Overview #

This article outlines the changes from RELIANOID v6.2 to RELIANOID v8 from a user perspective and aims to serve as a reference for maximizing the benefits of the new RELIANOID Load Balancer v8.

New command line instructions #

On RELIANOID v8, we give another step on the undergoing transformation from Zevenet to RELIANOID standarizing and simplifying the usage of the command line instructions. All commands that previously started with “z*” or “zen*” will be now named as “noid-*“.

RELIANOID v8 aims to create a more consistent and intuitive command line experience. Users transitioning from RELIANOID v6.2 to v8 should update their scripts and workflows to reflect these new command names.

Here is a summary of the changes:

zenbui is now noid-bui #

noid-bui is the basic curses user interface to configure system services in the load balancer.

root@noid-ee-01:~# noid-bui

zcli is now noid-cli #

noid-cli is the command line user interface.

root@noid-ee-01:~# noid-cli

zcluster-manager is now noid-cluster-manager #

noid-cluster-manager is the command line manager for the RELIANOID cluster service.

root@noid-ee-01:~# noid-cluster-manager

zcluster-send-action is now noid-cluster-send-action #

noid-cluster-send-action is the command line manager to send an action to the remote node in a load balancer cluster.

root@noid-ee-01:~# noid-cluster-send-action

zlb-start and zlb-stop are now noid-start and noid-stop #

noid-start and noid-stop are script based files to customize the RELIANOID service during the start or stop and they will be executed after those actions. These files can be found at /usr/local/relianoid/config/ .

zenrrd is now noid-collector #

noid-collector is a cronjob script dedicated to gather statistics from the system, farms and network to be stored in RRD files in order to be able to present it as graphs via the web GUI.

zenntp is now noid-ntp #

noid-ntp is a cronjob script dedicated to synchronize with the remote NTP service and ensure that the system date-time is correct.

zeninotify is now noid-cluster-notify #

noid-cluster-notify is a service included in the clustering system responsible to replicate the configuration at filesystem level among the nodes.

zenbackup.pl is now noid-backup #

noid-backup is a script that allows to perform configuration backups for a rapid configuration recovery.

Obsolete API versions #

In RELIANOID v8, significant changes have been made to the API versions to streamline the codebase and improve maintainability. Here are the details of these changes:

Removal of Older API Versions: Older versions of the API have been removed from the source code. This decision was made to simplify the codebase and make it more maintainable. As a result, only API version v4.0 is available in RELIANOID v8.

Impact on Automation Processes and Workflows: Users must update their automation processes and workflows to use API version v4.0. Any scripts or integrations relying on older API versions will need to be revised to ensure compatibility with the new system.

Steps to Update Automation Processes and Workflows:
1. Identify API Calls Using Older Versions.
2. Update API Calls to Use v4.
3. Test Updated Workflows. Thoroughly test all updated scripts and workflows to ensure they function correctly with API version v4.0. Check for any deprecated parameters or changes in response formats that might require additional adjustments.

By consolidating to a single API version, RELIANOID v8 aims to reduce complexity and improve the overall reliability and maintainability of the system. It is crucial for users to update their automation processes and workflows accordingly to ensure uninterrupted service and take advantage of the enhancements in the new API version.

Please find examples of the new API operation in the official apidoc at https://www.relianoid.com/apidoc/v4.0/

API changes #

In RELIANOID v8, several key changes have been made to the API interactions to enhance consistency and usability.

A compatibility layer has been implemented to ensure that existing processes using the old endpoint and authentication variable will not break. This layer allows continued use of zapi.cgi and ZAPI_KEY while transitioning to the new api.cgi and API_KEY.

Specifically, the following changes have been implemented.

Old API Interaction
Endpoint: https://<relianoid_server>:444/zapi/v4.0/zapi.cgi
Authentication Variable: ZAPI_KEY

New API Interaction
Endpoint: https://<relianoid_server>:444/api/v4.0/api.cgi
Authentication Variable: API_KEY

Please find examples of the new API operation in the official apidoc at https://www.relianoid.com/apidoc/v4.0/

To ensure a smooth transition, the system will still recognize and accept requests to zapi.cgi using ZAPI_KEY. However, it is recommended to update all API interactions to use the new api.cgi endpoint and API_KEY variable for future-proofing and to take full advantage of the new features and optimizations in RELIANOID v8.

By making these updates, RELIANOID v8 aims to provide a more intuitive and streamlined API experience while maintaining backward compatibility to avoid disruptions in current workflows.

Operation changes #

zproxy and proxy-ng deletion #

zproxy, also called as proxy-ng or new generation proxy, has been removed from the system base due to the lack of stability and reliability that is mandatory value for our delivered solutions.

zencert.pem is now noid_ssl_cert.pem #

The default SSL certificate for HTTPS farms or the web GUI service, previously named zencert.pem, has been updated to noid_ssl_cert.pem . No changes are required on your part, as the configuration migration will automatically apply this update. However, please ensure to update this new certificate on any server where it is being used.

New features #

Multi Factor Authentication support #

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) support has been included in this release, initially only on the backend side, to ensure it meets our customers’ and users’ requirements before making it available via the web GUI. Connectors for AD, LDAP, RADIUS, and Google CAPTCHA v2 are available.

To configure MFA, please follow these instructions:

1. Create an HTTP/s farm with a service and your backends. Ensure the farm is in UP status.
2. In the command line, edit the script located at /usr/local/relianoid/share/mfa/scripts/create-mfa.sh and follow the included instructions to set your options.
3. Finally, execute the script. The first run may take some time as all dependencies are installed (internet connectivity will be required at this stage). Once the script completes, you can try accessing your application via the load balancer to check if the new MFA portal is displayed.

If you later need to change any configuration, edit and execute the script /usr/local/relianoid/share/mfa/scripts/delete-mfa.sh to remove the configured MFA.

You can create several MFAs in sequence to implement multi-factor authentication with multiple layers for your applications.

Backend priority support for HTTP backends #

The backend priority option allows certain backends to serve as backups in case the production servers go down, thereby enhancing service availability for HTTP farms.

Least Response support for HTTP farms #

The least response feature enables dynamic weight adjustment based on backend response times. It resizes backend weights according to their performance, directing more connections to servers with faster response times for HTTP farms.

Enjoy RELIANOID Load Balancer v8!