Collaborative mode failing behind F5 and reverse proxy

[Aida Gandara]

I have been running Confluence with Synchrony successfully behind an Apache web proxy that terminated the SSL to our Atlassian Suite. Recently, we had to expose Confluence through an F5. There is no load balancing setup for the F5 pool. Given some restrictions, we can not terminate SSL at the F5 so I pretty much left the configuration the same; the F5 reverse proxies to the Apache reverse proxy on port 443 and the Apache reverse proxy terminates the SSL.

The main change, however, is that instead of exposing the /synchrony path and 8091 port at the F5, only /confluence is available at the F5 on port 443 and I introduce /synchrony-proxy at the Apache reverse proxy where SSL is terminated. Basically the second option from this URL: https://confluence.atlassian.com/doc/possible-confluence-and-synchrony-configurations-958779064.html

I run a heartbeat directly to the confluence server, i.e., no reverse proxy, and I get ok at both /synchrony 8091 and /synchrony-proxy 8090 so I feel synchrony is accessible where it is supposed to be. I just cannot find an Apache reverse proxy combination such that collaborative mode works and not having collaborative mode is messing up our Confluence site. 

Here are two Apache reverse proxy configurations I have tried. I have tried so many combinations but these are examples that seem most relevant. Keep in mind the virtual host also serves our Jira and Service Desk installations with no problem. In addition, when this served Confluence and Synchrony, the config also worked fine. I am just trying to figure out what combination will allow the SSL to be terminated at the Apache reverse proxy without breaking websocket support.

Example 1: 

<VirtualHost _default_:443>

...

<Location /confluence >

  Require all granted

  RewriteEngine on

  RewiriteCond %{HTTP:UPGRADE} *WebSocket$ [NC]

  RewriteCond %{HTTP:CONNECTION} Upgrade$ [NC]

  RewriteRule .* ws://serverIP:8090/synchrony-proxy/%{REQUEST_URI} [P]

  ProxyPass / http://serverIP:8090/confluence

  ProxyPassReverse / http://serverIP:8090/confluence

</Location>

...

</VirtualHost>

Example 2 

<VirtualHost _default_:443>

...

<Location /confluence/synchrony-proxy >

  Require all granted

  RewriteEngine on

  RewiriteCond %{HTTP:UPGRADE} *WebSocket$ [NC]

  RewriteCond %{HTTP:CONNECTION} Upgrade$ [NC]

  RewriteRule .* ws://serverIP:8090%{REQUEST_URI} [P]

</Location>

ProxyPass /confluence http://serverIP:8090/confluence

ProxyPassReverse /confluence http://serverIP:8090/confluence

...

</VirtualHost>

[Fabian Lim]

Hi Aida,

If you are still experiencing issues, I suggest you go through some of the troubleshooting instructions here: https://confluence.atlassian.com/doc/troubleshooting-collaborative-editing-858772087.html

I hope this helps.