How do I publish a maintenance page?

Short answer

For planned maintenance, the most direct way is to prepare the maintenance page in Content Pages and add it to the Actions field of the vService with the Show Content action (Execution Level On Request, Status Code 503); requests do not go to the Backend Services. Maintenance can also be done by putting the Backend Services into Maintenance Mode; in this case, the Show Content for Traffic Manager Errors action shows the page instead of the 503 that TR7 produces (Status code 503 is selected; the default is 200). If the page is hosted outside TR7, Redirect for Traffic Manager Errors or Location Redirection is used; if there is a separate maintenance server, Backup Service is used.

Problem: Users See Errors During Maintenance

While the application is being updated or the servers are in maintenance, users see a connection error or the generic 503 page of TR7. Instead, a page that explains that maintenance is in progress is shown; when the page returns with the 503 code, search engines consider the situation temporary and do not index the page.

Solution: Seven Methods

The methods are divided into two groups: those that show the page immediately, regardless of the status of the servers (Methods 1, 6), and those that take effect when the servers are put into maintenance or crash (Methods 2–5). In every case, the maintenance page is shown on an HTTP vService; only Backup Service also works on L7 TCP.

Your situation	Suitable method
Planned maintenance; the page should be shown immediately, regardless of the status of the servers	Method 1: Show content
The servers will be put into Maintenance mode; the page should stay on TR7	Method 2: Maintenance mode + Show Content for Traffic Manager Errors
The page should appear only while all the servers are disabled	Method 3: Show content + Number of Active Servers
The servers are in maintenance; the page is hosted outside TR7	Method 4: Redirect for Traffic Manager Errors
A separate server should serve the maintenance page	Method 5: Backup service
During planned maintenance, everyone should be sent to a maintenance address outside TR7	Method 6: Location redirection
From the command line	Method 7: WEB-CLI

Method 1: Show Content Recommended

• How it works TR7 produces the response itself at the request stage; the request does not go to the Backend Service, and the actions that come after this action in the list do not run.
• Where it is openedLoad Balancer → Profiles → Content Pages · Load Balancer → Actions → Show Content
• Requirement The maintenance page is in Content Pages; the CSS and images of the page are embedded in the page
• vService type HTTP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Open the Content Pages form

Load Balancer → Profiles → Content Pages → Add is clicked (how to add).

2

Adım 2 Prepare the page

If desired, one of the ready page templates at the top of the form is clicked and the content is copied to the form. Content Page Name (required, unique) is entered, Content Type is left at the default text/html, and the maintenance text is written in the Content field. Details: What is the Content Pages profile; how do I prepare my own HTML page?

3

Adım 3 Save the page

Add is clicked.

4

Adım 4 Open the action form

Load Balancer → Actions → Add is clicked.

5

Adım 5 Select the action type

Action Name is entered, and Action Type = Show Content is selected.

6

Adım 6 Define the Show content action

• Execution Level = On request (default); the request is never sent to the Backend Service.
• Content Page = the page from step 3 (the default is Access Denied Page (English)).
• Status Code = 503 (the default is 200).
• If Conditions is left empty, all requests see the maintenance page. For the team to access the site during maintenance, a Source IP condition (Manual, 198.51.100.0/24) that defines the office network is created, and here its negated form, which appears in the list in the !ConditionName form, is selected (Can I use a condition in negated form ("if not")?).

7

Adım 7 Save the action

Add is clicked.

8

Adım 8 Edit the vService

On the Load Balancer → Load Balancer vService List screen, the HTTP vService is selected and Edit is clicked.

9

Adım 9 Add the action to the Actions field

The action is selected in the Details → Actions field.

10

Adım 10 Save

Save is clicked. The change is applied without dropping open connections; in a cluster, it is also sent to the peer device with the default auto-sync (with Synchronize if Manual Sync Mode is on). When the maintenance ends, the action is removed from the same field and the vService is saved again.

Verification

1ResponseClient side

curl -i https://www.example.com/

ExpectedHTTP/1.1 503 + maintenance page; normal response from the office network

2LogTR7 side

On the HTTP Logs screen, the requests appear with the 503 status code and without being sent to a Backend Service.

ExpectedStatus code 503

Method 2: Maintenance Mode + Show Content for Traffic Manager Errors

• How it works A Backend Service in Maintenance mode does not receive new connections; its open connections are completed. When no usable server is left, TR7 produces 503; the action puts the selected page in place of this error response.
• Where it is openedLoad Balancer → Backend Services → Maintenance Mode · Actions → Show Content for Traffic Manager Errors
• Requirement All the Backend Services on the vService are put into maintenance
• vService type HTTP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Prepare the page

If the maintenance page is not in Content Pages, it is added with steps 1–3 of Method 1.

2

Adım 2 Open the action form

Load Balancer → Actions → Add is clicked.

3

Adım 3 Select the action type

Action Type = Show Content for Traffic Manager Errors is selected.

4

Adım 4 Select the error codes and the page

503 is selected in the Error Codes list (502 and 504 can be added to also cover server errors; all the selected codes return with the single Status code below); Content Page = the maintenance page; Status Code = 503. If Status code is left at the default 200, the error response goes with the 200 code. Since this action does not add a character set to the response, <meta charset="utf-8"> must be in the head section of a page with Turkish characters.

5

Adım 5 Save the action

Add is clicked.

6

Adım 6 Edit the vService

The vService is opened with Edit.

7

Adım 7 Add the action to the Actions field

The action is selected in the Details → Actions field.

8

Adım 8 Save

Save is clicked. The action works without a condition and takes effect only on the selected errors that TR7 itself produces; it can stay on the vService outside maintenance.

9

Adım 9 Edit the Backend Service

On the Load Balancer → Backend Services screen, the Backend Service is selected and Edit is clicked (Edit).

10

Adım 10 Turn on Maintenance mode

Maintenance Mode (off by default) is turned on.

11

Adım 11 Save the Backend Service

Edit at the bottom of the form is clicked; steps 9–11 are repeated for each Backend Service on the vService. When the maintenance ends, Maintenance mode is turned off; once the health check succeeds, the server returns to traffic.

Verification

1ResponseClient side

curl -i https://www.example.com/

ExpectedHTTP/1.1 503 + maintenance page

2Server statusTR7 side

In the Backend Services list, the maintenance (ambulance) icon appears next to the names of the servers in maintenance.

ExpectedAll servers marked with the maintenance icon

Method 3: Show Content + Number of Active Servers Condition

• How it works The page is shown only while none of the servers in the Default Backend Services list of the vService is available; as soon as the servers return, the traffic returns to normal on its own.
• Where it is openedConditions → Number of Active Servers · Actions → Show Content
• Requirement A health check on the Backend Services; a server with no health check is always considered healthy
• vService type HTTP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Prepare the page

If the maintenance page is not in Content Pages, it is added with steps 1–3 of Method 1.

2

Adım 2 Open the condition form

Load Balancer → Conditions → Add is clicked.

3

Adım 3 Define the server count condition

Criteria = Number of Active Servers, Operator = Equals to (default) and the value 0 are entered. Servers whose health check fails or that are in Maintenance mode are not counted; the servers in Conditional Backend Services are not included in this number.

4

Adım 4 Save the condition

Add is clicked.

5

Adım 5 Open the action form

Load Balancer → Actions → Add is clicked.

6

Adım 6 Define the Show content action

Action Type = Show Content is selected: Execution Level = On request, Content Page = the maintenance page, Status Code = 503, Conditions = the condition from step 3 (automatic maintenance page scenario).

7

Adım 7 Save the action

Add is clicked.

8

Adım 8 Edit the vService

The vService is opened with Edit.

9

Adım 9 Add the action to the Actions field

The action is selected in the Details → Actions field.

10

Adım 10 Save

Save is clicked.

Verification

1ResponseClient side

All the servers are put into maintenance or stopped, and curl -i https://www.example.com/ is sent; it is repeated when a server is turned back on.

Expected503 + maintenance page while there is no server · normal response when a server returns

Method 4: Redirect for Traffic Manager Errors

• How it works On the selected errors that TR7 produces, the client is redirected with 302 to the maintenance address hosted outside TR7.
• Where it is openedLoad Balancer → Actions → Redirect for Traffic Manager Errors
• Requirement A maintenance address reachable outside TR7; the Backend Services in maintenance
• vService type HTTP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Open the action form

Load Balancer → Actions → Add is clicked.

2

Adım 2 Select the action type

Action Type = Redirect for Traffic Manager Errors is selected.

3

Adım 3 Enter the error code and the address

503 is selected in the Error Codes list; the maintenance address (https://durum.example.com/bakim) is written in the Redirect Location field.

4

Adım 4 Save the action

Add is clicked.

5

Adım 5 Edit the vService

The vService is opened with Edit.

6

Adım 6 Add the action to the Actions field

The action is selected in the Details → Actions field.

7

Adım 7 Save

Save is clicked.

8

Adım 8 Edit the Backend Service

On the Load Balancer → Backend Services screen, the Backend Service is selected and Edit is clicked.

9

Adım 9 Turn on Maintenance mode

Maintenance Mode is turned on.

10

Adım 10 Save the Backend Service

Edit at the bottom of the form is clicked; steps 8–10 are repeated for each Backend Service on the vService.

Verification

1ResponseClient side

curl -sI https://www.example.com/

Expected302 + Location: https://durum.example.com/bakim

Method 5: Backup Service

• How it works The server that serves the maintenance page is added as a backup; when the main servers are put into maintenance or crash, the traffic goes to the backup, and when the main servers return, the traffic returns to them on its own.
• Where it is openedLoad Balancer → Backend Services → Backup Service
• Requirement A separate server that serves the maintenance page
• vService type HTTP · L7 TCP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Open the Backend Service form

Load Balancer → Backend Services → Add is clicked.

2

Adım 2 Define the maintenance server

The address of the maintenance server is entered (e.g. 192.0.2.50:80; How is a Backend Service added; which information is required?); Backup Service (off by default) is turned on. A health check profile is selected so that it is also monitored whether the backup is working.

3

Adım 3 Save

Add is clicked.

4

Adım 4 Edit the vService

The vService is opened with Edit.

5

Adım 5 Add the backup to the list

The maintenance server is added to the Default Backend Services list. In normal operation, no traffic goes to the backup.

6

Adım 6 Save the vService

Save is clicked.

7

Adım 7 Edit the main Backend Service

On the Load Balancer → Backend Services screen, the main Backend Service is selected and Edit is clicked.

8

Adım 8 Turn on Maintenance mode

Maintenance Mode is turned on.

9

Adım 9 Save the Backend Service

Edit at the bottom of the form is clicked; steps 7–9 are repeated for each main Backend Service. When all the main servers are put into maintenance, the traffic moves to the backup server. If there is more than one backup, only the first available backup receives traffic.

Verification

1ResponseClient side

curl -i https://www.example.com/

ExpectedPage of the maintenance server

Method 6: Location Redirection

• How it works Throughout the planned maintenance, all the requests that match the condition are redirected with 302 to the maintenance address outside TR7; the status of the servers is not considered.
• Where it is openedLoad Balancer → Actions → Location Redirection
• Requirement At least one condition (Location redirection without a condition does not work); a maintenance address reachable outside TR7
• vService type HTTP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Open the action form

Load Balancer → Actions → Add is clicked.

2

Adım 2 Define the action

Action Type = Location Redirection is selected.

3

Adım 3 Enter the target and the condition

Redirect Code = 302: Found (Moved Temporarily); Redirect Location = https://durum.example.com/bakim. In the Conditions field, the ready-made Always condition is selected for everyone or, if the team is to be excluded, the negated form of the office network Source IP condition, which appears in the !ConditionName form.

4

Adım 4 Save the action

Add is clicked.

5

Adım 5 Edit the vService

The vService is opened with Edit.

6

Adım 6 Add the action to the Actions field

The action is selected in the Details → Actions field.

7

Adım 7 Save

Save is clicked. When the maintenance ends, the action is removed.

Verification

1ResponseClient side

curl -sI https://www.example.com/herhangi-bir-sayfa

Expected302 + Location: https://durum.example.com/bakim

Method 7: WEB-CLI

• How it works The page, the Show content action and the vService binding from Method 1 are created with WEB-CLI commands.
• Where it is opened TR7 WEB-CLI → lb page · lb action · lb service
• Requirement WEB-CLI access; the page content is written on a single line and without the | character (a long or multi-line page is prepared from the interface)
• vService type HTTP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Create the page

Page command; if --contentType is not written, text/html is used:

lb page add name bakim-sayfasi --content "<h1>Bakımdayız</h1><p>Kısa süre sonra yeniden hizmetteyiz.</p>"

2

Adım 2 Create the Show content action

An action that works without a condition, at the request stage (default), and returns 503; --contentProfile takes the name of the page:

lb action add type showContent name bakim --contentProfile bakim-sayfasi --statusCode 503

3

Adım 3 Check the existing actions on the vService

lb service show <vService>

The rules.0, rules.1 … lines in the output show the actions on the vService in order. --rules.N replaces the action at that position; the new action is written to the first empty position.

4

Adım 4 Add the action to the vService

If the vService has two actions (0 and 1), the new action is written to position 2; if it has no actions, --rules.0 is used:

lb service update id <vService> --rules.2 bakim

When the maintenance ends, the action is removed from the list with lb service update id <vService> --rules.2.delete; if the order has changed in the meantime, the position to be deleted is first seen with lb service show.

Verification

1ResponseClient side

curl -i https://www.example.com/

ExpectedHTTP/1.1 503 + Bakımdayız

Common Mistakes

The Status code default is 200

In the Show content and Show Content for Traffic Manager Errors actions, Status Code comes as 200 by default. If it is not changed, the maintenance page looks like real content to search engines, and error responses go with the 200 code; 503 is selected for the maintenance page.

• Using Show content for backend service errors while all the servers are down. This action works only on responses returned from the Backend Service; for the 503 that TR7 produces when there is no server, Show Content for Traffic Manager Errors is used.
• Fetching the CSS and images of the page from the Backend Service. Since the servers are down during maintenance, the styles and images do not load; they are embedded in the page or fetched from an address outside TR7.
• Forgetting to remove the action when the maintenance ends. As long as Show content or Location redirection stays on the vService, all requests see the maintenance page.
• Relying on Number of active servers without a health check. A server with no health check assigned is always considered healthy; the condition never becomes 0.
• Thinking that the page has to be written from scratch. Ready-made pages can be copied as templates and edited (Are there ready-made maintenance / error page templates?).

How it is done in the documentation

• Show Content · Scenario 1: Showing a Planned Maintenance Page
• Show Content for Traffic Manager Errors · Error Codes
• Redirect for Traffic Manager Errors · Scenario 1: Redirecting 503 Service Unavailable to the Maintenance Page
• Backend Services · Maintenance Mode
• Content Pages · The Ready Page Templates

Related questions

• What do users see if all servers are down; can I show a custom page instead?
• What does Maintenance Mode do?
• Can I show a custom page for 503/502/504 errors generated by TR7 itself?
• What is the Content Pages profile; how do I prepare my own HTML page?