F5 Configuring BIG-IP LTM: Local Traffic Manager
Course Overview
Many engineers inherit a BIG-IP system before they have had time to learn it properly. The previous administrator moves on, or a new application needs load balancing next month. This F5 BIG-IP LTM training is designed for that moment, once you know BIG-IP administration basics and need a solid understanding of Local Traffic Manager.
F5 positions Configuring BIG-IP LTM: Local Traffic Manager as the next step after Administering BIG-IP. It assumes you can already create a basic virtual server and pool, so it starts with a short review of nodes, pools, virtual servers, address translation, routing assumptions, health monitors, profiles, and TMSH. That review is valuable on its own, because it fills gaps that self-taught administrators often have.
From there, the course builds outward in a logical order. Load balancing comes first, with dynamic methods, priority group activation, and the difference between member and node load balancing. Persistence follows, then health monitoring in detail, then the different virtual server types and SNATs. By the time you reach profiles, you understand enough of the traffic path to see why OneConnect or a TCP profile change has the effect it does. Profile basics such as SSL offloading are reviewed along the way.
Network topics get their own chapter. You work with VLAN tagging and trunking, restrict network access to the system, configure SNMP, and segment traffic with route domains. These are the details that matter when BIG-IP has to fit into an existing data center network rather than a tidy lab.
The final part introduces iRules and local traffic policies, then shows how LTM settings help defend applications against SYN floods and common HTTP threats. A final lab project asks you to apply everything in one scenario.
For a network or systems engineer, the result is a working grasp of application delivery that goes well beyond “the load balancer is up.” You’ll also know how to use F5 support resources and tools when something goes wrong.
Course Objectives
The course prepares you to:
- Review and strengthen core BIG-IP knowledge of nodes, pools, virtual servers, address translation, and TMSH.
- Perform initial BIG-IP setup, including licensing, provisioning, and archiving the configuration.
- Select and configure load balancing methods, including priority group activation and fallback hosts.
- Apply persistence profiles suited to different application types.
- Design health monitors that test application behavior, not just open ports.
- Configure VLAN tagging, trunking, network access restrictions, SNMP, and route domains.
- Analyze SNAT behavior, virtual server precedence, and end-to-end packet processing.
- Customize delivery using profiles, iRules, and local traffic policies.
- Use LTM features and F5 support tools to secure and troubleshoot application delivery.
Prior Knowledge
Students must complete one of the following F5 prerequisites before attending this course:
- Administering BIG-IP (instructor-led training)
- F5 Certified BIG-IP Administrator
- Administering BIG-IP Equivalency Assessment
The following free Self-Directed Training (SDT) courses, although optional, are helpful for any student with limited BIG-IP administration and configuration experience:
- Getting Started with BIG-IP
- Getting Started with Local Traffic Manager (LTM)
General network technology knowledge and experience are recommended before attending any F5 Global Training Services instructor-led course, including OSI model encapsulation, routing and switching, Ethernet and ARP, TCP/IP concepts, IP addressing and subnetting, NAT and private IP addressing, NAT and private IP addressing, default gateway, network firewalls, and LAN vs. WAN.
Prospective students should have a basic understanding of BIG-IP local traffic concepts, including virtual servers, pools, health monitors, and profiles. Familiarity with web application delivery, the TCP and HTTP protocols, and TLS/SSL is also suggested.
Target Audience
- F5 BIG-IP administrators: Go beyond day-one administration into the LTM features used in production.
- Network engineers: Understand how SNATs, VLANs, and route domains fit BIG-IP into your network.
- Application delivery engineers: Get precise control over persistence, profiles, and traffic customization.
- Load balancing specialists: Compare load balancing methods and monitor designs in detail.
- Systems and server administrators: See how BIG-IP decides whether your servers receive traffic.
- Data center and infrastructure specialists: Plan how LTM sits within multi-tier, multi-site designs.
- Network operations staff: Read statistics and monitor status to diagnose problems faster.
- DevOps and platform engineers: Use TMSH, iRules, and local traffic policies to automate and customize delivery.
- Teams planning a BIG-IP LTM deployment: Learn the design decisions before they become production problems.
Course Content
4 modules · 12 topics01Module 1: Building on Local Traffic Basics3 topics
- Load Balancing Local Traffic
- Processing Traffic with Different Virtual Server Types
- Processing Traffic with Source Network Address Translation (SNAT)
02Module 2: Monitoring Application Delivery Health3 topics
- Managing Local Traffic Monitors
- Expanding Local Traffic Monitor Scope and Functionality
- Customizing Content Check and Application Check Monitors
03Module 4: Modifying Local Traffic Behavior with Profiles and Persistence4 topics
- Modifying Local Traffic Behavior with Profiles
- Optimizing TCP Network Traffic
- Working with Services Profiles
- Working with Persistence Profiles
04Module 4: Additional BIG-IP Deployment Options2 topics
- Customizing Application Delivery with Local Traffic iRules
- Customizing Application Delivery with Local Traffic Policies
Schedule Dates
4 upcoming batches| Batch Dates | Duration | Batch Options | Language | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 February 2027 - 17 February 2027 | 3 Days | 4 hours & 8 hours | English / Arabic | |
| 17 May 2027 - 19 May 2027 | 3 Days | 4 hours & 8 hours | English / Arabic | |
| 23 August 2027 - 25 August 2027 | 3 Days | 4 hours & 8 hours | English / Arabic | |
| 29 November 2027 - 01 December 2027 | 3 Days | 4 hours & 8 hours | English / Arabic |
Can’t find a suitable date? Request a schedule that fits your team.
Request More InformationF5 BIG-IP LTM Training in Ethiopia for Growing Digital Services
Banks, telecom operators, and public institutions across the country are moving more services onto digital channels as part of the national digital transformation strategy. As mobile banking and online public services grow, so does the need for engineers who can keep those applications responsive and available. Our F5 BIG-IP LTM training in Ethiopia helps network and systems engineers in Addis Ababa and Hawassa gain a deeper understanding of Local Traffic Manager, from load balancing and health monitors to route domains and iRules. Organizations that work with the Information Network Security Administration on security standards may also value the course’s chapter on protecting application delivery with LTM features. Before joining this F5 load balancing course in Addis Ababa, confirm you meet F5’s prerequisites. Our Administering BIG-IP course covers the required foundation. Related networking fundamentals training and our wider F5 course catalog are also worth exploring. When you’re ready, review the outline or contact us to discuss your team’s starting point.
FAQs
What is the Configuring BIG-IP LTM course, and where does it fit?
It is F5’s advanced course on BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager and the natural next step after Administering BIG-IP. It takes the local traffic concepts introduced in that course and covers them in much greater detail. Expect in-depth work on load balancing, persistence, monitors, SNATs, profiles, network settings, iRules, and local traffic policies.
What does LTM do in a network, and what will I study?
LTM sits between clients and servers and decides how each connection is handled. It selects a healthy server, keeps sessions together when needed, translates addresses, and optimizes connections. You will study each of these functions, along with VLAN tagging, trunking, SNMP, routing domains, iRules, local traffic policies, and LTM features that protect applications from common attacks.
I am a network engineer new to F5 LTM. Should I attend?
Yes, provided you meet F5’s prerequisite first. The course is aimed at system and network administrators responsible for BIG-IP LTM, so your networking background is a strong base. If you have not yet completed Administering BIG-IP or an equivalent, start there, then take this course to build real depth.
What are F5's prerequisites for this course?
F5 requires one of three: the Administering BIG-IP instructor-led course, the F5 Certified BIG-IP Administrator credential, or the Administering BIG-IP Equivalency Assessment. F5 also recommends knowledge of OSI encapsulation, routing and switching, Ethernet and ARP, TCP/IP, subnetting, NAT, default gateways, firewalls, and LAN versus WAN. Free self-paced courses, Getting Started with BIG-IP and Getting Started with LTM, can help if your hands-on experience is limited.
What will I be able to do differently after the course?
You will be able to configure LTM with intent instead of trial and error. You’ll know which load balancing method and persistence profile fit a given application, how to write monitors that reflect real health, and how SNATs and route domains affect traffic. You will also be able to customize delivery with iRules and local traffic policies.
Can this course make me F5 certified?
Not on its own. The course is training, and F5 certification requires passing separate exams. F5 Certified Administrator, BIG-IP requires five exams (F5CAB1 to F5CAB5). The F5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP LTM requires exams 301a and 301b, and you must already hold the administrator certification. The course can support your exam preparation, but passing remains a separate step.
Why should engineers understand load balancing, monitoring, persistence, and availability?
These settings decide whether customers can use a service at all. Load balancing spreads demand, health monitoring removes broken servers, and persistence keeps sessions intact. Together, they provide application-level high availability. Engineers who understand them can prevent many outages and diagnose the rest far more quickly.
Will this course help my career?
It can strengthen your career foundation by adding specialist BIG-IP LTM skills to your networking or systems background. Those skills are useful wherever organizations run BIG-IP for critical services. The course doesn’t guarantee a new job, a promotion, or higher pay. Results depend on your experience and the roles available to you.
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