Administering BIG-IP v.17.5

This 2-day course gives network administrators, network operators, and network engineers a functional understanding of the BIG-IP system as it is commonly deployed in an application delivery network. The course introduces students to the BIG-IP system, its configuration objects, how it processes traffic, and how typical administrative and operational activities are performed. The course includes lecture, hands-on labs, interactive demonstrations, and discussions.

Course objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to complete the following tasks: 

  • 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

Target Audience

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.

Prerequisites

The following general network technology knowledge and experience are recommended before attending any F5 Global Training Services instructor-led course: 

  • OSI model encapsulation 
  • Routing and switching 
  • Ethernet and ARP 
  • TCP/IP concepts 
  • IP addressing and subnetting 
  • NAT and private IP addressing 
  • Default gateway 
  • Network firewalls 
  • LAN vs. WAN

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

Course Changes since v15

  • No significant changes to course outline or materials since the v15 release. 
  • Minor updates to the course include review and update of referenced knowledge articles, GUI screenshots, hardware platform images in introduction and chapter 1 slides and student guide pages, and removed information for obsolete topics such as Link Controller.

Exam 201 – TMOS Administration

Prerequisite: Valid passing score on Exam 101 or valid F5-CTP, Sales Certification

This is the second and final exam that must be completed successfully by candidates wishing to achieve F5 Certified! Administrator, BIG-IP status. 

Passing this exam shows independence in performing day-to-day operations and basic troubleshooting of TMOS-based devices in various application environments after it has been installed, configured, and implemented. 

Individuals may choose to complete their certification journey here or move on to pursue the Technical Professional, Technical Specialist, Cloud or Security Solutions certification tracks.

View Exam 201 study materials on AskF5

Exam vouchers can be purchased at an additional charge. Vouchers can be used at www.vue.com/f5 to schedule exams at a time and location convenient to the attendee.

Practical information

Duration: 2 days
Price: 23 500 NOK
Language: English
Format: Open course or company-specific training, available as classroom or virtual delivery

FAQ

Hvordan gjennomføres kurset?
Kurset kan gjennomføres som et åpent kurs eller som bedriftsinternt kurs. Du kan delta enten fysisk i klasserom eller virtuelt.

Hvem passer kurset for?
Kurset passer for nettverksadministratorer, nettverksoperatører og tekniske ressurser som jobber med drift og administrasjon av F5 BIG-IP-miljøer.

Hva lærer jeg i løpet av kurset?
Du lærer hvordan du konfigurerer, administrerer og feilsøker F5 BIG-IP, inkludert nettverksoppsett, lastbalansering, virtuelle servere, overvåking, logging, sikkerhet og høy tilgjengelighet.

Er kurset praktisk rettet?
Ja. Kurset inkluderer hands-on lab-øvelser hvor deltakerne jobber med realistiske BIG-IP-scenarioer.

Hvilke temaer dekkes i kurset?
Kurset dekker blant annet BIG-IP-oppsett, trafikkhåndtering, pools, virtual servers, NAT/SNAT, health monitors, SSL offload, persistence, logging, TCPDUMP, brukeradministrasjon og high availability.

Hvilke forkunnskaper anbefales?
Det anbefales generell nettverksforståelse, inkludert TCP/IP, routing, switching, NAT, subnetting og grunnleggende forståelse for nettverkssikkerhet.

Hva gjør dette kurset unikt?
Kurset gir en praktisk introduksjon til daglig administrasjon av F5 BIG-IP og fungerer som et naturlig utgangspunkt for videre spesialisering innen F5-plattformen.

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