Configure HTTP/2 Support

Objective
Prerequisites
Configuration
Configuration Sequence
Enable HTTP/2 Support Using Virtual Host
Enable HTTP/2 Support for the Cluster
Concepts
API References

Objective

This document provides instructions on how to enable HTTP/2 support for your application. The HTTP/2 reduces latency and enhances efficiency for web-based applications.

Using the instructions provided in this guide, you can enable HTTP/2 connections for your services provisioned using F5® Distributed Cloud Services virtual host. For more information on virtual hosts, see Virtual Host.

Prerequisites

The following prerequisites apply:

A valid Account is required.

Note: If you do not have an account, see Create an Account.

A virtual host acting as a proxy for a service

Note: If you do not have a virtual host configured, see Create a Virtual Host.

Configuration

Configuration Sequence

You can enable HTTP/2 support in one of the following ways:

By configuring virtual host for your service with the virtual host of the type TCP Proxy with SNI.
By enabling HTTP/2 support for the service in the cluster object configuration.

Enabling HTTP/2 support using the virtual host requires performing the following sequence of actions:

Phase	Description
Create Objects Required for Virtual Host	Create endpoint, cluster, route, and advertise policy.
Create Virtual Host	Create virtual host of the `TCP Proxy with SNI` type.

Enabling HTTP/2 support in the cluster object requires performing the following sequence of actions:

Phase	Description
Create Endpoint	Create endpoint where the service is available.
Create Cluster	Create cluster for the endpoint with enabling HTTP/2.
Create Objects Required for Virtual Host	Create route with the cluster as destination and advertise policy.
Create Virtual Host	Create virtual host with the route and advertise policy.

Enable HTTP/2 Support Using Virtual Host

HTTP2 Set can be viewed and managed in multiple services: Distributed Apps, Web App & API Protection, and Load Balancers.

This example shows HTTP2 setup in Load Balancers.

Enabling HTTP/2 support using virtual host is achieved by creating the virtual host of type TCP Proxy with SNI. Perform the following to create virtual host for your service with HTTP/2 support:

Step 1: Log into F5® Distributed Cloud Console with your tenant credentials. Create endpoint, cluster, route, and advertise policy.

Open F5® Distributed Cloud Console homepage, select Load Balancers box.

Note: Homepage is role based, and your homepage may look different due to your role customization. Select All Services drop-down menu to discover all options, or customize settings in Account (Administration > Personal Management > My Account) > Account Settings > Work domains and skill level > Edit work domain & skills button > select boxes (Advanced to add more options) > Save changes button.

Note: Confirm Namespace feature, if available in service, is on correct namespace, drop-down selector located in upper-left corner.

Select Manage in left column menu > select Virtual Hosts > Virtual Hosts.

Note: If options are not showing available select Advanced nav options visible Show link in bottom left corner. Select Hide to minimize options from Advanced nav options mode if needed.

Select Add Virtual Host button.

Step 2: Select Manage in the configuration menu and Virtual Hostsin the options pane. Select Add virtual host to load the virtual host creation form. Enter a name and set the Proxy Type as TCP Proxy with SNI.

Select Manage in left-menu > Virtual Hosts > Virtual Hosts in pop-up window > select Add Virtual host button.
Enter Name, enter Labels and Description as needed.
Select Proxy Type from drop-down menu options. UDP Proxy or Secret Management Access Proxy
TCP Load Balancers > SNI check box.
Select Cluster > Add Cluster > Origin Pool(cluster) Parameters section > Show Advanced Fields configure link in TLS Parameters section > SNI Selection drop-down menu > enter SNI Value in Upstream TLS Parameters page.

Note: HTTP & TCP proxy types support through virtual host is removed, they are now supported only through Load Balancers menu.

Step 3: Add the route and advertise policy created in Step 1 to the Routes and Advertise Policies fields respectively. Select Add virtual host to complete virtual host creation.

Select Routes from List of Routes or + Select Route in Routes section.
Select Advertise Policies from List of Advertise Policy or + Select Advertise Policy in Routes section.
Select Save and Exit button.

Note: For complete set of instructions on the virtual host configuration, see Create and Advertise a Virtual Host guide.

Enable HTTP/2 Support for the Cluster

Enabling HTTP/2 support for the cluster also requires you to configure endpoint first, and then add the cluster in the route configuration followed by creating advertise policy. Applying this route and advertise policy to the HTTP or HTTPS virtual host enables HTTP/2 support.

Perform the following steps to enable HTTP/2 support using cluster object.

Step 1: Log into F5® Distributed Cloud Console, create an endpoint for your cluster.

Log into F5® Distributed Cloud Console with your tenant credentials.
Create an endpoint for your cluster as per the instructions listed in Virtual Hosts Create Endpoint chapter of the Create and Advertise a Virtual Host guide.

Step 2: Select Manage in the configuration menu, and Clusters in the options pane. Select Add cluster to open the cluster configuration.

ENDPOINTS:

Load Balancers > Manage > Virtual Host > Endpoints > Add Endpoint button > Name < configure Endpoints > select Save and Exit button.

CLUSTER:

Load Balancers > Manage > Virtual Host > Clusters > Add Cluster > Endpoint Subsets > Select Endpoint Subsets button > Save and Exit button.
In Load Balancers > select Manage > Virtual Host > Clusters.
Select Add Cluster button.
+ Select Endpoint Subsets button. > Select Endpoint Subsets button > Save and Exit button.

Step 3: Configure Cluster fields.

Configure the cluster fields as per the instructions in the Create Cluster chapter of the Create and Advertise a Virtual Host guide.

Step 4: Select the Enabled checkbox at the bottom of the cluster configuration form and select Add cluster to complete creation of the cluster.

Toggle Show Advanced Fields in Origin Pool(cluster) Parameters section.
Check HTTP2 Enabled box that appears at bottom of section under TLS Parameters section.

Note: In case you already created the cluster, you can edit it using the ... > Edit option.

Step 5: Create route.

Manage > Virtual Host > Routes > Add Route button > Configure link > + Add Item button > Destination List drop-down menu in Actions List section > Configure link > Add Item > Cluster drop-down menu.
Select Manage > Virtual Host > Routes.
Select Add Route button.
Select Configure link > + Add Item button.
Select Destination List drop-down menu in Actions List section > Configure link > Add Item > Cluster drop-down menu.

Create route adding the cluster in the Destination List for the Route action field as per the instructions in the Create Route chapter of the Create and Advertise a Virtual Host guide.

Step 6: Create advertise policy and virtual host of type HTTP proxy or HTTPS proxy. Apply the route and advertise policy created in Step 5 and Step 6 to the virtual host configuration.

Note: For instructions, see Create Advertise Policy chapter and Create Virtual Host chapter of the Create and Advertise a Virtual Host guide respectively.