Duration

2 Days

Audience

Employees of federal, state and local governments; and businesses working with the government.

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.

Is this the Right Course?

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.

Learning Objectives

  • 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

Outline

  1. Module 1: Setting Up the BIG-IP System
    • Introducing the BIG-IP System
    • Initially Setting Up the BIG-IP System
    • Archiving the BIG-IP System Configuration

    Module 2: Reviewing Local Traffic Configuration

    • Reviewing Nodes, Pools, and Virtual Servers
    • Reviewing Address Translation
    • Reviewing Routing Assumptions
    • Reviewing Application Health Monitoring
    • Reviewing Traffic Behavior Modification with Profiles
    • Reviewing the TMOS Shell (TMSH)
    • Reviewing Managing BIG-IP Configuration Data
    • Reviewing High Availability (HA)

    Module 3: Troubleshooting Methodology

    • Step-By-Step Process
    • Step 1: State the Problem
    • Step 2: Specify the Problem
    • Step 3: Map the System
    • Step 4: Develop Possible Causes
    • Step 5: Test Theories
    • Step 6: Iterate Until Root Cause Identified
    • Documenting a Problem
    • Putting Troubleshooting Steps to Use

    Module 4: Working with F5 Support

    • Leveraging F5 Support Resources
    • AskF5.com
    • DevCentral
    • iHealth
    • Leveraging F5 Labs
    • Working with F5 Technical Support
    • Running End User Diagnostics (EUD) – Hardware Only
    • New Platform Diagnostic Tools
    • Always-On Management (AOM) Subsystem
    • Requesting Return Materials Authorization
    • F5’s Software Version Policy
    • Managing the BIG-IP License for Upgrades
    • Managing BIG-IP Disk Space
    • Upgrading BIG-IP Software

    Module 5: Troubleshooting – Bottom to Top

    • Introducing Differences between BIG-IP and LINUX Tools
    • Troubleshooting with Layer 1/Layer 2 Tools
    • Troubleshooting with Layer 2/Layer 3 Tools
    • Troubleshooting with Layer 3 Tools
    • Troubleshooting with LINUX Tools
    • Troubleshooting Memory and CPU
    • Troubleshooting with watch
    • Troubleshooting with Additional tmsh commands

    Module 6: Troubleshooting Tools

    • tcpdump
    • Wireshark
    • ssldump
    • Fiddler
    • diff
    • KDiff3
    • cURL

    Module 7: Using System Logs

    •  Configuring Logging
    • Log Files
    • Understanding BIG-IP Daemons Functions
    • Triggering an iRule
    • Deploying and Testing iRules
    • Application Visibility and Reporting

    Module 8: Troubleshooting Lab Projects

    • Network Configurations for Project