SSL

We will now look at issues that can arise when load balancing SSL applications via the NetScaler. Let's start by looking at some considerations when deploying SSL, before discussing certificates and some essential Wireshark knowledge that you need in the SSL area. We will then apply this knowledge to troubleshoot some common issues before wrapping up the section with a discussion of SSL security best practices.

SSL deployment considerations

SSL is now ubiquitous. In fact, most public facing deployments simply cannot go into production without it. Using NetScaler to take the SSL processing load off the servers is referred to as SSL offloading. SSL offloading is great for performance because a NetScaler with its specialized SSL cards is optimized for handling SSL transactions, while your application servers typically are not.

Note

While the generic name SSL has stuck, SSL is no longer the choice for security and nor is TLS 1.0. The severity of the POODLE attack that impacts both protocols...