Can I send mobile devices to a separate backend?

Short answer

Yes, on the HTTP vService. The shortest way is to select the ready-made If the client is mobile condition that comes with the product in the Conditional Backend Services block; there is no need to define a separate condition. If a platform distinction is needed, a Mobile Platform condition is defined; for a distinction by operating system, an Operating System condition; and for a custom pattern, an HTTP Header condition that checks the User-Agent header. The Location Redirection action is used to send the user to the mobile site. All mobile detections rely on the User-Agent header.

Problem: Mobile Users Should Go to a Different Application

If a separately optimized application or API version is run for mobile devices, mobile requests need to go to these servers, and desktop requests to the existing servers.

Solution: Three Methods

Method 1 and Method 2 send the request to different Backend Services; Method 3 does not select a server, it redirects the client to another address.

Your situation	Suitable method
Separating all mobile devices is enough	Method 1: Ready-made condition: If the client is mobile
I want to use specific platforms (e.g. only Android), operating systems or my own User-Agent pattern	Method 2: Mobile platform / Operating system / HTTP header condition
I want to send the user to the mobile site (e.g. m.example.com)	Method 3: Location redirection

Method 1: Ready-Made Condition: If the client is mobile Recommended

• How it works This condition, which comes with the product, compares the User-Agent header with known mobile signatures; its NOT form If the client is NOT mobile is also in the selection list.
• Where it is opened vService form → + Conditional backend services → Select Conditions
• Requirement The target servers being defined as Backend Services
• vService type HTTP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Prepare the target Backend Services (if needed)

If the mobile servers are not yet defined as Backend Services in TR7, they are added first; if they are defined, this step is skipped. With Load Balancer → Backend Services → Add, Backend Service Name and Address are entered for each server and a Health Check profile is selected. Details: How is a Backend Service added; which information is required?

2

Adım 2 Open the vService edit form

The Load Balancer → Load Balancer vService List steps are followed and the HTTP vService is opened.

3

Adım 3 Add a conditional block

The + Conditional backend services button in the Default Backend Services table is clicked (Conditional Backend Services).

4

Adım 4 Select the ready-made condition and the target

If the client is mobile is selected in the Select Conditions field of the block; the mobile Backend Services are selected in the Backend Service selector. Ready-made conditions do not appear in the Conditions list and are not edited.

5

Adım 5 Save

The Save button is clicked.

Verification

1RoutingTR7 side

On the Left Monitor Panel → Load Balancer vServices → vService → Logs & Tracking → HTTP Logs screen, the Device Type value of the request is compared with the Backend Service that responded to the request (Viewing HTTP Logs). For the record to be created, the LOG field must be on in the vService.

ExpectedMobile request → mobile Backend Service · desktop request → Default Backend Services

2Request testClient side

A request is sent with a mobile User-Agent.

Commandcurl -s -A "Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; Android 13; Pixel 7) Mobile" http://203.0.113.10/

ExpectedThe response comes from the mobile Backend Service

Method 2: Mobile Platform / Operating System / HTTP Header Condition

• How it works The platform or the operating system detected from the User-Agent header, or a custom pattern, is defined with a condition and bound to the conditional block.
• Where it is openedLoad Balancer → Conditions · vService form → + Conditional backend services
• Requirement The target servers being defined as Backend Services
• vService type HTTP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Open the condition form

The Load Balancer → Conditions → Add steps are followed; the form is described in the Conditions · How to Add? section.

2

Adım 2 Define the condition

Condition Name is entered and Criteria is selected as needed:

Criteria	Field filled in	Example
Mobile Platform	One or more platforms from the Mobile Platform list; the condition is met if one of the selected ones matches	Android
Operating System	Operating systems from the Operating System list	iOS
HTTP Header	Header Name = Request · User-Agent, matching Includes, Case insensitive checked, Query	Mobile

3

Adım 3 Save the condition

The Add button is clicked.

4

Adım 4 Bind to the conditional block

Steps 2–5 of Method 1 are applied; in step 4, this condition is selected instead of the ready-made condition.

Verification

1RoutingTR7 side

As in Method 1, on the HTTP Logs screen, the Operating System or Device Type value of the request is compared with the Backend Service that responded to the request.

ExpectedRequest from the selected platform → Backend Service of the block

Method 3: Location Redirection

• How it works A request that fits the condition is redirected to the mobile site (e.g. https://m.example.com) with a 3xx; this is not a server selection, the client sends a new request to the new address. Details: How do I redirect a specific URL to another URL with a 301/302?
• Where it is openedLoad Balancer → Actions · vService form → Details → Actions
• Requirement A condition (if Location redirection is saved without a condition, it never runs); the ready-made If the client is mobile condition can also be selected
• vService type HTTP

Step-by-Step Configuration

1

Adım 1 Open the action form

The Load Balancer → Actions → Add steps are followed.

2

Adım 2 Define Location redirection

Action Type = Location redirection is selected; the address of the mobile site is entered in the Redirect Location field, the redirect code (e.g. 302) is selected in the Redirect Code field, and If the client is mobile or the condition created in Method 2 is selected in the Conditions field.

3

Adım 3 Save the action

The Add button is clicked.

4

Adım 4 Open the Details panel of the vService

The Load Balancer → Load Balancer vService List steps are followed, the vService is opened and the Details button at the top of the form is clicked.

5

Adım 5 Add the action to the vService

The created action is selected in the Actions field.

6

Adım 6 Save

The Save button is clicked.

Verification

1RedirectClient side

A request is sent with a mobile User-Agent and the response headers are checked.

Commandcurl -sI -A "Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; Android 13; Pixel 7) Mobile" http://203.0.113.10/

ExpectedHTTP/1.1 302 · Location: https://m.example.com

Common Mistakes

• Using mobile detection for a security decision. User-Agent can be changed by the client; it is not used for an access restriction.
• Forgetting mobile browsers that request the desktop view. When the browser sends a desktop User-Agent, the request is not considered mobile and goes to Default Backend Services.
• Creating a loop when redirecting to the mobile site. If the mobile site is published from the same vService, the Host of the mobile site is added to the condition of the Location redirection in its NOT form; otherwise, the redirected request is redirected again.
• Looking for the Mobile platform condition on an L7 TCP vService. Mobile conditions can be selected only on an HTTP vService.

How it is done in the documentation

• Mobile Platform · Mobile Platform
• Operating System · Operating System
• HTTP Header · Scenario 3: Mobile Device Detection and Optimization
• Mobile Platform · Scenario 1: Automatic Redirection to the Mobile Site

Related questions

• Can I route based on an HTTP Header, cookie or query parameter?
• Can I use a condition in negated form ("if not")?
• What is Content Switching?
• Can I show different content or route to a different Backend Service based on the client's operating system (Operating System)?