F5 Networks Introduces New Security Functionality to DevOps Software

F5 Networks has launched new software-based solutions that give companies the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits provided by traditional data center, cloud, and hybrid architectures.

The new products include:

BIG-IP 12.1 software: Offers application services with enhanced public cloud integration and security policies for on-premises and hybrid cloud environments.

BIG-IQ Centralized Management 5.0:  Provides expanded management for F5’s BIG-IP solution portfolio with scalability and performance advances.

iWorkflow 2.0: Enables the orchestration of F5 services with SDN-focused solutions like Cisco ACI and VMware NSX, as well as continuous deployment scenarios using DevOps tools from vendors such as Ansible, Chef, and Puppet.

BIG-IP version 12.1 includes F5’s new iRules LX technology which provides the ability to manipulate and selectively deploy service capabilities via Node.js, and includes access to over 250,000 community Node.js packages. These capabilities offer functionality for web applications that require optimized throughput, scalability, and unique traffic steering services. In addition, a new plug-in for the Eclipse Integrated Development Environment (IDE) - commonly supported by other enterprise technology vendors (e.g., CA, Google, IBM, Oracle, Red Hat, and SAP) - enables the delivery of reusable code that drives advanced functionality.

- BIG-IP 12.1 web application defense through BIG-IP Application Security Manager (ASM) offers customizable bot detection methods that enable detailed analysis and extensive device ID tracking.

- BIG-IP ASM accelerates the blacklisting of malicious IPs in hardware at high rates for layer 7 threats, providing coverage until feed lists are updated.

- F5 gives visibility into HTML5 WebSocket connections for comprehensive policy protection.

- BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager now offers enhanced capabilities that automatically mitigate L3–7 attacks upstream in the ISP realm and control SSH channel user-initiated actions with simple custom policy enforcement.

F5 solutions are designed to let companies use the same services in the cloud that they can in the data center. The platform now offers expanded support for AWS and Azure environments, including integration with AWS autoscale to dynamically scale app services, active/standby high availability across availability zones, and added F5 WAF capabilities for Azure Security Center.

For network architects and administrators, F5 has updated its BIG-IQ Centralized Management solution which provides visibility, reporting, licensing, and management capabilities. F5 combines centralized, role-based management for application delivery, security, and identity management into a united framework. In addition, with this new version of BIG-IQ, companies can simultaneously manage, update, and configure application services for up to 200 physical and virtual devices, and handle up to 5,000 BIG-IP licenses.

F5’s new iWorkflow platform accelerates the deployment of applications by enabling the orchestration of network services, such as traffic management and security. Available as a virtual appliance, iWorkflow is a multi-tenant solution for deploying application delivery policies with BIG-IP solutions to support a variety of IT environments, including hybrid clouds. Using smart templates, policies can be deployed directly via the iWorkflow GUI, via third-party management solutions such as Cisco ACI or VMware NSX through connectors, or via other orchestration technologies such as Ansible, Chef, and Puppet with an SDK.