The Riverbed Services Platform (RSP) is a VMware based solution to be able to run virtual machines on the xx20 and xx50 series models.
The Virtual Services Platform (VSP) is for the EX series models and discussed in a different chapter.
To be able to run the RSP service on the Steelhead appliance, the following conditions need to be met:
An RSP license needs to be installed. This will allow the RSP software to be installed and started.
Extra RSP memory needs to be installed. This RSP memory is not used by the optimization service.
For the 6050 model, this is a 4 Gb memory module but it will only use 2 Gb of it.
For the 1050 model, this is a 2 Gb memory module. However if more RSP memory is required it is possible to add another 2 Gb to it.
For the 150, 250 and 550 models, this is a 2 Gb memory module. However because of the design of the machine only 1.5 Gb of the memory is available for RSP.
For the other models, this is a 2 Gb memory module.
The RSP image needs to be installed.
First some definitions:
An RSP image is the software image of the RSP service as provided by Riverbed. Once installed it has become the RSP service.
The RSP service is the virtualization software, based on VMware server.
An RSP package is the virtual machine software image as generated by the RSP Package Generator. Once installed in the RSP service it can become a RSP slot.
An RSP slot is a virtual machine, running on top of the RSP service.
The RSP service runs on top of RiOS. The RSP slots run on top of the RSP service.
Figure 5.184. RSP on RiOS
.-------------------------------------------. | RSP slot | RSP slot | ... | | (Windows server) | (Linux based) | | |-------------------------------------------| | RSP service (VMware server) | |-------------------------------------------| | RiOS (Linux) | '-------------------------------------------'
The networks to the RSP slots can be provided in several ways:
The RSP slot can be configured to be on the network of the primary or auxiliary interface and will need to be configured to have an IP address of that IP subnet. This can be used for stand-alone services like an Active Directory Domain Controller or a local DNS/DHCP server.
The RSP slot can be configured to be on the in-path interface on the LAN side, where it will receive the unoptimized traffic. This can be used for a transparent proxy or for an IPS service.
The RSP slot can be configured to be on the in-path interface on the WAN side, where it will receive the optimized traffic. This can be used for a traffic shaper or the SCPS service.
Because the RSP slot runs in the Steelhead appliance, there are several hardware components which are not available for the RSP slots:
No floppy disk drives
No CD-ROM drivers
No audio
No access to the USB ports
The RSP Package Generator checks for these issues and will generate a warning when they are defined in the virtual machine.
When the RiOS version is upgraded, make sure to check the release notes to see if the RSP image needs to be upgraded too. When the RSP image needs to be upgraded too, perform the following steps:
Upload the new RiOS image.
Upload the new RSP image.
Install the new RiOS image.
Disable the RSP service.
Reboot the Steelhead appliance.
Install the new RSP image.
Enable the RSP service.
If there are multiple RiOS images to be installed, do not install the latest RSP image until the RiOS version required has been reached.
Despite having 2 Gb of RSP memory available, this is not fully available to the RSP slots. The RSP service itself uses about 384 Mb, leaving 1664 Mb available for the RSP slots.
So if the Steelhead appliance has raised the paging alarm and RSP is enabled, make sure that the memory for the total memory in use on the RSP slots is less than 1664 Mb.