Manipulate Server Header in HTTPS Response

Objective

This document provides instructions on how to manipulate the server header value in an HTTPS response for requests to your load balancer. For more information on load balancers, see Proxy & Load Balancer.

The HTTP load balancer responds with the server response header value volt-adc by default. You can set a response header using the header processing options for your load balancer and manipulate it with the server header response setting. For information on how to set the header processing, see HTTP Header Processing.

Using the instructions provided in this guide, you can do the following:

  • Set default response header value

  • Set a specific header value

  • Append a specific header value

  • Set to pass an existing header value


Prerequisites

The following prerequisites apply:


Configuration

Perform the following steps in F5® Distributed Cloud Console (Console) to set the header processing:

Step 1: Navigate to your load balancer.
  • Log into Console.

  • Click Multi-Cloud App Connect.

Figure: Console Homepage
Figure: Console Homepage
  • Click Virtual Hosts > HTTP Load Balancers.
Figure: Load Balancer List
Figure: Load Balancer List
  • Find your load balancer and click ... > Manage Configuration.
Find Load Balancer to Edit
Figure: Find Load Balancer to Edit
  • Click Edit Configuration.
Figure: Edit
Figure: Edit
Step 2: Set server response header.
  • In the Basic Configuration section, enable the Show Advanced Fields option.

  • Click in the Server Header value to be used in response menu and configure per the following guidelines:

    • Select Default Value for Server header to set the header value as volt-adc. This is also set by default.

    • Select Server Name to set a specific value. Enter the value in the Server Name field.

    • Select Append Server Name if absent to set a specific value if the server header is not already present. If it is already present, it is just passed. Set the value in the Append Server Name if absent field.

    • Select Pass existing Server header to pass the server header that is already present. If it is absent, nothing is appended.

Menu Options
Figure: Menu Options

Note: You can set a response header in the Advanced Configuration section using the header processing options. Using server response header together with advanced configuration, you can modify or hide the server response headers for security purposes.

Step 3: Save changes.

Click Save and Exit to complete editing the load balancer.

Note: For more information on HTTP load balancer creation, see the HTTP Load Balancer guide.

Step 4: Verify the server header in the HTTP response.
  • Send an HTTP request using the domain you set in the HTTP load balancer. You can use command-line interface (CLI) tools, like cURL, to request.

  • Verify that the HTTP response includes the server header value per your load balancer configuration.


Concepts


API References