Getting Started
Hardware
NetScaler provides a wide breath of NetScaler models that might be loosely based on two factors:
- Capacity, currently ranging from hundreds of Mbps for the low-end VPX appliance to 160Gbps for the high-end 25000 MPX series appliance
- Telco grade, with the availability of the T1000 series for Telco datacenters.
Your NetScaler sales or Support representative can help you select the appropriate hardware for your demo, trial, or production needs.
The remainder of this section uses a NetScaler T1200 as a reference hardware. Note that putting aside superficial differences related to number and notation of available interfaces (see * in note) or well-documented limitations of NetScaler VPX (see * in note) the instructions should apply mostly verbatim regardless of the NetScaler model selected.
Note
*For instance a the T1010 model only has 12x1GbE typically marked as 1/1-1/12 rather than the 10/x notation used in this document.
**A NetScaler VPX instance typically doesn’t support LACP aggregation; it might also not support VLAN tagging.
Initial Setup
Through Serial Console
After a serial cable is connected, you can log on to the NetScaler appliance with the following credentials:
- Username: nsroot
- Password: nsroot
Once logged in, configure the basic details of the NetScaler appliance as shown in the screen capture below.
Example:
set ns config –IPAddress <ip_addr> -netmask <netmask>
saveconfig
reboot -warm
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After you restart the appliance, you might use SSH for further configuration of the T1100 nodes.
Through LOM
Lights out Management (LOM) port on the front panel of the NetScaler appliance allows operator to remotely monitor and manage the appliance independently of the operating system. Operator can change the IP address, power cycle, and perform a code dump by connecting to the NetScaler appliance through the LOM port.
Default IP Address of LOM port is 192.168.1.3
Figure. Intial Configuration of LOM Module
Set a static IP on your laptop and plug it directly into the LOM interface with a crossover cable or into a switch in the same broadcast domain as the LOM interface.
For initial configuration, type the port’s default address: http://192.168.1.3 in a web browser and change the LOM port’s default IP address.
Refer to Configuration Guides for further details.
Software
The NetScaler TCP optimization for mobile networks is constantly evolving. The capabilities and tunings outlined in this document require a NetScaler Telco build. Here is an example showing the NetScaler Telco build.
Example:
show ver
NetScaler NS11.0: Build 64.957.nc, Date: Aug 26 2016, 02:00:23
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If the T1000 has not shipped with the appropriate build revision, contact the NetScaler Customer Support.
Important
Both the appliances should have the same software image.
SSH Client
A NetScaler appliance can be configured by using either the CLI or the HTML5 GUI. However, this section provides only CLI-based instructions.
While the CLI is accessible through the NetScaler serial console, an SSH client is normally recommended to allow for remote NetScaler configuration.