Getting Started with FAST

This guide contains information about how to install and use F5 Application Services Templates.

About F5 Application Services Templates

The F5 Application Services Templates extension, or FAST, provides a way to streamline deployment of AS3 applications onto BIG-IP. By using AS3 deployment patterns, or templates, configuring BIG-IP can be easier and less error prone.

AS3 applications deployed through FAST can be managed using FAST. FAST auto-generates web forms custom to your templates for creating and modifying applications, and provides visibility into what AS3 applications are configured on your BIG-IP.

The extension comes with a base set of templates for common use cases such as TCP or HTTPS. These templates can be modified, or new templates can be created to satisfy specific needs of any infrastructure.

Continue reading to learn more about templating AS3 applications.

Installing the Application Services Templates Extension

Prerequisites

  • BIG-IP, TMOS v13.1 or later.
  • AS3 version 3.16 or later must be installed (see the AS3 Documentation for more details on AS3).

Downloading and installing the FAST Extension

  1. Download the FAST extension RPM from GitHub at https://github.com/F5networks/f5-appsvcs-templates to a location accessible from the BIG-IP.

  2. From the BIG-IP system, install the extension by navigating to iApps > Package Management LX. Click Import and then select the RPM you downloaded.

    • If you are using a BIG-IP version prior to 14.0, before you can use the Configuration utility, you must enable the framework using the BIG-IP command line. From the CLI, type the following command: touch /var/config/rest/iapps/enable. You only need to run this command once (per BIG-IP system). This is not necessary with 14.0 and later.

    Once the package is imported, you should see f5-appsvcs-templates in the list of installed extensions.

  3. Click iApps > Application Services > Applications LX.

  4. Click F5 Application Services Templates to start using FAST.

Continue with Fast Overview for information on using the interface, or use the left navigation to go to a specific page.