Administering BIG-IP v16.1

• Describe the role of the BIG-IP system as a full proxy device in an application delivery network
• Set up, start/restart/stop, license, and provision the BIG-IP system out-of-the-box
• Create a basic network configuration on the BIG-IP system including VLANs and self IPs
• Use the Configuration utility and TMSH to manage BIG-IP resources such as virtual servers, pools, pool members, nodes, profiles, and monitors
• Create, restore from, and manage BIG-IP archives
• View resource status, availability, and statistical information and use this information to determine how the BIG-IP system is currently processing traffic
• Use profiles to manipulate the way the BIG-IP system processes traffic through a virtual server
• Perform basic troubleshooting and problem determination activities including using the iHealth diagnostic tool
• Support, and view traffic flow using TCPDUMP
• Understand and manage user roles and partitions
• Configure and manage a sync-failover device group with more than two members
• Configure stateful failover using connection mirroring and persistence mirroring

Configuring BIG-IP LTM v16.1: Local Traffic Manager

• Back up the BIG-IP system configuration for safekeeping
• Configure virtual servers, pools, monitors, profiles, and persistence objects
• Test and verify application delivery through the BIG-IP system using local traffic statistics
• Configure priority group activation on a load balancing pool to allow servers to be activated only as needed to process traffic
• Compare and contrast member-based and node-based dynamic load balancing methods
• Configure connection limits to place a threshold on traffic volume to particular pool members and nodes
• Differentiate between cookie, SSL, SIP, universal, and destination address affinity persistence, and describe use cases for each
• Describe the three Match Across Services persistence options and use cases for each
• Configure health monitors to appropriately monitor application delivery through a BIG-IP system
• Configure different types of virtual services to support different types of traffic processing through a BIG-IP system
• Configure different types of SNATs to support routing of traffic through a BIG-IP system
• Configure VLAN tagging and trunking
• Restrict administrative and application traffic through the BIG-IP system using packet filters, port lockdown, and virtual server settings
• Configure SNMP alerts and traps in support of remote monitoring of the BIG-IP system
• Use iRules and local traffic policies appropriately to customize application delivery through the BIG-IP system
• Configure the BIG-IP to detect and mitigate some common attacks at the network and application layers using LTM features such as SYN check, eviction policies, iRules and Local Traffic Policies

Administering BIG-IP v16.1

Chapter 1: Setting Up the BIG-IP System

• Introducing the BIG-IP System
• Initially Setting Up the BIG-IP System
• Configuring the Management Interface
• Activating the Software License
• Provisioning Modules and Resources
• Importing a Device Certificate
• Specifying BIG-IP Platform Properties
• Configuring the Network
• Configuring Network Time Protocol (NTP) Servers
• Configuring Domain Name System (DNS) Settings
• Configuring High Availability Options
• Archiving the BIG-IP Configuration
• Leveraging F5 Support Resources and Tools

Chapter 2: Traffic Processing Building Blocks

• Identifying BIG-IP Traffic Processing Objects
• Configuring Virtual Servers and Pools
• Load Balancing Traffic
• Viewing Module Statistics and Logs
• Using the Traffic Management Shell (TMSH)
• Understanding the TMSH Hierarchical Structure
• Navigating the TMSH Hierarchy
• Managing BIG-IP Configuration State and Files
• BIG-IP System Configuration State
• Loading and Saving the System Configuration
• Shutting Down and Restarting the BIG-IP System
• Saving and Replicating Configuration Data (UCS and SCF)

Chapter 3: Using NATs and SNATs

• Address Translation on the BIG-IP System
• Mapping IP Addresses with NATs
• Solving Routing Issues with SNATs
• Configuring SNAT Auto Map on a Virtual Server
• Monitoring for and Mitigating Port Exhaustion

Chapter 4: Monitoring Application Health

• Introducing Monitors
• Types of Monitors
• Monitor Interval and Timeout Settings
• Configuring Monitors
• Assigning Monitors to Resources
• Managing Pool, Pool Member, and Node Status
• Using the Network Map

Chapter 5: Modifying Traffic Behavior with Profiles

• Introducing Profiles
• Understanding Profile Types and Dependencies
• Configuring and Assigning Profiles
• Introducing SSL Offload and SSL Re-Encryption

Chapter 6: Modifying Traffic Behavior with Persistence

• Understanding the Need for Persistence
• Introducing Source Address Affinity Persistence
• Managing Object State

Chapter 7: Administering the BIG-IP System

• Configuring Logging
• Legacy Remote Logging
• Introducing High Speed Logging (HSL)
• High-Speed Logging Filters
• HSL Configuration Objects
• Configuring High Speed Logging
• Using TCPDUMP on the BIG-IP System
• Leveraging the BIG-IP iHealth System
• Viewing BIG-IP System Statistics
• Defining User Roles and Administrative Partitions
• Leveraging vCMP

Chapter 8: Configuring High Availability

• Introducing Device Service Clustering (DSC)
• Preparing to Deploy a DSC Configuration
• Configuring DSC Communication Settings
• Establishing Device Trust
• Establishing a Sync-Failover Device Group
• Synchronizing Configuration Data
• Exploring Traffic Group Behavior
• Understanding Failover Managers and Triggers
• Achieving Stateful Failover with Mirroring

Configuring BIG-IP LTM v16.1: Local Traffic Manager

Chapter 1: Setting Up the BIG-IP System

• Introducing the BIG-IP System
• Initially Setting Up the BIG-IP System
• Archiving the BIG-IP Configuration
• Leveraging F5 Support Resources and Tools

Chapter 2: Reviewing Local Traffic Configuration

• Reviewing Nodes, Pools, and Virtual Servers
• Reviewing Address Translation
• Reviewing Routing Assumptions
• Reviewing Application Health Monitoring
• Reviewing Traffic Behavior Modification with Profiles
• Reviewing the TMOS Shell (TMSH)
• Reviewing Managing BIG-IP Configuration Data

Chapter 3: Load Balancing Traffic with LTM

• Exploring Load Balancing Options
• Using Priority Group Activation and Fallback Host
• Comparing Member and Node Load Balancing

Chapter 4: Modifying Traffic Behavior with Persistence

• Reviewing Persistence
• Introducing Cookie Persistence
• Specifying Default and Fallback Persistence
• Introducing SSL Persistence
• Introducing SIP Persistence
• Introducing Universal Persistence
• Introducing Destination Address Affinity Persistence
• Using Match Across Options for Persistence

Chapter 5: Monitoring Application Health

• Differentiating Monitor Types
• Customizing the HTTP Monitor
• Monitoring an Alias Address and Port
• Monitoring a Path vs. Monitoring a Device
• Managing Multiple Monitors
• Using Application Check Monitors
• Using Manual Resume and Advanced Monitor Timer Settings

Chapter 6: Processing Traffic with Virtual Servers

• Understanding the Need for Other Virtual Server Types
• Forwarding Traffic with a Virtual Server
• Understanding Virtual Server Order of Precedence
• Path Load Balancing

Chapter 7: Processing Traffic with SNATs

• Overview of SNATs
• Using SNAT Pools
• SNATs as Listeners
• SNAT Specificity
• VIP Bounceback
• Additional SNAT Options
• Network Packet Processing Review

Chapter 8: Modifying Traffic Behavior with Profiles

• Profiles Overview
• TCP Express Optimization
• TCP Profiles Overview
• HTTP Profile Options
• HTTP/2 Profile Options
• OneConnect
• Offloading HTTP Compression to BIG-IP
• Web Acceleration Profile and HTTP Caching
• Stream Profiles
• F5 Acceleration Technologies

Chapter 9: Selected Topics

• VLAN, VLAN Tagging, and Trunking
• Restricting Network Access
• SNMP Features
• Segmenting Network Traffic with Route Domains

Chapter 10: Customizing Application Delivery with iRules

• Getting Started with iRules
• Understanding When iRules are Triggered
• Deploying iRules
• Constructing an iRule
• Testing and Debugging iRules
• Exploring iRules Documentation

Chapter 11: Customizing Application Delivery with Local Traffic Policies

• Getting Started with Local Traffic Policies
• Configuring and Managing Policy Rules

Chapter 12: Securing Application Delivery with LTM.

• Understanding Today’s Threat Landscape
• Integrating LTM Into Your Security Strategy
• Defending Your Environment Against SYN Flood Attacks
• Defending Your Environment Against Other Volumetric Attacks
• Addressing Application Vulnerabilities with iRules and Local Traffic Policies
• Detecting and Mitigating Other Common HTTP Threats

Chapter 13: Final Lab Project

• About the Final Lab Project

Chapter 14: Additional Training and Certification

• Getting Started Series Web-Based Training
• F5 Instructor Led Training Curriculum
• F5 Professional Certification Program

This course is intended for network administrators, operators, and engineers responsible for managing the normal day-to-day operation and administration of a BIG-IP application delivery network. This course presents the prerequisite knowledge for many other of F5’s BIG-IP instructor-led training courses.

The following free Self-Directed Training (SDT) courses, although optional, are helpful for any student with limited BIG-IP administration and configuration experience:

• Getting Started with BIG-IP
• Getting Started with Local Traffic Manager (LTM)

General network technology knowledge and experience are recommended before attending any F5 Global Training Services instructor-led course, including OSI model encapsulation, routing and switching, Ethernet and ARP, TCP/IP concepts, IP addressing and subnetting, NAT and private IP addressing, NAT and private IP addressing, default gateway, network firewalls, and LAN vs. WAN.

The following course-specific knowledge and experience is suggested before attending this course:

• Web application delivery
• HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and SSH protocols,
• TLS/SSL