How to: Install BIG-IP Next on rSeries

Overview

Support for the two procedures is for:

  • rSeries 5000 appliances

    • 5600: 4, 8, and 12 vCPU BIG-IP Next tenants

    • 5800: 4, 8, and 18

    • 5900: 4, 8, and 26

    • Multitenancy: up to 2 BIG-IP Next tenants

  • rSeries 10000 appliances

    • 10600: 4, 8, and 24 vCPU BIG-IP Next tenants

    • 10800: 4, 8, and 28

    • 10900: 4, 8, and 36

    • Multitenancy: up to 2 BIG-IP Next tenants

Memory requirements for rSeries 5000 and rSeries 10000:

vCPUs Memory
4 14848 MB
8 29184 MB
12 43520 MB
18 65024 MB
24 86528 MB
26 93696 MB
28 100864 MB
36 129536 MB

Prerequisites

Complete the initial configuration of an rSeries system

  1. Connect a console or terminal server to the console port of the rSeries appliance.

  2. Run the Setup wizard (Enables DHCP, configures DNS and NTP)
    -OR-
    Configure static IP addresses (no enabling of DHCP):
    F5 rSeries Planning Guide > Initial Setup of rSeries F5OS Platform Layer > IP Address Assignment & Routing

  3. Configure system settings (If did not run the Setup wizard: configures DNS, NTP, and external logging). You can use the CLI, webUI, or API. See: F5 rSeries Planning Guide > Initial Setup of rSeries F5OS Platform Layer > System Settings

  4. Log in to the system webUI

  5. License the system automatically from the webUI

  6. Create required VLANs from the webUI

  7. Complete Initial Setup of the rSeries Network Layer

  8. You must also have the instance’s IP address, username and password.

    Note: When you add a BIG-IP Next instance that was onboarded locally to BIG-IP Next Central Manager, all users currently configured on that local BIG-IP Next instance are automatically disabled, so management of the instance is done exclusively from BIG-IP Next Central Manager. You must set an initial “admin” password before adding the instance to Central Manager via Postman.

Procedures

Download the BIG-IP Next tenant file

  1. Log in to MyF5.

  2. In the upper-right corner, click SIGN IN,

  3. Type your Email address, and click Next.

  4. From the top menu, click the RESOURCES list, and select Downloads.

  5. To agree with the terms of downloading software, review the End User License Agreement and Program Terms. Click the checkbox, and then click Next.

  6. From the Group list, select BIG-IP_Next.

  7. From the Product Line list, select F5 Systems (HW).

  8. From the Product Version list, select a version number.

  9. From Select a product container, select the name of a product.

  10. From Select a download file, select a .tar file.

  11. From the Download locations list, select a location and then click the Download link.

  12. After the download is complete, move the .iso file to a desired location.

Download the rSeries F5OS-A file

  1. Log in to MyF5.

  2. In the upper-right corner, click SIGN IN,

  3. Type your Email address, and click Next.

  4. From the top menu, click the RESOURCES list, and select Downloads.

  5. To agree with the terms of downloading software, review the End User License Agreement and Program Terms. Click the checkbox, and then click Next.

  6. From the Group list, select F5OS.

  7. From the Product Line list, select F5OS Appliance Software.

  8. From the Product Version list, select a version number.

  9. From Select a product container, select the name of a product.

  10. From Select a download file, select a .tar file.

  11. From the Download locations list, select a location and then click the Download link.

  12. After the download is complete, move the .iso file to a desired location.

Update the rSeries appliance software

Update the rSeries software (F5OS) to the required version: v1.7.0.

  1. Log in to the rSeries webUI using an account with admin access.

  2. On the left, click SYSTEM SETTINGS > Software Management .

  3. Upload the Base OS image

  4. At the bottom of the page, for Update Base OS Software, select Bundled.

  5. For the ISO Image, select the full version release ISO image.

  6. Click Save.

The software on the rSeries appliance is updated.

Upload a tenant image onto the rSeries appliance

Upload using the webUI.

  1. With the DASHBOARD open, on the left, click TENANT MANAGEMENT > Tenant Images.

  2. Click Upload. The Tenant Images window opens.

  3. Select the bundle file.

  4. Click Open.

The upload process starts.

Onboard via Postman

  1. Download the F5 Postman collection.

  2. Modify the Postman variables.
    Create an environment or modify the collection variables.

    bigip_next_1_name: (i.e. my-bigip-next)
domain_name: (i.e. example.com)
bigip_next_1_mgmt_ip: (i.e. value that you configured above 192.168.122.245)
bigip_next_admin_password: (i.e. preferred password, minimum 8 characters)
bigip_next_1_external_ip: (i.e. self-ip of data-plane / secondary interface)
bigip_next_external_network_mask: (netmask of data-plane network)
static_route_gateway: (data-plane default gateway address)

  3. Find the folder Virtual Edition Onboarding.

  4. Execute the requests Reset Admin Password through Create Static Route.

Deploy a BIG-IP Next instance on an rSeries system using BIG-IP Next Central Manager

  1. Sign in to BIG-IP Next Central Manager.

  2. Click the Workspace menu icon next to the F5 icon, and click Infrastructure.

  3. Click + Add.

  4. Click Create a New Instance.

  5. Click Next.

  6. Type a Hostname and Description (optional).

  7. From the Instance Template list, select the rSeries Standalone template, and then click Start Creating.

  8. To create a new rSeries Provider:

    Note: If you have already configured Providers, you can continue directly to step 9.

    1. Click + Add.

    2. Type a Name, rSeries IP address, and Port, and then click Connect.

    3. Type a Username and Password, and then click Submit.

    4. Click Done, and then click Next.

  9. In the rSeries Properties area, type Disk Size (optional), CPU Cores, Tenant Image Name, Tenant Deployment File, and VLAN IDs (optional), and then click Next.

  10. Type a Management IP Address, Management Network Prefix Width, and Gateway IP Address (optional), and then click Next.

  11. In the Networking area, complete the settings, and click Next.

  12. Confirm the Management Username (default), type a Password, and then Confirm Password. Click Next.

  13. Review the Summary, and click Deploy
    Deployment may take up to 15 minutes.