About this course
Course Overview
This two day F5 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.
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.
- Network Administrator
- Architect
Course Objectives
- 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
Course Content
- Getting started with the BIG-IP system
- Traffic processing with BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)
- Using TMSH (TMOS Shell) command line interface
- Using NATs and SNATs
- Monitoring application health and managing object status
- Modifying traffic behavior with profiles, including SSL offload and re-encryption
- Modifying traffic behavior with persistence, including source address affinity and cookie persistence
- Troubleshooting the BIG-IP system, including logging (local, high-speed, and legacy remote logging), and using TCPDUMP
- User roles and administrative partitions
- vCMP concepts
- Configuring high availability (including active/standby and connection and persistence mirroring)
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
- Managing Object State
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 Prerequisites
The following free web-based training courses, although optional, will be very helpful for any student with limited BIG-IP administration and configuration experience.
- Getting Started with BIG-IP web-based training
- 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:
- 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
Test Certification
EXAM 201 Certified Administrator
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
