SteelHead-v: Virtual SteelHead VCX deployment on Nutanix AHV

Categories:
Nutanix, Nutanix AHV, SteelHead CX (Virtual SteelHead), SteelHead VCX (Next Generation SteelHead-v), KVM
Solution Number:
S35613
Last Modified:
2022-07-06
Issue
Virtual SteelHead VCX (vSH) aka SteelHead-v is software that delivers the benefits of WAN optimization, similar to those offered by the SteelHead hardware, while also providing the flexibility of virtualization. What are the steps to install a vSH on Nutatix AHV?
Solution
SteelHead-v deployment guidelines
You must follow these guidelines when deploying the SteelHead-v (vSH) package on Nutanix AHV. If you do not follow the configuration guidelines, SteelHead-v might not function properly or might cause outages in your network.


Step-by-step procedure to deploy vSH on Nutanix AHV

enlightenedThe Software version used to test Virtual SteelHead VCX (vSH) deployments was Nutanix AOS 5.20 LTS with RiOS 9.12.1 and 9.12.2.

Adding vSH image to Nutanix cluster

1. Login to PRISM WEB CONSOLE:  https://<PRISM VIRTUAL IP>:9440/
2. Download the Next Generation Virtual SteelHead VCX Software Image (KVM) of the required vSH version under the software section from the support portal.
3. Extract (Unzip) the file mgmt.qcow2 from downloaded file: image_rbt_sh_*_x86_64.tgz
4. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to Settings section (Home > Settings).


5. Click “Image Configuration” on the left hand side. Once “Image Configuration” page loads, click “Upload Image” link.


 

6. Give an appropriate name for the image and select “DISK” for “Image Type”.  Click “Upload a file” and then “Choose a file”.  Browse to the location where mgmt.qcow2 is extracted, select the file and click “Open”.


7. Click “Save”.

NOTE: It will take a while for the image to get uploaded to Nutanix cluster. Upload progress will be shown.


8. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to Click “Tasks” from pull down menu on top to check if newly uploaded images is available to use. Task status should be succeeded.



9. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to Settings (Home > Settings).  Click “Image Configuration” on the left hand side. The uploaded image should be available, and “state” must be Active.


 

 

Deploying vSH using the image

1. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to VM section (Home > VM).  Click “Create VM”.


 

2. Give an appropriate name for the VM.

a. vCPUs – Provide the required number based on the model of vSH being deployed.  Refer to KB article S29147 with Virtual SteelHead (VCX) hardware requirements. Check “Virtual CPUs Required (min)” row.

b. Under “Disks”, click “Add new disk”.

  i.    Select “Clone from Image Service” under “Operation”
  ii.    Select “PCI” for “Bus Type”
  iii.    Select the newly added image under “Image”
  iv.    Click “Add”


 

c. Select the newly added disk as first boot option under “Set Boot Priority”.

enlightenedNOTES: 
• Management disk size varies as per the vSH model required.
• Size of management disk needs to be expanded to meet the hardware specification. Refer to KB article S29147 for models available and hardware requirements.
• Follow the procedure given in Expanding size of management disk to expand the size of management disk. 


d. Add another disk (Bus Type PCI). Provide the disk size based on the model of vSH being deployed (S29147). Check “Max Data Store Capacity” row.

Choose “Allocate on storage container”

 

e. Under “Network Adapters (NIC)”, click “Add New NIC”.

NOTE: In total, four network adapters need to be added, one each for primary (management), aux, lan and wan networks. Choose appropriate subnet (with different VLAN ID for lan and wan network) when adding the network adapters.


f. Select appropriate (pri, aux, lan or wan) subnet under “Subnet Name” and click “Add” (*)

enlightened* Add management network as first network adapter.

 

g. Repeat step e and f to add aux, lan and wan network adapters.

NOTE: VLAN IDs of the subnets (“Subnet Name”) chosen for LAN and WAN networks should be different.  Also, ensure that the VLAN IDs are not used for any other vSH deployments on the network.


3. Click “Save”.



A popup message will indicate task is created.


4. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to Tasks section (Home > Tasks) and verify VM create task is complete.


 

5. SSH into one of the CMVs in the AHV cluster:

  • Run the following command to add a serial port to the VM: ​​​​​​
acli vm.serial_port_create <vm_name> type=kServer index=0

enlightened Replace "<vm_name>" with the name of the VM


6. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to VM section (Home > VM) and click on the VM you created.   Power on link (on bottom; slightly scroll down) will be available.  Click “power on” link.


 

7. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to Tasks section (Home > Tasks) and verify VM power on task is complete.

8. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to VM section (Home > VM) and launch console (select the line corresponding to the VM you created, “Launch Console” link (on bottom; slightly scroll down) will appear.   Once “Launch Console” link appears, click the link to launch the console in a new window. Select “COM1” in the “Launch Console” popup and click “Launch”

NOTE: “Launch Console” link will not appear when VM is in powered off state.


9. Press “Enter” on the console to boot from disk. Even after you press enter key, It takes some time to see boot up messages.




Boot up messages will be seen on console.


Sometime after mounting the file systems, it will go for another reboot.  Once the VM boots up, login screen will be shown.


10. Perform initial configuration from console.   Login to the console using “admin” user and “password” (without double quote) as password.  Configuration wizard will prompt with questions on initial configuration.

i. To configure SCC, type “yes”, otherwise type “no”.  Press enter to continue
ii. Type “yes” and press enter for initial configuration using wizard
iii. Configure hostname, DHCP, password, network and other initial configuration settings. Configuration settings will be displayed.  Press enter (at the “Choice :” prompt) to continue.

NOTE: Upon pressing enter, initial configuration will be saved and vSH CLI prompt will be shown on console


11. Enter enable mode on console using the below command.

> en

12. Execute the below command to find out management IP address of vSH.

# show interface primary

NOTE: It is assumed that DHCP configuration was preferred in the initial configuration settings and that a DHCP server is available on the Nutanix Cluster Network to which the primary interface is mapped to.
 
 
 

Completing vSH configuration from SteelHead UI
 
1. Open UI of vSH using the management IP from an internet browser.   Click “I agree” for the end user license agreement.  Login to the UI using “admin” user and “password” (without double quote) as password.
 


Upon successful login, dashboard screen will be shown


2. In vSH UI, go to Licenses (ADMINISTRATION > MAINTENANCE > Licenses).
 
NOTE: If “Restart Services” link is active (in green colour), click it to restart services before proceeding.

3. In the “Licenses” page, enter the customer key and click “Update”.
 

 
4. Under “Licenses on this Appliance”, enter licenses for Optimization (sport) and model specific.  Click “Add”.
 
NOTE: Refer to KB article S30770 for VCX license deployment.
 
5. Click “Save to Disk” and “Restart Services” on top right of the page, if the links are active.
6. In vSH UI, go to In-Path Interfaces (NETWORKING > NETWORKING > In-Path Interfaces) and configure IPv4 under In-Path Interface settings.
 

 
7. Click “Apply” at bottom of the page.
8. Click “Save to Disk” on top right of the page.  Ignore the optimization service not licensed error that may be shown.

 
9. In vSH UI, go to General Service Settings (Optimization > Networking Services > General Service Settings).  Select “Enable In-Path Support” and “Enable Optimizations on interface inpath0_0” checkboxes.
 

 
10. Click “Apply” at bottom of the page.


 
11. Click “Save to Disk” and “Restart Services” on top right of the page.
 



 

12. In vSH UI, go to ADMINISTRATION > Reboot/Shutdown” and click “Reboot”.
enlightenedYou will be logged out of “admin” user and system will reboot
 

13. Boot process can be monitored using the launch console of vSH VM on PRISM WEB CONSOLE.  Upon boot up, console message indicating system initialization completion will be seen.
 

 
14. Login to the UI using “admin” user and “password” (without double quote) as password.  System healthy should be Healthy in the dashboard page.
 


This completes the deployment and configuration of Virtual SteelHead (vSH) on Nutanix AHV.
 

Expanding size of management disk
Model specific license will not come into effect until all hardware specifications for the model is met. This includes size of vSH management disk. By default, a size of 38GB is set for the vSH management disk during vSH deployment.  This size will suffice up to VCX-30 model of vSH.  For VCX-40 model and above, the management disk size should be expanded to the management disk size specified in https://supportkb.riverbed.com/support/index?page=content&id=S29147 for the required model. 

Follow the below procedure to expand the size of the management disk. Please complete deployment of vSH and initial configuration before performing the below:

1. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to VM section (Home > VM) and click on the VM you need the management disk size to be expanded.  “Power off Actions” link (on bottom right; slightly scroll down) will be available.   Click “Power Off Actions” link.  In the popup, select “Power off” and click “Submit”.   
2. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to VM section (Home > VM) and click on the VM you need the management disk size to be expanded.  “Update” link (on bottom right; slightly scroll down) will be available.   Click “Update” link.

3. Scroll down to the “Disks” section in the “Update VM” popup.  Click pen icon shown against the first disk (pci.0).
 

 
4. Set the size of the management disk to your preferred size (see KB article S29147 with Virtual SteelHead (VCX) hardware requirements), and click “Save”.

5. Click “Save” in the Update VM popup.
 

 
6. In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to Tasks section (Home > Tasks) and verify VM update task is complete.
7. Once update task is complete, power on the VM.   In PRISM WEB CONSOLE, go to VM section (Home > VM) and click on the VM you created. Power on link (on bottom; slightly scroll down) will be available.   Click “power on” link.

enlightenedBoot process can be monitored using the launch console of vSH VM on PRISM WEB CONSOLE. 

 
Environment
SteelHead-v
Virtual SteelHead VCX
Nutanix AHV
Attachments
NOTICE: Riverbed® product names have changed. Please refer to the Product List for a complete list of product names.
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