Cisco LocalDirector
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Cisco LocalDirector is a server load balancing appliance based on the Network Address Translation technology Cisco Systems acquired when they bought Network Translation, Inc. The LocalDirector was the idea of Brantley Coile, the inventor of the PIX. When NTI was bought by Cisco Systems, Brantley immediatedly started work on the LocalDirector. It used the same Finesse OS as the PIX. John Mayes was the CEO and Brantley was CTO for Network Translation Inc.
The LocalDirector appliance, especially in the case of the earlier models, bear significant resemblance to the Cisco PIX Firewall and the Cisco SSG-6510. Historically, Cisco Systems, F5 Networks, and an out-of-business start-up named Hydraweb shipped the first load balancers, though it is unclear which product was actually the first on the market, as all three companies arrived at industry tradeshows simultaneously.
Load balancing provides three important functions. It provides server availability, server scalability and the ability to manage server by bringing them on and off line.
All LocalDirector models were built with Intel-based/Intel-compatible motherboards, along with Intel and Rockwell/Conexant network chipsets. The LocalDirector utilizes a proprietary operating system that Cisco calls Finesse. The PIX firewall today uses a derivative of the same operating system. All systems boot from flash memory.
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[edit] History and hardware/software specfications
| Model | LocalDirector | 410 | 415 / CA-LDIR | 416 | 417 | 417G | 420 | 430 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alt. Part Number | 47-3158-01 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Introduced | 2Q96 | 1997 | ? | 1999 | ? | ? | 1998 | 1999 |
| Discontinued | ? | ? | 1998 | 2002 | 2003 | 2003 | ? | 2002 |
| CPU type | Intel Pentium Pro | Intel Pentium Pro | Intel Pentium Pro | Intel Celeron (SL3BA) | Intel Pentium III | Intel Pentium III | Intel Pentium II | Intel Pentium II |
| CPU speed | 133 MHz | 166 MHz | 200 MHz | 433 MHz | 600 MHz | 600 MHz | 300 MHz | 450 MHz |
| Chipset | Intel 430HX | Intel 440GX | Intel 440FX | Intel 440BX | ? | ? | Intel 440BX | Intel 440BX |
| Default RAM | ? | 32 MB | 32 MB | 32 MB | 512 MB | 512 MB | 128 MB | 384 MB |
| Boot flash device | Daughtercard | Daughtercard | Daughtercard | Daughtercard | Onboard | Onboard | Daughtercard | Daughtercard |
| Default flash | 2 MB | 2 MB | 2 MB | 2/4 MB | 16 MB | 16 MB | 2 MB | 2/4 MB |
| Default interfaces | 2 | ? | ? | Three LD-FE | ? | ? | Three LD-FE | One LD-QUADFE |
| Max interfaces | 2 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Fixed interfaces | No | No | No | No | Six 10/100baseT | Two 1000baseSX and two 10/100baseT | No | No |
| Expansion cards supported | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Floppy drive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | No | Yes | Yes |
| Failover supported | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | 410 | 415 | 416 | 417 | 417G | 420 | 430 |
[edit] List of PCI and ISA expansion cards for the LocalDirector
- Flash Memory cards
- LDIR-2MB-Flash - 2MB ISA flash card for all LocalDirectors except the 417. Identical to the 2MB flash card used in early PIXes.
- PEP upgrade card - 4MB ISA flash upgrade card for the LD 416/430, so named because it, like all of the flash cards used in the PIX/LocalDirector/SSG6510 devices, was manufactured by Productivity Enhancement Products, or PEP. Uses two AMD AM29F016D chips for flash memory, and the BIOS resides on an AMD AM29F010b chip. Description printed on the card itself indicates that it was designed as a 16MB flash card, but six of the eight possible locations silkscreened on the PCB for the 29F016D chips are not populated. It is not comparable to any card used in the PIX, nor does the PIX OS recognize its flash chips. Mentioned in the 3.2 release notes [1].
- Network interface cards
- LD-FDDI - 32 bit/33 MHz dual port PCI FDDI card based on the Interphase 5511 FDDI card (PB05511-002).
- LD-FE - 32 bit/33 MHz single port 10/100 Fast Ethernet card. Based variously on the Intel 82557, 82558, or 82559 chipsets.
- LD-GE - PCI Gigabit Ethernet (1000baseSX) PCI card. Based on the Rockwell/Conexant chipset. Does not support autonegotiation of speed or duplex. Mentioned in the version 3.2.1 installation guide[2]. Identical to the PIX-1GE card.
- LD-QUADFE - 32 bit/33 MHz Four port 10/100 Fast Ethernet card. PCI card based on the Rockwell/Conexant chipset. Does not support autonegotiation of speed or duplex.
- NI-2FE - PCI dual-port 10/100baseTX Ethernet card.
