Upgrade BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes from v2.1.0 to v2.2.0

BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes v2.2.0 introduces significant enhancements and new features to provide better performance. Upgrading directly from BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes v2.1.0 to v2.2.0 is NOT supported due to the following changes. You must uninstall v2.1.0 and perform a fresh installation of v2.2.0.

  • CR name changes:

    • BNKGatewayClass CR has been renamed to CNEInstance CR.

    • Similarly, BNKManifest is now CNEmanifest.

  • Image Repository field Rename:

    • In CNEInstance, the image under spec has been replaced with registry Furthermore:

      • image.repository is now registry.uri.

      • All other sub-fields under registry remain unchanged.

  • Removed fields in CNEInstance:

    • The ContainerPlatform field has been removed from CNEInstance. It is now moved to Helm values.

    • The sharedComponentNamespace field has also been moved to Helm values.

  • Several new fields have been added to CNEInstance:

    • ProductType is now a mandatory field in CNEInstance.

    • New optional modules have been introduced to extend functionality. These components must be explicitly enabled in the CNEInstance spec by configuring the relevant enablement fields.

      • IPSD: F5-IPSD provides deep packet inspection by validating configurations, compiling SNORT-compatible signature blobs, and sending them to TMM for enforcement. Installation CR enablement field: intrusionPrevention.enabled.

      • f5-analyzer: The analyzer pod analyzes and routes LLM-related traffic, enabling dynamic routing based on complexity and load, primarily for DPU installations. Installation CR enablement field: intelligentLB.enabled.

      • f5-dwbld: It encodes IP address feedlists into binary blobs for TMM to perform real-time IP reputation checks and traffic decisions. Installation CR enablement field: ipIntelligence.enabled.

      • f5-downloader: Downloader assists other pods by downloading and storing large files from external sources for shared access. Installation CR enablement field: None (enabled indirectly).

      • CNF and SPK CRDs: Additional CRDs for CNF and SPK are now installed based on the form factor specified in the installation CR.

  • New field in FLO values:

    • The ServiceIPFamily field has been added to the FLO Helm values to support IP version details for the cluster (primarily used for Fluentd configuration).

  • Container name changes:

    • f5-cne-controller container name changed from f5-cne-controller-<cr_name>-<namespace> to f5-cne-controller.

    • f5-spk-csrc container name is now spk-csrc.

  • Helm values updates:

    • Helm values now require a license in “connected” mode to function properly. These license details must be provided under the license section of the Helm values file.

    • The following license-specific fields are required:

      operationMode: "connected"
logLevel: "info"
jwt: <token>
friendlyName: "My Cluster"
teemCertUrl: https://product-tst.apis.f5networks.net/ee/v1
teemEntitlementUrl: https://product-s-tst.apis.f5networks.net/ee/v1
teemInitialConfigUrl: https://product-s-tst.apis.f5networks.net/ee/v1
kid: "v1"
alg: "RS512"
kty: "RSA"
modulus: <token>
exponent: "AQAB"
x5c: <token>
use: <token>
licenseserverrootca: <token>

Before you upgrade to BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes v2.2.0, check the Release Notes to learn about the new features and fixes before upgrading.

Uninstall BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes v2.1.0

  1. Access the Kubernetes Cluster.

  2. Delete BNKgatewayclasses bnkgatewayclasscr.yaml.

     kubectl delete -f bnkgatewayclasscr.yaml -n <namespace>

    After deleting up the BNKgatewayclasses, you can proceed with uninstalling the F5 Life Cycle Operator (FLO) using Helm.

  3. Uninstall FLO.

     helm uninstall flo