[c-nsp] Cisco ACE module configuration question

[Carter, Mark R]

Erik Nelson wrote:
> I have a ACE module in a 6500, and have basic load balancing (with
> sticky connections) working.  The lab environment that I need to use
> this for will have 40+ servers, but all the traffic will be generated
> by just four servers. Each server will be simulating many users, each
> on a different source port. The traffic is HTTP, but not on port 80.
> Since there are programs generating the user traffic, I can't
> necessarily depend on them to behave completely like browsers (cookies,
> for instance). I have no control over the application software or load
> generator software. Also, each connection needs to be sticky.
> 
> Any suggestions? I think I need the source port to be part of the load
> balancing decisions. But this is the first ACE I have touched, and am
> somewhat lost.
> 

I don't think it's possible to base stickiness on the source port. The options are either IP address or something from the payload. So unless each client sends a unique identifier in the http payload, I don't think you'll be able to do it.