Course Overview
This course gives networking professionals hands-on knowledge of how to troubleshoot a BIG-IP system using a number of troubleshooting techniques as well as troubleshooting and system tools. This course includes lectures, labs, and discussions.
Topics covered in this course include:
- Configuration Project
- Troubleshooting Methodology
- F5 Support
- Troubleshooting - Bottom to Top
- Troubleshooting Tools
- Using System Logs
Who should attend
This course assumes that you have successfully completed the Administering BIG-IP course, or equivalent, and have hands-on experience working in a production BIG-IP environment for several months. You should have a solid understanding of the environment in which the BIG-IP is deployed. This course is meant for BIG-IP administrators, network engineers, applications engineers, etc., who will be responsible for troubleshooting problems associated with their BIG-IP system.
Prerequisites
Students must complete one of the following F5 prerequisites before attending this course:
- Administering BIG-IP (TRG-BIG-OP-ADMIN) instructor-led course
- F5 Certified BIG-IP Administrator
The following free web-based courses, although optional, will be very helpful for any student with limited BIG-IP administration and configuration experience:
- Getting Started with BIG-IP web-based training
- Getting Started with BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) web-based training
The following general network technology knowledge and experience are recommended before attending any F5 Global Training Services instructor-led course:
- OSI model encapsulation
- Routing and switching
- Ethernet and ARP
- TCP/IP concepts
- IP addressing and subnetting
- NAT and private IP addressing
- Default gateway
- Network firewalls
- LAN vs. WAN
The following course-specific knowledge and experience is suggested before attending this course:
- HTTP, HTTPS, FTP and SSH protocols
Course Objectives
- Describe the role of the BIG-IP system as a full proxy device in an application delivery network
- Set up, start/restart/stop, license, and provision the BIG-IP system
- Create a basic network configuration on the BIG-IP system including VLANs and self IPs
- Use the Configuration utility and TMOS Shell (tmsh) to manage BIG-IP resources and use as a resource when troubleshooting
- Create, restore from, and manage BIG-IP archives
- Understand and implement troubleshooting methodology to find and resolve issues
- View resource status, availability, and statistical information and use this information to determine how the BIG-IP system is currently processing traffic
- Use iApps to update BIG-IP configuration
- Perform troubleshooting and problem determination activities including using the iHealth diagnostic tool, researching known issues and solutions on AskF5, submitting a problem ticket to F5 Technical Support, and view traffic flow using tcpdump
- Understand the tools (ping, netstat, tcpdump, ssldump, WireShark, diff, Kdiff3, Fiddler, BIG-IP logs, etc.) available to use to identify BIG-IP and network issues from bottom to top
- List log files available, understand log levels, and use the appropriate files, log levels, and filters for troubleshooting
- Use High Speed Logging (HSL) and SNMP trap implementations to perform troubleshooting and problem determination activities
- Describe the role of iRules in affecting traffic behavior and how to use them to aid with troubleshooting and problem determination
Course Content
- Setting Up the BIG-IP System
- Reviewing Local Traffic Configuration
- Troubleshooting Methodology
- Working with F5 Support
- Troubleshooting – Bottom to Top
- Troubleshooting Tools
- Using System Logs
- Troubleshooting Lab Projects
English
French
Italian
Belgium
Italy
Netherlands