This 2-day course uses lectures and hands-on lab exercises to give participants real-time experience in setting up and configuring the BIG-IP® Advanced Firewall Manager system.

Students are introduced to the AFM user interface, stepping through various options that demonstrate how AFM is configured to build a network firewall and to detect and protect against DoS (Denial of Service) attacks. Reporting and log facilities are also explained and used in the course labs.

Further Firewall functionality and additional DoS facilities for DNS and SIP traffic are discussed.

Course Topics

v13 Course Outline

Chapter 1: Setting up the BIG-IP System

Introducing the BIG-IP System
Initially Setting Up the BIG-IP System
Archiving the BIG-IP Configuration
Leveraging F5 Support Resources and Tools
Chapter Resources
BIG-IP System Setup Labs

Chapter 2: AFM Overview and Network Firewall

AFM Overview
AFM Release History
AFM Availability
What do you see?
Terminology
Network Firewall
AFM Contexts
AFM Modes
AFM Packet Processing
AFM Rules and Direction
Rules Contexts and Processing
Configuring Network Firewall
Network Firewall Rules
Geolocation
Redundant and Conflicting Rules
Stale Rules
Lists and Schedules
Rule Lists
Address Lists
Port Lists
Schedules
Policies
Policy Status and Firewall Policy Management
Inline Rule Editor
Send to Virtual
Packet Tester

Chapter 3: Logs

Overview
Event Logs
Logging Profiles
Log Throttling
Logging and Logging Profiles
BIG-IP Logging Mechanisms
Publisher
Log Destination
Custom Search
Logging Global Rule Events
Log Configuration Changes
QKView and Log Files
SNMP MIB
SNMP Traps

Chapter 4: IP Intelligence

Overview
Feature 1 Dynamic Black and White Lists
Black List Categories
Feed Lists
IP Intelligence Policies
IP Intelligence Log Profile
IP Intelligence Reporting
Troubleshooting IP Intelligence Lists
Feature 2 IP Intelligence Database
Licensing
Installation
Configuration
Troubleshooting
IP Intelligence iRule

Chapter 5: Device DoS

Denial of Service and DoS Protection Overview
Device DoS
Configuring Device DoS
Variant 1
Variant 2
Auto-Threshold Configuration
Variant 3
Bad Actor and Blacklist Address
Device DoS Profiles
DoS Protection Profile
Dynamic Signatures
DoS iRules

Chapter 6: Reports

Reports
Reporting
General Reporting Facilities
Time Series Chart
Details
Report Export
DoS Screens
Dashboard
Analysis
Custom Page
Settings
Scheduled Reports
Troubleshooting Scheduled Reports
Overview
Summary
Widgets
Custom Widgets
Deleting and Restoring Widgets
Firewall Manager

Chapter 7: DoS White Lists

White Lists
Configuration
tmsh
Source Address List

Chapter 8: DoS Sweep Flood Protection

Sweep Flood
Configuration

Chapter 9: IP Intelligence Shun

IP Intelligence Shun
Manual Configuration
Dynamic Configuration
IP Intelligence Policy
tmsh
Extending the Shun Feature
Remotely Triggered Black Hole
Scrubber

Chapter 10: DNS Firewall

DNS Firewall
Configuration
DNS Query
DNS Opcodes
Logging
Troubleshooting

Chapter 11: DNS DoS

DNS DoS
Configuration
DoS Protection Profile
Device DoS

Chapter 12: SIP DoS

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
Transactions and Dialogs
SIP DoS Configuration
DoS Protection Profile
Device DoS
SIP iRules

Chapter 13: Network Firewall iRules

Network Firewall iRules
iRule Events
Configuration
Recommended Practice
More Information

Chapter 14: Port Misuse

Port Misuse
Port Misuse Policy
Attaching a Service Policy
Log Profile

This course is intended for network operators, network administrators, network engineers, network architects, security administrators, and security architects responsible for installation, setup, configuration, and administration of the BIG-IP AFM system.

Students must complete one of the following F5 prerequisites before attending this course:

Administering BIG-IP instructor-led course
or
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. These courses are available at F5 University:

Getting Started with BIG-IP web-based training
Getting Started with BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) web-based training
Getting Started with BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) 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

v12 Course Outline

Chapter 1: Setting up the BIG-IP System

Introducing the BIG-IP System
Initially Setting Up the BIG-IP System
Archiving the BIG-IP Configuration
Leveraging F5 Support Resources and Tools

Chapter 2: AFM Overview and Network Firewall

AFM Overview
AFM Release History
AFM Availability
What do you see?
Terminology
Network Firewall
AFM Contexts
AFM Modes
AFM Packet Processing
AFM Rules and Direction
Rules Contexts and Processing
Configuring Network Firewall
Network Firewall Rules
Geolocation
Redundant and Conflicting Rules
Stale Rules
Lists and Schedules
Rule Lists
Address Lists
Port Lists
Schedules
Policies
Policy Status and Firewall Policy Management
Inline Rule Editor

​Chapter 3: Logs

Event Logs
Logging Profiles
Log Throttling
Traffic Flow Statistics
Logging and Logging Profiles
BIG-IP Logging Mechanisms
Publisher
Log Destination
Custom Search
Logging Global Rule Events
Log Configuration Changes
QKView
Other Log Files
SNMP MIB
SNMP Traps

Chapter 4: IP Intelligence

Overview
Feature 1 Dynamic Black and White Lists
Black List Categories
Feed Lists
IP Intelligence Policies
IP Intelligence Log Profile
IP Intelligence Reporting
Troubleshooting IP Intelligence Lists
Feature 2 IP Intelligence Database
Licensing
Installation
Configuration
Troubleshooting
IP Intelligence iRule

Chapter 5: Device DoS

Denial of Service and DoS Protection Overview
Configuring Device DoS
Configuring Device DoS Vectors
Variant 1
Rate and Leak Limit
Variant 2
Auto-Threshold Configuration
Variant 3
Bad Actor and Blacklist Attacking Address
Device DoS Profiles
DoS Protection Profile

Chapter 6: Reports

Reports
Reporting
General Reporting Facilities
Charts
Details
Report Export
Network Screens
DoS Screens
Settings
Overview
Summary
Widgets
Time Periods, Settings, Export, and Delete Options
Firewall Manager

Chapter 7: DoS White Lists

White Lists
Configuration
tmsh
Source Address List

Chapter 8: DoS Sweep Flood Protection

Sweep Flood
Configuration

Chapter 9: IP Intelligence Shun

IP Intelligence Shun
Manual
Dynamic
IP Intelligence Policy
tmsh
Troubleshooting

Chapter 10: DNS Firewall

DNS Firewall
DNS Query
DNS Opcodes
Troubleshooting

Chapter 11: DNS DoS

DNS DoS
DoS Protection Profile
Device DoS

Chapter 12: SIP DoS

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
Transactions and Dialogs
SIP DoS
DoS Protection Profile
Device DoS
SIP iRules

Chapter 13: Network Firewall iRules

Network Firewall iRules
iRule Events
Use Cases
Recommended Practice
More Information

Chapter 14: DoS iRules

DoS iRules
iRule Events
Use Cases
More Information
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 and DNS protocols

Course Changes since v15

Updates for the v16.1 release are minor. Course material including student guide and labs steps have been updated to reflect the version change and for any product changes to GUI appearance and screen options.