F5_201_TMOS_Admin_StudyGuide
F5 BIG-IP Administrator Certification Study Guide
Purpose of this document
This document outlines topic areas covered on the F5 BIG-IP TMOS Administrator Certification Exam and resources available on the www.askf5.com and devcentral.f5.com Web sites to help prepare test takers.
1. Troubleshooting virtual server connectivity issues
1.1 Given a Connectivity troubleshooting situation, consider the packet, and virtual server
processing order
• SOL14800: Order of precedence for virtual server matching
• SOL411: Overview of packet tracing with the tcpdump utility
• SOL8082: Overview of TCP connection set-up for BIG-IP LTM virtual server types
• Manual Chapter: Introducing BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager
• Administering BIG-IP v11.6.0, Troubleshooting the BIG-IP System (Using tcpdump on the BIG- IP System section)
1.2 Identify the reason a virtual server is not working as expected
• DevCentral: Pool member won’t work through BIG-IP LTM
• Troubleshooting LTM Monitors
1.3 Identify the reasons a pool member has been marked down by health monitors
• SOL12531: Troubleshooting health monitors
• SOL10516: Overview of BIG-IP pool status
• SOL10966: Determining which monitor triggered a change in the availability of a node or pool member
• Administering BIG-IP v11.6.0, Monitoring Application Health
1.4 Identify a pool member not in the active priority group
• Manual Chapter: Pools
• Manual Chapter: LTM Pools
1.5 Identify traffic diverted due to persistence record
• Administering BIG-IP v11.6.0, Modifying Traffic Behavior with Persistence
• SOL13478: Overview of connection and persistence mirroring (11.x)
• SOL10430: Causes of uneven traffic distribution across BIG-IP pool members
• SOL7004: Using source address affinity for AOL persistence connections
1.6 Identify the current configured state of the pool member
• SOL16008: Overview of BIG-IP pool status (11.x)
• Manual Chapter: LTM Pools
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1.7 Identify a persistence issue
• Persistent and Persistence, What’s the Difference?
• Single Node Persistence
• Sessions and Cookies and Persistence
• Session Management (Wikipedia)
• Configuring BIG-IP LTM v11.6.0, Chapter 4: Persistence
• SOL13478: Overview of connection and persistence mirroring (11.x)
• SOL5714: Troubleshooting cookie persistence
2. Troubleshooting basic hardware issues
2.1 Perform and End User Diagnostic per F5 documentation and collect the Output
• Supplemental Document: EUD 11.4 Field Testing BIG-IP Hardware
2.2 Interpret LCD Warning Messages
• Operating the LCD Panel
• SOL4263: New front panel LED indicator behavior in BIG-IP version 9.x
• SOL10161: The Activity LED operation on 8400 platforms
2.3 Identify a possible hardware issue within the log files
• Writing to and rotating custom log files
• Monitoring & Managing LTM Log Files
2.4 Force an active unit to standby under the appropriate circumstances
• sol11736: Defining network resources for BIG-IP high availability features (9.x — 10.x)
• SOL13478: Overview of connection and persistence mirroring (11.x)
2.5 Understand the relationship between interfaces, trunks, VLANs and their status/statistics
• SOL14513: MAC address assignment for interfaces, trunks, and VLANs (11.x)
• SOL10191: Troubleshooting packet drops
3. Troubleshooting basic performance issues
3.1 Recognize when a packet capture is needed within the context of a performance issue.
• Troubleshooting BIG-IP LTM v11.6.0, Troubleshooting — Bottom to Top
• Troubleshooting BIG-IP LTM v11.6.0, Troubleshooting Tools
• SOL411: Overview of packet tracing with the tcpdump utility
• SOL9704:Capturing and viewing packets
• SOL6546: Recommended methods and limitations for running tcpdump on a BIG-IP system
3.2 Use BIG-IP tools in order to identify potential performance issues
• Troubleshooting BIG-IP LTM v11.6.0, Using System Logs
• BIG-IP iHealth User Guide
• Health and Performance Monitoring
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4. Troubleshooting basic device management connectivity issues
4.1 Verify remote connectivity to the BIG-IP in order to determine the cause of a management connectivity issue.
• Configuring Network Access Resources
• Diagnosing Network Connection Issues
• Defining Connectivity Options
• About Network Access
4.2 Check and interpret port lockdown settings in order to determine the cause of a management
connectivity issue to a Self-IP
• SOL13250 : Overview of port lockdown behavior (10.x — 11.x)
4.3 Given the use of a remote authentication server, verify proper DNS and NTP settings in order
to diagnose a connectivity issue.
• Remote Server Authentication
• Configuring Remote User Authentication and Authorization
• SOL13205: Configuring the BIG-IP system to resolve DNS hostnames (11.x)
• SOL10240: Verifying NTP peer server communications
5. Open a support ticket with F5
5.1 Identify the appropriate supporting components and severity levels for an F5Support ticket.
• SOL2633: Instructions for submitting a support case to F5
• SOL135: Information required when opening a support case for BIG-IP LTM or GTM
• BIG-IP iHealth User Guide
• SOL12878: Generating BIG-IP diagnostic data using the qkview utility (10.x — 11.x)
• SOL13066: Information required when opening a support case for BIG-IP Analytics
• Severity Levels and Response Times listed in the WBT F5 Networks Technical Support Overview.
• Administering BIG-IP v11.6.0, Troubleshooting the BIG-IP System (Leveraging the BIG-IP iHealth System and Working with F5 Technical Support sections)
5.2 Given an issue, determine the appropriate severity according to F5 guidelines
• http://www.f5.com/services/customer-support/
• http://www.f5.com/pdf/customer-support/guidelines-and-policies-ds.pdf
• http://www.f5.com/services/customer-support/
• http://www.f5.com/flash/technical-support-overview/
5.3 Provide quantitative and relevant information appropriate for a given issue
• http://www.f5.com/services/customer-support/
• sol2633: Instructions for submitting a support case to F5
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6. Identify and report current device status
6.1 Review the network map in order to determine the status of objects
• LTM Essentials WBT — Module 2
• BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager: Concepts
• Administering BIG-IP v11.6.0, Monitoring Application Health (Using the Network Map section)
6.2 Use the dashboard to gauge the current running status of the system
• https://devcentral.f5.com/Multimedia/DCTV/Player/TabId/1086258/VideoId/77/BIGIP-V10- Dashboard.aspx
• Getting Started Guide: Monitoring the BIG-IP System
6.3 Review log files and identify possible events
• Troubleshooting BIG-IP LTM v11.6.0, Using System Logs
• SOL13317: Configuring the level of information that syslog-ng sends to log files (11.x)
• SOL13080: Configuring the BIG-IP system to log to a remote syslog server (11.x)
• SOL5532: Configuring the level of information logged for TMM specific events
• SOL13367: Managing log files on the BIG-IP system (11.x)
• Manual: BIG-IP TMOS: Concepts Chapter: Logging
6.4 Use iApps analytics to gauge the current running status of application services
• BIG-IP Analytics: Implementations
7. Maintain system configuration
7.1 Create, manage, and restore a UCS archive under the appropriate circumstances
• TMOS Management Guide for BIG-IP Systems v10.x | Creating and Managing Archives
• BIG-IP TMOS: Concepts v11.2 | Archives (online)
• BIG-IP TMOS: Concepts v11.2 | Chapter 9: Archives (pdf)
• SOL4423: Overview of UCS Archives
• SOL13132 Backing up and restoring BIG-IP configuration (11.x)
• SOL11318: Backing up and restoring BIG-IP configuration files (10.x)
• SOL3499: Backing up and restoring BIG-IP version 9.x configuration files
• SOL13136: The UCS configuration archive cannot be restored on a platform other than the one on which the archive was created
• SOL9420: Installing a UCS file containing an encrypted passphrase
• BIG-IP Systems: Getting Started Guide v10.x | Preparing the System for Installation
• SOL13294: Change in Behavior: Installing a UCS configuration archive now restores the full configuration
7.2 Identify which high-level tasks can be automated using BIG-IQ
• Release Note: BIG-IQ Device, 4.5.0
• Release Note: BIG-IQ Cloud, 4.5.0
• Release Note: BIG-IQ Security, 4.5.0
• Release Note: BIG-IQ ADC, 4.5.0
7.3 Manage software images
• BIG-IP Redundant Systems Configuration Guide v11.0
• SOL8086: Replacing a BIG-IP system in a redundant pair without interrupting service
• BIG-IP System: Upgrading Active/Standby Systems v11.0 (online)
• BIG-IP System: Upgrading Active Standby Systems v11.0 (pdf)
• BIG-IP System: Upgrading Active/Active Systems v11.0 (online)
• BIG-IP System: Upgrading Active Active Systems v11.0 (pdf)
• SOL13123: Managing BIG-IP product hotfixes (11.x)
• BIG-IP Systems: Getting Started Guide v10.x | Preparing the System for Installation
• SOL4178: Booting the BIG-IP system in single-user mode
• SOL13117: Performing a clean installation of BIG-IP version 11.x
• SOL13127: Restoring the BIG-IP configuration to factory default settings 11.x
• SOL10449: Upgrading the software version or applying a hotfix to BIG-IP GTM v10.x
• Configuration Guide for the VIPRION System | Upgrading the VIPRION System
• Troubleshooting BIG-IP v11.6.0, F5 Support
7.4 Given an HA pair, describe the appropriate strategy for deploying a new software image
• SOL12157: Upgrading an Active-Active high availability pair(9x, 10x)
• Manual: BIG-IP System: Upgrading Active-Active Systems (11.x)
• Manual: BIG-IP Systems: Upgrading Active-Standby Systems
• Manual: BIG-IP Systems: Upgrading Active-Active Systems
7.5 Understand the processes of licensing, license reactivation, and license modification (add-ons)
• SOL7752: Overview of Licensing the BIG-IP System
• SOL9245: Verifying that a BIG-IP license is valid
• SOL15055: Using tmsh to view and manage licenses for BIG-IP and BIG-IQ systems
• SOL15094: Licensing the BIG-IQ system
• SOL14262: Licensing F5 products
• SOL15365: License activation may be required prior to software upgrade for the BIG-IQ system
• SOL7727: License activation may be required prior to software upgrade for the BIG-IP or Enterprise Manager system
7.6 Identify which modules are licensed and/or provisioned
• SOL14826: Good, Better, Best license options and provisioning
• SOL12111: Provisioning licensed BIG-IP modules
• SOL14810: Overview of the vCPU limits for the BIG-IP Virtual Edition license
• SOL15871: Web Based Training: F5 Good, Better, Best licensing schema (WBT)
• SOL13988: BIG-IP module provisioning exceptions
7.7 Explain how to create a user
• Administering BIG-IP 11.6.0, Administering the BIG-IP System (User Roles and Administrative Partitions section)
7.8 Explain how to modify user properties
• Manual Chapter: User Accounts
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8. Manage existing system and application services
8.1 Modify and manage virtual servers
• BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager v11.2: Concepts
• SOL8018: Overview of the BIG-IP HTTP class traffic flow
• BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager v11.2: Implementations
• Configuring BIG-IP LTM v11.6.0, Chapter 6: Virtual Servers
• LTM Essentials Web-based Training Course
• SOL10640: Pool member reselection options
• SOL13675: Overview of the stateless virtual server
• SOL12272: Overview of virtual server types for BIG-IP version 10.x
• HTTP Basics I Web Based Training Course
• HTTP Basics II Web Based Training Course
• Administering BIG-IP v11.6.0, Traffic Processing Building Blocks (Configuring Virtual Servers and Pools section)
• SOL14163: Overview of BIG-IP virtual server types (11.x)
• SOL14800: Order of precedence for virtual server matching (11.3.0 and later)
• SOL8082: Overview of TCP connection setup for BIG-IP LTM virtual server types
• SOL9039: A virtual server with a SNAT pool takes precedence over matching the NAT
• SOL10379: A local virtual server IP address cannot be used as a pool member
8.2 Modify and manage pools
• BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager v11.2: Concepts
• SOL8018: Overview of the BIG-IP HTTP class traffic flow
• BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager v11.2: Implementations
• SOL10640: Pool member reselection options
• LTM Essentials Web-based Training Course
• SOL8457: Connection limits configured on pool members or nodes for a CMP system are enforced per TMM instance
• SOL16008: Overview of BIG-IP pool status (11.x)
• SOL13310: Disabling nodes or pool members for maintenance (11.x)
• SOL6510: BIG-IP system fallback host behavior when a host is down
• SOL7065: Configuring the BIG-IP system to use an alternate server if pool members are unavailable