Pre-requisites

Pre-requisites for the F5 ACI ServiceCenter:

  • F5 ACI ServiceCenter should be a part of the default security domain for proper functioning.

  • Cisco APIC users who access F5 ACI ServiceCenter must have admin privileges to the Cisco APIC.

  • All BIG-IP devices added to the F5 ACI ServiceCenter should have https support.

  • To enable F5 ACI ServiceCenter L4-L7 Application Services tab, use the BIG-IP Configuration utility to install the latest version of AS3 (f5-appsvcs package) and FAST (f5-appsvcs-templates) on the BIG-IP device.

  • To view the Virtual Server statistics on the Visibility VIP Dashboard, you must install the Telemetry Streaming plugin version 1.17 or higher on the BIG-IP device. Follow the installation steps and the default pull consumer configuration details from https://clouddocs.f5.com/f5-aci-servicecenter/latest/navigate.html#configure-telemetry

  • To allow self discovery of BIG-IP devices on F5 ACI ServiceCenter, enable the LLDP protocol on BIG-IP devices and Cisco APIC. Make sure the LLDP attribute ”Management Address” is present in the LLDP attributes send list on BIG-IP devices (Network->Interfaces->Interfaces List-><interface_id>).

  • F5 ACI ServiceCenter has read-only privileges to the Cisco APIC. To configure and manage the Cisco APIC, use the Cisco APIC GUI/API. For example, use the Cisco APIC GUI/API to add a logical device or to add an endpoint group etc.

  • The minimum BIG-IP Plugin versions supported by the F5 ACI ServiceCenter:

    Package Version AS3 Version Telemetry Version FAST Version
    2.5 (deprecated) 3.19.1+ NA NA
    2.6 (deprecated) 3.19.1+ NA NA
    2.7 (deprecated) 3.19.1+ 1.17.0+ NA
    2.8 (deprecated) 3.19.1+ 1.17.0+ 1.8.1+
    2.9 (deprecated) 3.19.1+ 1.17.0+ 1.8.1+
    2.10 3.19.1+ 1.17.0+ 1.8.1+
    2.11, 2.11.x 3.45.0+ 1.17.0+ 1.9.1+

Note: F5 recommends always installing the latest plugin version on the BIG-IP device.