A virtual server is configured to offload SSL from a pool of backend servers.

This scenario describes a classic routing issue often encountered during SSL offload deployments. The fact that an SSL connection is established indicates the Client SSL profile is working correctly. The packet trace showing the server "receives and responds" to the request is the most critical diagnostic clue.

When a BIG-IP receives traffic, it typically passes the client's original source IP address to the backend server. If the backend server's default gateway is not the BIG-IP (a common "one-arm" network topology), the server will attempt to send its response directly back to the client's IP via its own default router. The client's browser will reject this response because it expects traffic to come from the Virtual Server's IP, not the backend server's IP.

To resolve this, the administrator must enable SNAT (Source Address Translation), typically using SNAT Automap. When SNAT is enabled, the BIG-IP replaces the client's original source IP with one of its own Self IPs before forwarding the request to the server. Because the source of the packet is now the BIG-IP, the backend server is forced to send its response back to the BIG-IP. The BIG-IP then receives the response, translates it back, and delivers the content to the user. Option A is unnecessary if the servers are expecting plain-text traffic after the BIG-IP performs offload. Option D would only worsen the existing routing discrepancy.