Courses Overview
This 3-day course gives network professionals practical skills in BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM), covering both essential and advanced features. Through lectures, hands-on labs, and discussions, participants gain the knowledge to effectively manage BIG-IP LTM systems within a high-performance application delivery network.
Course Topics
• BIG-IP initial setup (licensing, provisioning, and network configuration)
• A review of BIG-IP local traffic configuration objects
• Using dynamic load balancing methods
• Modifying traffic behavior with persistence (including SSL, SIP, universal, and destination address affinity persistence)
• Monitoring application health with Layer 3, Layer 4, and Layer 7 monitors (including transparent, scripted, and external monitors)
• Processing traffic with virtual servers (including network, forwarding, and reject virtual servers)
• Processing traffic with SNATs (including SNAT pools and SNATs as listeners)
• Modifying traffic behavior with profiles (including TCP profiles, advanced HTTP profile options, caching, compression, and OneConnect profiles)
• Advanced BIG-IP LTM configuration options (including VLAN tagging and trunking, SNMP features, packet filters, and route domains)
• Customizing application delivery with iRules and local traffic policies
• Securing application delivery using BIG-IP LTM
Designed for system and network administrators managing the installation, setup, configuration, and administration of BIG-IP LTM systems.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
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Back up BIG-IP system configurations
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Configure virtual servers, pools, monitors, profiles, and persistence objects
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Test and verify application delivery using local traffic statistics
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Set up priority group activation in load balancing pools
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Compare member-based vs. node-based dynamic load balancing
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Apply connection limits to control traffic per pool member or node
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Differentiate and apply cookie, SSL, SIP, universal, and destination address affinity persistence
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Use Match Across Services persistence options effectively
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Configure health monitors for reliable application delivery
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Set up virtual services for different traffic types
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Configure SNATs for traffic routing
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Implement VLAN tagging and trunking
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Secure traffic using packet filters, port lockdown, and virtual server settings
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Configure SNMP alerts and traps for remote monitoring
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Use iRules and local traffic policies to customize application delivery
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Detect and mitigate common network and application attacks with LTM features (SYN check, eviction policies, iRules, and Local Traffic Policies)
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
Students are required to complete one of the following F5 prerequisites before attending this course:
â–ª Administering BIG-IP instructor-led course
â–ª F5 Certified BIG-IP Administrator
The following free web-based courses, although optional, will be very helpful for any student with limited BIG-IP administration and configuration experience.
â–ª Getting Started with BIG-IP web-based training
â–ª Getting Started with BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) web-based training
The following general network technology knowledge and experience are recommended before attending any F5 Global Training Services instructor-led course:
â–ª OSI model encapsulation
â–ª Routing and switching
â–ª Ethernet and ARP
â–ª TCP/IP concepts
â–ª IP addressing and subnetting
â–ª NAT and private IP addressing
â–ª Default gateway
â–ª Network firewalls
â–ª LAN vs. WAN
The following course-specific knowledge and experience is suggested before attending this course:
â–ª Web application delivery
â–ª HTTP, HTTPS, FTP and SSH protocols
â–ª TLS/SSL
Configuring BIG-IP DNS (formerly GTM) v.16.1
Configuring F5 Advanced WAF (previously licensed as ASM) v16.1
Configuring BIG-IP APM: Access Policy Manager v.16.1