Access NetScaler BLX and configure NetScaler features

You can access NetScaler BLX using one of the following methods:

• NetScaler CLI
• NetScaler GUI
• NetScaler NITRO REST APIs

Before you begin

• Make sure that BLX is up and running on the Linux host. For more information on how to start BLX, see Start BLX.

Password requirements

• When you log in with the default admin (nsroot) password for the first time, BLX prompts you to change the password for security reasons. After changing the password, you must save the configuration. If the configuration is not saved and the BLX restarts, you must log in with the default password again.

• Strong password enforcement is enabled by default in BLX for all local system users. The default minimum length for a strong password is four characters. A strong password must contain the following:

  • One lower case character.
  • One upper case character.
  • One numeric character.
  • One special character from the set (!, @, #, (, ), $, %, ^, &, and *).

Note:

Make sure that the password for each system user of BLX matches the strong password criteria.

• For more information on the strong password criteria, see How to enforce password complexity on NetScaler.

Access NetScaler BLX and configure NetScaler features using the NetScaler CLI

BLX has a command line interface (CLI) where you can run NetScaler CLI commands to configure NetScaler features on BLX.

You can remotely access the BLX by connecting through the secure shell (SSH) from a workstation.

The following table lists the IP address and port on which the NetScaler CLI is available through SSH:

To access NetScaler BLX by using the NetScaler CLI:

1. Open an SSH client from your workstation.

2. Specify the IP address and port on which the CLI of BLX is available and connect to the CLI.

3. Log in to BLX using your BLX login credentials.

For more information about NetScaler CLI commands, see the NetScaler Command Reference Guide.

Access NetScaler BLX and configure NetScaler features using the NetScaler GUI

The NetScaler GUI includes a configuration utility and a dashboard utility.

The following table lists the default IP address and port on which the NetScaler GUI is available:

You can modify these default port numbers in the blx.conf file. You must restart the BLX after you modify the blx.conf file.

Note:

• In shared mode, you cannot change the default management port numbers of HTTP and HTTPS using the set ns param command.
• In dedicated mode, you can change the default management port numbers of HTTP and HTTPS using the set ns param command. But, when you use the unset ns param or clear config full command, the default port numbers are not restored.

The NetScaler GUI prompts you for BLX login credentials. After you log in to the GUI, you can configure NetScaler features using the NetScaler GUI.

Access NetScaler BLX using the GUI

1. Open a web browser.

2. Use one of the following access methods:

   • For HTTP access, type the following in the URL field: <NetScaler BLX IP address (NSIP)>:<HTTP port>
   • For HTTPS access, type the following in the URL field: <NetScaler BLX IP address (NSIP)>:<HTTPS port>
3. On the login page, enter your BLX login credentials and click Login.

Access NetScaler BLX and configure NetScaler features using the NITRO APIs

You can use the NetScaler NITRO API to configure NetScaler features. NITRO exposes its functionality through Representational State Transfer (REST) interfaces. Therefore, NITRO applications can be developed in any programming language. Also, for applications that must be developed in Java or .NET or Python, NITRO APIs are exposed through relevant libraries that are packaged as separate Software Development Kits (SDKs).

Similar to the NetScaler GUI, the NITRO API requests must be sent to the HTTP or HTTPS port of the BLX management IP address.

Access NetScaler BLX in dedicated mode

• To configure BLX in dedicated mode by using the NITRO API in a web browser, type:

  http://<NetScaler BLX IP address (NSIP)>:<HTTP port>/nitro/v1/config/<resource-type>

  https://<NetScaler BLX IP address (NSIP)>:<HTTPS port>/nitro/v1/config/<resource-type>

• To retrieve statistics of BLX in dedicated mode by using the NITRO API in a web browser, type:

  http://<NetScaler BLX IP address (NSIP)>:<HTTP port>/nitro/v1/stats/<resource-type>

  https://<NetScaler BLX IP address (NSIP)>:<HTTPS port>/nitro/v1/stats/<resource-type>

Access NetScaler BLX in shared mode

• To configure BLX in shared mode by using the NITRO API in a web browser, type:

  http://<Linux host IP address>:<HTTP port>/nitro/v1/config/<resource-type>

  https://<Linux host IP address>:<HTTPS port>/nitro/v1/config/<resource-type>

• To retrieve statistics of BLX in shared mode by using the NITRO API in a web browser, type:

  http://<Linux host IP address>:<HTTP port>/nitro/v1/stats/<resource-type>

  https://<Linux host IP address>:<HTTPS port>/nitro/v1/stats/<resource-type>

For more information about using the NetScaler NITRO API, see NetScaler NITRO APIs.

Next step

• Configure NetScaler features