Lab 3.1 - Deploy and operate Applications

This section of the lab will utilize the “Applications” section of BIG-IP Next Central Manager.

When creating an application service, it happens in two steps.

Step 1: Step 1:

Start by selecting a template, which will determine what type of features you will need (i.e. HTTPS, WAF, etc…). Some templates can be built to allow you to toggle features on/off (the template that ships with Central Manager includes the ability to toggle on/off WAF, iRules, etc…).

Once you have selected your template, you will need to define the name of your virtual server (destination of where you want your clients to connect) and information about the pools (backend servers). This includes information such as the port numbers that should be used.

Step 2:

After you have defined the properties for your application, you will need to select the location of where you would like to deploy your applications. You will then be prompted for the IP addresses for that specific location.

1. Navigate to Applications

   Navigate to Applications by clicking the workspace switcher next to the F5 icon

   

   Then click on Applications

   

2. Create Application

   From My Application Services click on + Add Application

   

   Enter an application name of “https-app” and select From Template

   

   Click on Select Template

3. Select HTTPS-Load-Balancing-Service

   Note

   This is a customized template that was created specifically for this lab. It is not included in a default installation of Central Manager

   

   Then click on Start Creating

4. Application Service Properties

   

   You will see the default Application Service Properties for this template (these have been pre-populated by the template; in a later lab you will need to fill these in)

   Click on the edit icon next to “HTTPS” to view further details of the HTTPS configuration

5. Protocols and Profiles

   Here you can see the TLS options, click on “Add” under “No Client-Side TLS”

   

6. Client-Side TLS

Under RSA certificate, enter a name of “www”, select the certificate “www.example.com” (use RSA Certificate), and leave “Use Default Server” selected.

Then click on “Save” and “Save” again to return to the Application Service Properties screen.

1. Review and Deploy

   Click on Review and Deploy

   

2. You will now see the Deploy-to screen

   

   Click on the Start Adding button in the middle of the screen.

3. Select Location

   You will need to select big-ip-next-01.example.com and then click on Add to List

   Warning

   You may need to adjust the zoom setting on your browser window to see the “Add to List” button

   

4. Virtual Address

   You can now enter your Virtual Address. Use the IP Address “10.1.10.200”

   

   Then click on the down arrow next to “members” to open the Pool Members screen

5. Pool Members

   Click on the + Pool Members to add pool members

   

   On the Pool Members screen click on the Add Row that is in the lower right

   

   Use the following values to add two rows

   Name	IP Address
   node1	10.1.20.100
   node2	10.1.20.101

   

   Then click on Save

6. Validate

   You can now validate your changes before deploying them.

   Click on Validate All

   

   After it completes click on View Results

   

   You can inspect the AS3 declaration that will be deployed to your BIG-IP Next instance.

   

   Click on Exit to leave the preview of the AS3 declaration

7. Deploy Changes

   You are now ready to deploy your application to the desired location.

   Click on Deploy Changes

   

8. Confirm that you would like to deploy

   You will be prompted to confirm, click on Yes, Deploy

   

9. Within your UDF Deployment, go to the Firefox access method that is under the Ubuntu Jump Host

   This will open an embedded Firefox browser session that is running inside the lab environment.

   

10. Inside the Firefox browser session go to https://www.example.com

    

11. You should now see the demo app