Configure secure heartbeats
The secure heartbeats feature provides protection against network attacks such as tampering and replay attacks. When you enable the secure heartbeats in a cluster setup, NetScaler authenticates the heartbeat packets and checks for packet integrity to protect against network attacks. If the authentication or packet integrity check fails, NetScaler drops the heartbeat packets.
You can enable or disable the secure heartbeats using the secureHeartbeats parameter of the set cluster command.
Note:
- Secure heartbeats must be configured from the cluster IP address.
- Ensure that all the cluster nodes are running release 14.1 build 12.30 or later.
Configure secure heartbeats using the CLI
Log in to the cluster IP address and perform the following steps to enable or disable secure heartbeats.
To enable the secure heartbeats:
-
Enable the secure heartbeats.
set cluster instance <clId> secureHeartbeats ENABLED -
Save the configuration.
save ns config -
Verify the configuration.
sh cluster instance <clid>
Example configuration:
> set cluster instance 1 secureHeartbeats ENABLED
Warning: [The Secure Heartbeats feature must be set in the cluster IP (CLIP) address.]
Done
> save ns config
Done
> sh cluster instance 1
1) Cluster ID: 1
Dead Interval: 3 secs
Hello Interval: 200 msecs
Preemption: DISABLED
Propagation: ENABLED
Quorum Type: MAJORITY
INC State: DISABLED
Process Local: DISABLED
Retain Connections: NO
Heterogeneous: NO
Backplane based view: DISABLED
Cluster sync strict mode: DISABLED
DFD Retain L2 Params: DISABLED
Cluster Proxy Arp Status: ENABLED
Secure Heartbeats: ENABLED
Cluster Status: ENABLED(admin), ENABLED(operational), UP
WARNING(s):
(1) - There are no spotted SNIPs configured on the cluster. Spotted SNIPs can help improve cluster performance.
Member Nodes:
Node ID Node IP Health Admin State Operational State
------- ------- ------ ----------- -----------------
1) 1 10.102.58.124 UP ACTIVE ACTIVE
2) 2 10.102.58.125 UP ACTIVE ACTIVE
3) 0 10.102.58.123* UP ACTIVE ACTIVE(Configuration Coordinator)
Done
To disable the secure heartbeats:
Run the following commands to disable secure heartbeats.
set cluster instance <clId> secureHeartbeats DISABLEDsave ns config
Configure secure heartbeats using the GUI
Log in to the cluster IP address and perform the following steps to enable or disable secure heartbeats.
To enable the secure heartbeats:
- Navigate to System > Cluster.
- In the details pane, click the Manage Cluster link.
- In the Configure cluster instance page, select the Secure Heartbeats checkbox.
- Click Save, and then click Yes.
To disable the secure heartbeats:
In the Configure cluster instance page, clear the Secure Heartbeats checkbox.