F5 Networks Administering BIG-IP

Description

Overview:

This 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.

Prerequisite(s):

OSI model, TCP/IP addressing and routing, WAN, LAN environments, and server redundancy concepts

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.

Outline:

Lesson 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

Lesson 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)

Lesson 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

Lesson 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

Lesson 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

Lesson 6: Modifying Traffic Behavior with Persistence

• Understanding the Need for Persistence
• Introducing Source Address Affinity Persistence
• Managing Object State

Lesson 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

Lesson 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