Load balancing with the Session Initiation Protocol proxy server

Load Balancer for IBM WebSphere Application Server can help maximize the potential of your Web site by providing a powerful, flexible, and scalable solution to peak-demand problems. Before you begin this task, complete these steps.

• Install Load Balancer for IBM WebSphere Application Server version 6.1.

• Start the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) proxy server.

Overview

Procedure

1. Start the Load Balancer.

   1. From the command prompt, typedsserver start .

   2. Then type lbadmin to start the administrative console for the Load Balancer.

   3. From the administrative console, right click on Dispatcher, and then select Connect to Host.

   4. Right click on the hostname and select Start Executor.

2. Start the configuration wizard for the Load Balancer.

   1. Select default host.

   2. Type a cluster address. The cluster address should not be pingable before the Executor starts. You must specify this same value for host when you create a user-defined port.

   3. Type a port number, such as 5060. You must specify this same value for port when you create a user-defined port.

   4. Add servers to the port. Add each server to which the Load Balancer will proxy traffic. In your configuration, the load-balanced server is the proxy server for your WebSphere Application Server configuration.

   5. Start an advisor by typing the name of the advisor. For example, for HTTP traffic, start the HTTP advisor. For SIP traffic, start the SIP advisor. The advisor tells the manager whether or not a specific port is accepting traffic.

3. Alias the cluster address on the SIP proxy server loopback adapter. See the topic entitled "Setting up server machines for load balancing" in the Load Balancer for WebSphere Application Server Administration Guide, V6.1.

4. Configure an IP sprayer from the WebSphere Application Server administrative console.

   1. From the administrative console, click Servers > Proxy servers > servername > SIP proxy server settings > SIP proxy settings .

   2. Under General Properties, in the IP sprayer configuration section, select the checkbox for the IP sprayer from which you want the SIP proxy server to receive traffic: Enable TCP sprayer, Enable SSL sprayer, or Enable UDP sprayer.

   3. Enter a value for the Host. This is the host for your load balancer.

   4. Enter a value for the Port. This is the port for your load balancer.

   5. Click Apply, and then click Save.

5. Define SIP proxy server custom properties from the WebSphere Application Server administrative console.

   1. From the administrative console, click Servers > Proxy servers > servername > SIP proxy server settings > SIP proxy settings .

   2. Under General Properties, in the Additional Properties section, click Custom properties.

   3. Add these custom properties, and then click OK.

      • LBIPAddr

      • SIPAdvisorMethodName

      • serverUDPInterface

      • serverUDPPort

6. Create a user-defined port from the WebSphere Application Server administrative console.

   1. From the administrative console, click Servers > Proxy servers > servername > Ports.

   2. Click New.

   3. Select User-defined port.

   4. Enter SIP_LB_Address for the Port Name.

   5. Enter a value for the Host. This is the host for your load balancer.

   6. Enter a value for the Port. This is the port for your load balancer.

   7. Enter a value for PROXY_SIP_ADDRESS This is the actual hostname for the proxy server machine.

   8. Click Apply, and then click Save.

7. Modify the SIP proxy transports from the WebSphere Application Server administrative console.

   1. From the administrative console, click Servers > Proxy servers > servername > SIP container transport chains > UDP_SIP_PROXY_CHAIN > UDPInbound Channel.

   2. Under SIP proxy transports, modify UDP_SIP_PROXY_CHAIN.

   3. From the Port drop-down list, select SIP_LB_Address

   4. Click Apply, and then click Save.

8. Restart the proxy server to save your changes.

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