Course Outline
BIG-IP Architecture & Platform Management
- Networking refresher modules covering the OSI model (Layers 2–7), the role of load balancers at Layers 4/7, and IP addressing and subnetting mapped to BIG-IP self IPs and VLANs.
- Exploration of TMM traffic processing architecture, illustrating the flow from client to virtual server to pool member. This includes device modes, administrative partitions, and role-based access control (crucial for segregation of duties in banking), as well as licensing and module provisioning for LTM and AVR.
- Navigating TMUI and optimizing GUI workflows; mastering tmsh essentials; performing configuration backup and restore using UCS archives; and comparing hardware versus virtual editions in the context of bank datacenters.
- Lab “Get Traffic Flowing” — Initial setup involving VLANs, self IPs, and routes; creating nodes, pools, and health monitors; constructing the first virtual server; verifying traffic to backend application servers; and capturing a UCS backup.
Core Load Balancing & SSL/TLS
- Networking refresher modules on TCP/UDP handshakes and port concepts; HTTP methods, headers, status codes, and keep-alive mechanisms.
- Details on virtual server types; designing pools, nodes, and monitors; understanding load-balancing algorithms; and configuring TCP/HTTP profiles and connection reuse. These concepts are applied to internet banking and API traffic patterns.
- SSL/TLS offloading and certificate management, including key/certificate import, chains, and cipher policies aligned with banking security baselines. The module also covers persistence methods (cookie-based and source-address) and appropriate use cases, along with an introduction to iRules through simple read-only examples like redirects and header insertion.
- Lab — Construct an HTTPS virtual server with SSL offloading for a simulated banking portal, configure cookie persistence, verify the certificate chain in the browser, apply a simple redirect iRule, and observe monitor-driven pool member failover.
High Availability & Operations
- Networking refresher modules on VLANs, routing, and ARP essentials; DNS resolution flows and record types; and a recap of the TLS handshake.
- Device Service Clustering concepts, including device trust, sync-failover groups, configuration synchronization, traffic groups, and floating IPs. The module examines failover behavior and client impact, along with HA design considerations for banking, such as dual-datacenter patterns and zero-downtime maintenance.
- Operational practices for regulated environments, covering local and remote logging (syslog, SNMP), AVR traffic analytics, audit logging for administrative changes, and upgrade/maintenance procedures. It also includes backup strategies, disaster recovery basics, and a brief outlook on automation (iControl REST) and WAF (ASM/Advanced WAF) as potential next steps.
- Lab — Establish an active/standby HA pair using the two per-trainee BIG-IP VE instances, set up device trust and configuration sync, perform a forced failover during live traffic, configure remote syslog, review audit logs, and complete a final backup, followed by a course recap and Q&A.
Lab Environment
Each trainee is provided with a dedicated, isolated lab environment comprising two BIG-IP Virtual Edition instances (facilitating the Day 3 High Availability exercise) and shared backend web servers simulating application tiers. Access is entirely browser-based via a secure Guacamole gateway, meaning trainees require only a web browser—no VPN client or local software installation is needed. This setup simplifies participation from restricted banking workstations. The environment is pre-built and validated prior to Day 1, ensuring every trainee concludes Day 1 with functioning traffic through their own BIG-IP instance.
Requirements
Prior experience with F5 is not a prerequisite.
While foundational TCP/IP knowledge is beneficial, it is not assumed. Each day begins with concise networking refresher modules covering the OSI model, TCP/HTTP, and DNS/TLS, tailored to the day’s F5 topics. This approach ensures that teams with varied experience levels achieve a common baseline.
Target Audience: Network engineers, security engineers, and application support or operations staff working within banking or financial institutions.
Testimonials (1)
communication, knowledge from experience, solve problems,
