Load Balancing TFTP with Netscaler 11.1

In order to load balance TFTP via NetScaler you need to create the following:

• Monitors
• Servers
• Services or a Service Group (I prefer a Service Group)
• vServer (Virtual Server).

      In Provisioning Service configuration, option 66/67 is configured in DHCP in order to send the Boot Server Host Name and Boot File Name. Therefore, in this case, you need to configure option 66 with the VIP of the Load Balanced vServer.
      With the help of the NetScaler, we will create a vServer so that all the PVS Clients will be contacted to retrieve the boot information.

Monitor

• Expand Traffic Management > Load Balancing > Monitors.

• On the right, Click Add.

• Name the Monitor (as preferred). 
• Change the Type from the drop down to User.

• Go to Special Parameters tab.
• Change the Type from the drop down to nstftp.pl.
• Click Create.

Servers

• Expand Traffic Management > Load Balancing > Servers.

• On the right Click Add.

• Enter the Server Name.
• Enter the IP address of the server.
• Enter the comments as you wish to describe the server. (not a must)
• Click Create.

• Add the other Server.

Service Group

• Expand Traffic Management > Load Balancing > Service Groups.
• On the right, click Add.

• Give the Service Group a striking name.
• Change the Protocol to TFTP.

• Click on “No Service Group Member” to add the Server objects.

• Change the selection to Server Based and then select the server objects. If you did not create the server object before, then enter the IP address of a PVS Server.
• Enter 69 the port.
• Click Create.

• Under Advanced Settings, Click Monitors.

• Click on No Service Group to Monitor Binding under Monitors section.

• Click on the arrow next to Click to select to select the Monitor.

• Select Monitor_PVS and Click Select.

• Then Click Bind.

• To verify if the Monitor is working Click on Server Group Members.
• Select a member server and then Click Monitor Details.

• The Last Response Should be Success – Probe Succeeded. Click Close twice.
• Click Done.

Load Balancing Virtual Server.

• Expand Traffic Management > Load Balancing > Virtual Servers.

• On the right, click Add.

• Name the vServer as you wish.
• Change the protocol to TFTP.
• Enter a new internal VIP.
• Enter 69 as the port.
• Click OK.

• Click on No Load Balancing Virtual Server ServiceGroup Binding under Services and Service Groups to add the Service Group or Service.

• Click on the arrow next to Click to select to select the ServiceGroup.

• Select the SVC_PVS Service Group and Click Select.

• Click Bind.
• Click Continue.
• Under Advanced Settings click on Method.

• Under Load Balancing Method Select ROUNDROBIN and Backup LB Method should be LEASTCONNECTION. Click OK.

• Verify if LB vServer appears in the up state.

DNS/DHCP

Optional

• Add a New A Host Record in the DNS. In this case, im using PVS as the name but it can be something as you like.

• At last, on the DHCP server configure the PVS Load Balancing vServer VIP address under Scope Option window Option 066 Boot Server Host Name.

• To verify this stop Citrix PVS TFTP service on one of PVS Server. Then Monitor_PVS on NetScaler as this detects if the service is down.
• Try to boot up the Target Device it should contact the TSPVS002 in this case.