Course Outline
BIG-IP Architecture & Platform Management
- Networking fundamentals—OSI model (L2–L7), load balancers at L4/L7; mapping IP addressing and subnetting to BIG-IP self IPs and VLANs.
- TMM traffic-processing architecture; traffic path from client to virtual server to pool member; device modes, administrative partitions, and role-based access control (aligned with banking segregation-of-duties requirements); licensing and module provisioning (LTM, AVR).
- TMUI navigation and efficient GUI workflows; tmsh basics; configuration backup and restore using UCS archives; overview of hardware versus virtual editions and their application in bank data centers.
- Lab “Get Traffic Flowing”—initial setup (VLANs, self IPs, routes), creation of nodes, pools, and health monitors, building the first virtual server, verifying traffic to backend application servers, and performing a UCS backup.
Core Load Balancing & SSL/TLS
- Networking fundamentals—TCP/UDP handshake and port concepts; HTTP methods, headers, status codes, and keep-alive.
- Virtual server types; designing pools, nodes, and monitors; load-balancing algorithms; TCP/HTTP profiles and connection reuse; applying these concepts to internet banking and API traffic patterns.
- SSL/TLS offload and certificate management (importing keys/certs, certificate chains, cipher policy—aligned with standard banking security baselines); persistence methods (cookie, source-address) and their appropriate use; introduction to iRules with simple read-only examples (redirects, header insertion).
- Lab—Build an HTTPS virtual server with SSL offload for a simulated banking portal, configure cookie persistence, verify the certificate chain in a browser, apply a simple redirect iRule, and observe monitor-driven pool member failover.
High Availability & Operations
- Networking fundamentals—VLANs, routing, and ARP basics; DNS resolution flow and record types; TLS handshake review.
- Device Service Clustering: device trust, sync-failover groups, configuration sync, traffic groups, and floating IPs; failover behavior and client experience; HA design considerations for banking (dual-datacenter patterns, maintenance without downtime).
- Operations in regulated environments: local and remote logging (syslog, SNMP), AVR traffic analytics, audit logging of administrative changes, upgrade and maintenance procedures, backup strategy, and disaster recovery basics; brief overview of automation (iControl REST) and WAF (ASM/Advanced WAF) as future topics.
- Lab—Build an active/standby HA pair using the two per-trainee BIG-IP VEs, establish device trust and configuration sync, execute a forced failover during live traffic, configure remote syslog, review audit logs, and perform a final backup; course wrap-up and Q&A.
Lab Environment
Each trainee is provided with a dedicated, isolated lab environment consisting of two BIG-IP Virtual Edition instances (for the Day 3 HA exercise) and shared backend web servers simulating application tiers. Access is entirely browser-based through a secure Guacamole gateway, meaning trainees only need a web browser with no VPN client or local software installation required. This setup simplifies participation from restricted banking workstations. The environment is pre-configured and validated before Day 1, ensuring every trainee achieves working traffic through their own BIG-IP by the end of the first day.
Requirements
Previous experience with F5 is not required.
While basic TCP/IP knowledge is beneficial, it is not assumed. Each day begins with brief networking primers (covering the OSI model, TCP/HTTP, and DNS/TLS) tailored to that day’s F5 content, helping teams with varied experience levels reach a common baseline.
Audience: Network, security, application support, and operations staff within banking and financial institutions.
Testimonials (1)
communication, knowledge from experience, solve problems,
