Elfiq Link Balancer

EOS Release Notes

Revisions 2.2.x and 3.x

th
June 4 2010

Elfiq Networks (Elfiq inc.)

www.elfiq.com
1. Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes
Current firmware: Version 3.4.1.117/118
Firmware date: June 2nd 2010
Supported Link Balancer models:

• LINKLB-500 / 1000

• LINKLB-550B / 550E / 1100E

• LINKLB-1500E

• LINKLB-2000

• LINKLB-2500E

• LINKLB-3000

• LINKLB-4000E

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 2

 IMPORTANT NOTE about the firmware update to EOS 3.3.0 or higher
Before upgrading to EOS version 3.3.0 from any EOS version between 3.1.64 and 3.2.2 (13) you will need to apply the hotfix
included in the same ZIP archive as the v3.3 firmware.

This hotfix is specifically designed to modify any EOSv2 images between 3.1.64 and 3.2.2(13) in order to upgrade to EOSv2
3.2.2(14) and above.

This hotfix can be applied to any model of Link LB.

This hotfix fixes the following issue:

EOSv2 images between 3.1.64 and 3.2.1 cannot be upgraded to EOSv2 images 3.2.2(14) and above.
The error message is "Invalid EOSv2 image format"

To resolve this issue, apply this hotfix using the “eosupdate” utility in the Link LB. After you apply this hotfix it is imperative that you
DO NOT REBOOT the Link LB prior to upgrading to the target EOS.

Once this hotfix is installed you will be able to install the target EOSv2 files for versions 3.2.2 and above. This upgrade will need to be
followed by a reload of the Link LB as usual.

IMPORTANT WARNING: Before any firmware update, best practices recommend to ALWAYS do a
full backup of your configuration in a text file.

IMPORTANT: Release in EOSv2 format. Can only be installed from a 3.1.64 version or higher. If
you have a version older than 3.1.64, you must first upgrade to 3.1.64 before upgrading.

IMPORTANT: Kernel upgrade. Once updated, EOS firmware can not be downgraded to version
3.3.0.2 or before.

IMPORTANT: In a high availability implementation (two units in failover), both units must be
upgraded to version 3.4.x. FOVE module will not synchronize between versions 3.4 and 3.3.

LB-3000 specific lan failsafe support: EOS version 3.2.0 and higher supports lan failsafe for LB-
3000 on ports 5 and 6. To support this new feature on units shipped with a prior EOS version, the
end-user must activate the S1 switch (pushing backward) on the system board. Ensure usage of
antistatic equipment. Contact Elfiq support for authorization to open the casing and remove the
warranty void sticker.

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 3

 EOS version
Version Date Description
Standard Failover Geographic

HTTP

• Fixed bug to save IDNS ressource records

June 2th
3.4.1.117/118
2010
VFI

• Fixed ISV polling issues with aliases and groups

SYST

• DST support

• SMTP alert sometimes have invalid time format

• New user groups EOS_READ, EOS_RELOAD,

EOS_EOSUPDATE, EOS_DIAGNOSTIC,
EOS_ENABLE

HTTP

February • DST support

3.4.1.111/112 th
24 2010
• Quality of Service (Qos) support

VFI

• Fix to support PPPoX and static/DHCP link on

same multimode interface

• Range of ISV IDs is extended and aliases are no

longer counted in the maximum

• Fix performance or compatibility issue of VPN

fragmented packets

GENERAL

• Support for E Series LB550B and LB2500E

• LB550E now supports 3 links and SitePathMTPX,

LB1100E now supports 6 links and high
availability (failover)

• Various fixes
January
3.4.0.11
26th 2010 SYST

• NTP support

• SNMP MIBs and notifications support

VFI

• NAT masquerading support

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 4

 • PPPoX fix when dynamically attaching/detaching
interfaces

• Intelligent Condition Verificator (ICV) module with

time of day support (Except B Series)

HTTP

• Wizard and Setttings

• Failover support

• SitePathMTPX support

GEOLINK
• Public/private keys support for Geolink users

IMPORTANT: Original Geolink user creation will be

supported until the next official major release. Please
convert your configuration to use public/private keys.

IMPORTANT: ICV functionnalities are now activated via

a feature. If you are using ICV with a previous version,
you must enable the ICV feature.

VFI

• PPPoE correction that a GMAC coud remain

enabled but not used.

• Protofix SIP correction with fragmented packets

May 14th
3.3.0.14 FOVE
2009
• Renegociation fix when interfaces are forced
down

HTTP

• Fixed GUI link usage history graph

SYST
3.3.0.9
January • SNMP support correction for LB500/1000 models
27th 2009
VFI

• Protofix SIP correction to support DLink routers

SYST

• SNMP support correction

3.3.0.6
December
15th 2008 VFI

• Protofix FTP correction

• Gmac speed and gmac net fix on LB500/550E

November GENERAL
21th 2008
• New HTTP based interface for statistics and

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 5

 3.3.0.2 historic link usage

• Performance optimization under heavy load

• Saveall command is now accessible to all

modules (CLI)

SYST

• USB EOS update support

• USB boot time configuration override, single file

configuration elfiq.txt

• Delayed reload option

VFI

• New RTFA (Round-trip Time First Algorithm) and

MTPX (multiplexing) algorithms in SitePathMTPX

• PPPoE native support

• SIP protofix

• IDNS RR new option to support NSN (no such

name)

• Fixed outgoing statistics when QoS is activated

FOVE

• Renegociation fix

GENERAL

• Support for E Series LB550E and LB1100E

SYST

• New LOADOPT options to specify optimization

mode for each VFI instance: NORMAL,
NAT_OPTIMIZED, NAT_OPTIMIZED_IN,
NAT_OPTIMIZED_OUT, TAG_OPTIMIZED

• Fixed boot-up race condition in LB1500E

th VFI
May 6
3.2.1.34
2008
• Traffic classification and prioritization for QoS rate
limiting and traffic shaping (Diffserv and rate
limiting)

• SitePathMTPX support for branch sites with

dynamic links (one link with one static IP) and one
remote site with only dynamic links (no static IP)

• New protofix supports FTP specific port initiator in

active and passive modes.

• Adjustment in IPv6 feature in IDNS module

• Removed additional section in IDNS answers with

auth mode for compatibility with external DNS

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 6

 scenario

SYST
• Support date and time in basic configurator
• Virtual management (vmgmt) support on all
devices
• Ram2net and net2ram support (SSH only)
• Support for lan failsafe (if supported by the Link
LB model)

VFI

• Fixed 802.1q support

• Performance enhancement in NAT balancing

mode

• Changed SH PROBE REPORT columns and

layout. Performance enhancement under heavy
conditions.

• Gmac down log event changed to severity 2. New

gmac down event after 120 seconds of downtime
(severity 1)

• SH ARP filtering option

February
3.2.0.20
12th 2008 • Introduction of Intelligent Condition Verificator
(ICV) and ICV actions

• New shutdown parameter in command STATE

GMAC allows to disable a gmac even after a Link
LB reload

• Support of tag balancing in a gmac channel

• Support AAAA IPV6 queries reply sent as No

Such Name

• SH VFI STATS have cumulative stats in/out on

gmac and also top in/out

• Removed SitePath ID and group ID numbering

limitations

• SitePath support for two dynamic links (NATed or

DHCP)

• NDIP parameter in ACL NAT OUT statements is

replaced automatically with NDNET. Ensure that
the destination subnet mask in you ACLs
matches the NDNET subnet mask

GEOLINK

• Each gmac and IDNS interceptor group and ISV

can be exported to specific sites (geotag). New
command GMAC EXPORT, ISV GROUP
EXPORT and INTERCEPTOR GROUP EXPORT.
February
3.2.0.20 The EXPORT parameter is removed from IDNS
12th 2008
RR command. Map geolink is deprecated.

• Enhanced GeoLink synchronization with more

than 2 sites.

• Gmac child geo support

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 7

 • Support for static id on gmac export

GENERAL
October 7th
3.2.0.0 • Support for E Series LB1500E and LB4000E
2007
• LB2000 support of two VFIs.

SYST

• IMPORTANT: UTC support modification

o set date must be in UTC format

o set timezone apply to all system logs

and events

• SMTP severity levels change

o 1 (Alert), 2 (Warning), 3 (Notice), 4

(Info)

VFI

• New PERSIST TRIGGER command to ensure IP

persistence triggered by a specific protocol/port.
3.1.70.20 th
May 24 - Allows VPN balancing. This function also
28th 2007 replaces protofix PPTP
(RC3 to 3.2)
• IMPORTANT: protofix pptp must be replaced
by

o persist trigger [id] vpn [expiration

timeout]

• Primary link ARP auto-discovery on inside port

• New algorithm WFA-ETFA

• SitePathMTPX fix under BSFA algorithm

• Persistence fix when having multiple firewalls on

the primary link or multiple browsing IP

IMPORTANT: Kernel upgrade. Once updated, EOS

firmware can not be downgraded to version 3.1.70.2 or
before.

GEOLINK
3.1.70.20 th
May 28
2007 • Fixed geolink replication problem associated with
(RC3 to 3.2)
subnets

GENERAL

• Severity selection for SMTP ALERTS with the

new command SMTP SEVERITY
3.1.70.7
March 14th
2007
(RC2 to 3.2) VFI

• New child gmac support

• Enhanced algorithm link selection when all links

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 8

 have reached their global threshold

• Enhanced fragmented packets handling

• Gmac to gmac polling support

FOVE

• Added additional peer state verification

IMPORTANT: Kernel upgrade. Once updated, EOS

firmware can not be downgraded to previous version.

GENERAL

• New CLR LOG EVENT command

• Automatic backup of previous configuration on

Flash

BROKER

• New SH TECH-SUPPORT command

VFI

• Qos Diffserv marking support (qos/qos group),

apply to "acl in, acl nat in, acl tag in"

• 802.1Q vlan support

• Nat Tcp/Udp checksum verification fix

3.1.70.2 • Gmac MTU with Tcp mss clamping support

January
th
31 2007
(RC1 to 3.2) • New GMAC THRESHOLD command

• SH ARP command now displays the

manufacturer name associated to the MAC

• SH VFI STATS command replaces SH

SESSIONS, new statistics are added

• Enhanced ARP management for inter-VFI

channels

• New ACL DEBUG IN/OUT command to filter

packet debug logs

• The TAG feature is split TAG_IN and TAG_out in

a TAG_GROUP feature.

FOVE

• Added additional peer state verification

GENERAL

• Context help support

• Fixed the SMTP module if the server is not

December
3.1.66 reachable for a long period
4th 2006
• SMTP date format changed to mm/dd/yyyy

• New SMTP SENDER command

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 9

 • Updated Ethernet drivers to support new RoHS
compliant board

VFI

• Intelligent Service Verificator (ISV) release,

available in LB1000 and higher models

• Enhanced ARP management for GMACs. Fixes

possible incompatibilities with third party devices
that do not update their ARP table if there is no
traffic for many hours.

• Probe stats and reports support for >64k output.

• Support for "any" keyword on all acl

• Acl support for negative protocol logic

• Translation of well-known port 1-1024 mapped to

names in the built-in probe

• Idns rr are case insensitive

• Idns records default is auth for authoritative. Must

be noauth if DNS records are externally
hosted.

FOVE

• Simplified failover module configuration

• Fixed a possible master/slave desynchronization

while using gmac auto

IMPORTANT: First release in EOSv2 format. Can only

be installed from a 3.1.64 version. If you have a version
older than 3.1.64, you must first upgrade to 3.1.64
before upgrading to 3.1.66.

IMPORTANT: Failover units must both be upgraded

from 3.1.64 for configuration replication compatibility.

GEOLINK
December
3.1.66
4th 2006 • ISV synchronization through Geolink

General

• Support for EOSv2 firmware format

NOTE: Future EOS releases will be with EOSv2

format. Version 3.1.64 will be required for future
firmware updates.
September
3.1.64
20th 2006 VFIx module

• Inline access support

• Gmac alias support

• SitePathMTPX adaptive polling

• Default protocol ID used for NATTP tunnels can

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 10

 be changed

• Fixed a display error for incoming/ougoing

bandwidths in the SH PROBE REPORT display

• Fixed some ARP replies that could be sent to two

outside ports if both links are from the same cable
ISP

• Added debug messages

• Feature tree view support, other display

enhancements

General

• LB500 support

• End of life ELF-ALI-IRO announcement

VFIx module

• Enhanced version of SitePathMTPX technology to

support dynamic and NATed links for alternate paths.

• IDNS optimization for sorting large number of records

and displaying them in alphabetical order

• New feature idns_group

• New feature default_balancing_group activates probe,

gmac_group, idns_group, nat, arp_group and
persistence features

• EOSUpdate command allows usage of FTP and

3.1.62 HTTPS with an MD5 checksum display
August 15th
(release • Fixed the gmac state verification when incomplete
2006
candidate to
3.1.64) • Site path polling support links (GMAC) status
verification and complement tcp polling

• Site path support for dynamic and NATed alternate

links (dynamic and DHCP)

• NATTP over SitePath support

• Probe real time bandwidth usage precision

enhancement

• Clr arp statement will ONLY remove the dynamic

entries

• Sh int statement will not display virtual interfaces (VFI).

IMPORTANT: Incoming balancing using the IDNS

module now needs to activate the following features:

• IDNS_IN

• IDNS_OUT

VFIx module
June 27th
3.1.57
2006
• IDNS RR supports groups of geotags and a default
configuration if the GeoLink is down (Geotag group

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 11

 ordering GGO)

All modules

• Added robustness and automatic connection of the

other modules in a software Watchdog. First symptom
was not being able to connect on management in SSH
but VFIs are still in operation

VFIx module

• SitePathMTPX technology official release, available in

LB1000 and higher models

• Added robustness for possible Denial of Service Attack

and saturation on fast links (100 mbps +), Session
Guard monitoring

• Added AES encryption between two LinkLB units for

SitePath data and heartbeat.
June 27th
3.1.57
2006 • The Link LB completes DHCP replies missing the
broadcast.

• Fixed the eth4 speed/duplex error on LB3000

SYST module

• Added robustness and automatic connection of the

other modules in case of a software Watchdog.

• EOSUpdate accepts a destination port and display a

progress bar while downloading the image

• Basic system configuration wizard now asks user to

save configuration in flash and reboot the unit.

• SH ENV command displays CPU and memory

utilization

VFIx module

• DHCP client support in a GMAC. New command

DHCP and STATE DHCP. New parameter for GMAC,
and POOLIP for supporting a DHCP ID.

May 8th • New commands GMAC SPEED and GMAC

3.1.50 TCPPROBE
2006

• Support of a shared gmac when other devices in the

same lan are in front of the Link LB.

FOVE module

• Fixed a message accumulation queue problem after a

large number of resynchronizations.

April 10th VFIx module

3.1.48
2006
• Fixed ACL with inverted selection

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 12

 General

• Fixed LCD display performance

VFIx module

• New parameter for SH PROBE STATS and SH

PROBE REPORT for displaying n entries

• New SH SESSIONS command to display statistics of

active sessions

• New gmac command: STATS GMAC RESET

• SH GMAC now displays the achieved top speed

• Network loop detection

• ACL NAT OUT command now supports IP segments

(block NAT)

• New commands to support wildcards in IDNS RR:

IDNS GLOBBING

• IDNS module can return multiple IP addresses in

intercepted DNS resolutions (multi parameter)

• IDNS module option to return DNS resolution as an

auth server for NS requests. (auth parameter)

• IDNS module now has global interceptor IP and

groups. New commands are IDNS INTERCEPTOR,
NO/CLR/SH IDNS INTERCEPTOR.
March 30th
3.1.46
2006 • TCP/UDP bad checksum packets under NAT now
dropped

• Fixed bad display for shunning counters

• GMAC_TRUE_TRAFFIC feature forces polling if link is

used at less than 2%.

SYST module

• SMTP can be configured not to send some specific

alerts via email. New commands are SMTP
SUPPRESS, NO/CLR/SH SMTP SUPPRESS

• New command SET INT ETHx DOWN to physically

disable a port

• Empty configuration will boot with default

10.1.0.100/24 IP address on management port.

FOVE module

• RAM2FLASH and WCONF commands are now

replicated from master to slave

BROKER module

• Support for multiple XML commands into the same

request

General

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 13

 • Enhanced LCD handling with navigation controls

• Support for very large configurations in console, API

and replication

• Support for new version of Elfiq-Explorer GUI and

wizards

VFIx module
February
3.1.22
8th 2006 • Enhanced TCP polling to support remote IP stacks
sending back ACK packets out of sequence

VFIx module

• New feature gmac_true_traffic will not probe the gmac

as long as true traffic is detected.

• New feature gmac_group regrouping 4 features: gmac,

gmac_mangle, gmac_tcpprobe and gmac_true_traffic

• New feature arp_group regrouping 4 features:

January arp_learn_in, arp_learn_out, arp_reply_in and
3.1.21
30th 2006 arp_reply_out

• Automatic management and update of MAC addresses

for ARP and GMAC. GMACs and firewall can now be
configured with their IP address instead of static MAC
address.

VFIx and FOVE modules

• IEEE IAB virtual MAC addresses conformity

VFIx module

• NAT optimization

• Added a network selector to SH and CLR commands

for RNAT IN, RNAT OUT, DNAT IN, DNAT OUT, TAG
IN, TAG OUT, RTAG IN, RTAG OUT, PREPIP IN and
PREPIP OUT.

• NAT OUT command replaced by ACL NAT OUT

November
3.1.9
10th 2005
• Additionnal information displayed by DNAT and RNAT
commands

General

• Updated the basic setup wizard to support SMTP alert

and licensing

• SMTP alert messages interval changed to 300

seconds

VFIx module
November
3.1.9
10th 2005 • Automatic status change for geotag policy of incoming
traffic

3.0.25 VFIx module

October

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 14

 11th 2005 • New probe functionality: SH PROBE STATS et SH
PROBE REPORT

• New SH DIAG command

• Fixed NAT OUT IP for UDP sub-protocol

• New inter-site geographic balancing in

incoming/outgoing

o Tunneling between sites (NATTP)

o Inter-VFI communication channels (gmac or

access lists)

o Geolink connectors, map geolink and geotag

policies
September
3.0.22
23th 2005 o Statefull sessions and persistence between
sites

o Added geographic parameters to the

following commands:

NAT OUT (geotag:xx)

IDNS RR (export)

ACL NAT IN (geotag:xx)

General

• SMTP Alert service

• Added support of switches not supporting the same

MAC address in different VLANs. Use of LinkLB MAC
address at layer 2

• New commands related to licence key

• The Link LB-2000 model now supports up to 8 gmacs

(links).

SYST module

• New SH LOG EVENT, LOG EVENT and SH LOG

September commands
3.0.22
23th 2005
• New “disabled” parameter for SET GATEWAY
and SET LOGGING

• Added interface name parameter to SHOW INT

command

• UTC support

VFIx module

• LOG functions for debugging messages

• New CLR ALL command Added support for providing

live graphics to GUI

• NAT IN command replaced by ACL NAT IN

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 15

 • Tagging

• Changed SH CONF display layout

• OPFA (Ordered PoolIP First Algorithm) algorithm

• New PoolIP syntax covering subnetworks

• New ACL ARP command

• GMAC index numbering allowing all gmac commands

to refer to it by an index number

• New GMAC commands to dynamically change

parameters:

o GMAC PROBE

o GMAC WEIGHT

o GMAC TCPPROBE

• New command: SH GMAC SUMMARY

• Changed SH GMAC display layout

FOVE module

• Added support in SET MAC SRC for parameter

00:00:00:00:00:00 (use local MAC)

• Alizé renamed for Elfiq Link Load Balancer (Link LB)

• Version 2.2.255 renamed to 3.0.x

• IMPORTANT: After upgrading to version 3, the

September
3.0.22 EOSUpdate command will not allow to go back to
23th 2005
version 2.2.x.

• IMPORTANT: The version 3 requires a licence key.

Contact support@elfiq.com to obtain it before doing
the EOSUpdate command.

• Static and BGP support for route injection (only),

balancing sessions upon those routes (in IDNS and all
algorithms)

o BGP router
May 10th
2.2.157 o Route IP selector
2005
o Feature route_pref_algo

o Feature route_pref_no_acct

• ARP response fix in monomode

May 10th • null inside interface with a non-null outside, fixup if a

2.2.157
2005 VFI has no cable in the inside interface

April 12th • Optimized the gmac transfert on failover (polling

2.2.155
2005 timeout changed to 3 seconds)

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 16

 • NAT IP command

• NAT excep command

• CLR dnat in command

• Added protofix command for PPTP/GREv1

• Added protofix command for FTP

March 10th • Native poolip 1 fix

2.2.146
2005
• Update to FTP NAT sessions interdependency which
created timeouts on very slow links

• Fixed poolip selection with wrong netmask (specific to

multiple segments in same C class)
March 1st
2.2.140 • Update to GMAC discovery to support source IP
2005
• Added IDNS persistence option in incoming (ILB, DNS
request)

• Added algorihms in outgoing mode

February
2.2.130
15th 2005
• Fixed a GMAC state detection routine in single mode

• Changed MGMT interface for right-most

• Added enable mode

January
2.2.116
14th 2005 ✔
• Support password reset via console only

• Fixed a buffer size for GUI

December • Added Geolink functionality to support site redirection

2.2.75
17th 2004 in incoming

• Added specific functions to support 1000, 2000, 3000

models (LCD, drivers, sensors, etc.)
December
2.2.75
17th 2004 • Added monomode support

October • Fixed command synchronization in failover mode

2.2.31
11th 2004 which could happen in some specific configurations

• Fove bind to all interfaces, allow better L2FO filtering

2.2.0 July 2004
done into kernel for security reasons

• First release of version 2.2.X

• Pre-ip sessions, support of cookies (persistance

2.2.0 July 2004 connexion)

• Update persistancefor NAT support in FTP protocol

(outside to inside) + support FTP Pasv, Port

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 17

 • Pci card probing re-ordering

• Update to XML commands

• Native GUI support

• Update balancer stats

2.0.0
December • First commercial release
2003

Elfiq Link Balancer EOS release notes 18