not bite, I personally promise that!

 

Award winning customer support that quickly can add value to your businesses bottom line...

Unheard of for 90% of corporate Americas Information Technology Departments.  Call to discuss how!