In the BIG-IP system, when you need to prevent traffic from reaching a specific destination or being processed by the system, you utilize specific Virtual Server types that act as " denial " points.
Reject Virtual Servers: When a packet matches a Reject virtual server, the BIG-IP system stops the packet from being processed and sends a reset (RST) in the case of TCP, or an ICMP unreachable message in the case of UDP. This is the preferred method for " blocking " specific IPs when you want the sender to receive immediate notification that the connection was refused.
Drop Virtual Servers: A Drop virtual server simply discards the packet without sending any response back to the source. While effective for " stealthing " a network, it is often less desirable for standard administration unless specifically mitigating a DoS attack.
Comparison with Standard: A Standard virtual server is used to process and load balance traffic to a pool of members; it does not inherently act as a " blocking " mechanism for a single IP within a subnet unless combined with complex iRules or Packet Filters.
Context of the Question: To block responses (or connection attempts) for a specific IP while other traffic in the subnet might be handled by more permissive virtual servers, a more specific (higher precedence) Reject virtual server is the standard administrative approach.
Contribute your Thoughts:
Chosen Answer:
This is a voting comment (?). You can switch to a simple comment. It is better to Upvote an existing comment if you don't have anything to add.
Submit