Cloud traffic management has become unified and application security has improved for OWASP risks
What is our primary use case?
In F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition, we are using the LTM and ASM module. We use F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition for L7 load balancing and SSL offloading.
In our case, we are totally working on a cloud environment, and we are using different cloud-native solutions across AWS, GCP, and Azure. Behind that, we are using F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition's LTM and ASM module, so any traffic that lands on our cloud-native will first load balance from our cloud-native load balancers. Apart from this, we are using firewalls as well. Layer 4 traffic inspection is done on that. Post that, for Layer 7 traffic inspection and application-level load balancing, we are using F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition's LTM and ASM module. LTM is especially used to load balance the application traffic to the real-time application servers or application load balancers. We have applied some profiles, policies, pools, and nodes. Apart from that, we are also applying an ASM policy on that virtual server so that Layer 7, which means OWASP Top 10 inspection, could be done for that application.
With the help of F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition, we can deploy that virtual edition in any kind of virtual machine. We can use cloud-native virtual VMs, or we can also deploy that on VMs. Those are the main use cases of that.
What is most valuable?
For load balancing, we are using ASM solutions, which protects our applications from the OWASP Top 10, which is very critical for any applications. Our applications are protected against that, and there is no unwanted or unauthorized entry for any application due to the enforcement of ASM policy. This is also providing some learning suggestions, and many things are available. They can also provide signature-based detection. We can also do things including URL-based blocking or URL-based allowing, URI-based, or parameter-based filtering. There are multiple things on ASM policy. It is a huge combination of many policies.
It is always helpful because it always helps us in every case. Since we work in network security, it always helps with our monitoring and applying policies for our application security from a load balancing and application point of view.
What needs improvement?
As per my understanding, there is a need to improve support. Sometimes it is very critical to get support for that. Apart from that, the licensing part needs to be considered as well. If support is increased more than this, that will be more useful for the user.
If we could have a more stable subscription model and a smoother V-licensing workflow, especially in a cloud environment, that should be more flexible. Sometimes we face issues, and as I mentioned earlier, we need more support. If support is increased for F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition, that will be more helpful for us because it is very critical sometimes to call support.
In my experience, especially the last three times, I get less support on weekends, and that is very critical for us because we have to perform critical activities on weekends only. They need to increase support on weekends.
For how long have I used the solution?
It has been around three years that I have been using F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is stable. It is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is very good. It is the most scalable and reliable system. Its accuracy is also very high. From a scalability point of view, it is very good.
How are customer service and support?
F5 support is knowledgeable and helpful for complex LTM and ASM issues. Resolution time can vary based on case-to-case and is dependent on priority.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have never used any dedicated solution for OWASP Top 10 or load balancing. I was using native AWS, not a dedicated solution.
How was the initial setup?
With the help of F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition, whenever we want to deploy a new machine or if we have any new application or any new environment, it is very easy for us to deploy those things. That will save our time as well as resources because it will not take time. It is very easy to deploy a virtual edition in any virtual environment.
What about the implementation team?
Not yet, because when I onboarded here, it was already in place. We expanded its use and are working with it.
What was our ROI?
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is stable. It is a very stable solution.
There is no doubt that F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition saves resources. It also saves money, but in very few cases. Whenever, if we want to scale up or scale down our VMs per requirements, this will save our money because if we purchase hardware, it will cost every time, but due to F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition, we are saving money. It also saves our resources because with fewer resources, we can do many things.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
To be honest, the cost of F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is not low, but since it provides enterprise-level security and everything, it should have that price.
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is very easy for our team because sometimes we know that there is peak traffic, such as when any festival comes and many users come to visit the site. At that time, as we are using the virtual edition, we have the feasibility to scale up. It is automatically scaled up with the help of our cloud-native solutions. That is the best practice, and we can scale up or scale down as per our requirement. I very much appreciate that virtual edition because we have this feasibility that we can scale up or scale down as per our requirement.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have never used any dedicated solution for OWASP Top 10 or load balancing. I was using native AWS, not a dedicated solution.
What other advice do I have?
Organizations, if you are using or if you want an enterprise-level solution, you definitely have to go with F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition. It is a little costly, but it is value for money. As I am working with F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition with LTM and ASM, it is well-suited for enterprises that require advanced traffic management and strong web application security in a multi-cloud environment.
Overall, it is a good experience with F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition because I never worked with hardware, so it is very good for me. My rating for this solution reflects my satisfaction with the product and its capabilities.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Centralized policies have strengthened application security and streamline load balancing
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is application delivery and security, primarily for load balancing and Layer 7 (application-layer) protection of web applications.
We use it to distribute traffic across multiple backend servers to ensure high availability, performance optimization, and zero single point of failure. On the security side, we use it to protect applications from common web threats such as SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), CSRF, brute-force and credential-stuffing attacks, bot traffic, malicious scanners, and Layer 7 DDoS floods.
Additionally, we leverage BIG-IP VE for:
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SSL/TLS offloading and inspection to reduce server load
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Persistence/session management (cookie / source IP) for stable user sessions
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Health monitoring to automatically detect failures and route traffic to healthy nodes
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Traffic visibility and logging for troubleshooting, compliance, and faster incident response
Overall, it has been a reliable solution for improving application uptime, security posture, and user experience in production environments.
How has it helped my organization?
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition has had a very positive impact on our organization by improving application delivery, availability, and overall service stability. It has helped us ensure high uptime by distributing traffic across multiple servers and automatically routing users to healthy backend resources through effective health monitoring.
It also enhanced application performance through optimized load balancing and SSL offloading, which reduced server load and improved response times for end users. From an operational perspective, it has saved significant time for our team by providing better traffic visibility, faster troubleshooting, and centralized control, which reduced downtime and improved incident response.
Overall, BIG-IP VE has strengthened our application environment by delivering reliable performance, better availability, and faster service delivery with improved efficiency.
What is most valuable?
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition’s best features are load balancing, high availability, and Layer 7 security. It keeps applications running smoothly by distributing traffic, provides failover to avoid downtime, and protects web apps from attacks like SQL injection, XSS, bots, and brute-force attempts. On top of that, the monitoring and visibility are very helpful. It makes troubleshooting faster and saves a lot of time for the operations team. Overall, it’s a reliable solution that improves performance, security, and availability at the same time.
What needs improvement?
I believe F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition could be improved in terms of pricing and licensing transparency.
However, customers who purchase through authorized partners may receive better pricing and licensing options, as it largely depends on the partner’s capability and commercial offering.
From a pricing perspective, F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is somewhat high compared to others, and the licensing is provided as annual-based licenses rather than perpetual licenses.
There are some issue we are faced we are getting clear kb article
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working in my current field for the last 3.5 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Yes, it is very stable solution you can as so far on your own requirement
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is highly scalable. You can scale it by increasing CPU/RAM resources, adding more backend pool members, and deploying additional VE instances in HA or clustered designs. It works well for growing traffic demands as long as proper sizing and licensing are planned.
How are customer service and support?
yes we are supporting customer in deployment and providing technical services to all our customers
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before using F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition, we were using Citrix NetScaler.
How was the initial setup?
it's less complex from others
What about the implementation team?
Yes, we used a local reseller and system integrator for the deployment, and the overall experience was very good. They supported us with licensing, sizing recommendations, and end-to-end implementation, and ensured a smooth rollout with proper configuration and post-deployment support.
What was our ROI?
Yes, we have seen a positive ROI with F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition. It improved application uptime and availability through load balancing and health monitoring, which reduced service outages. It also saved operational time by enabling faster troubleshooting and centralized traffic control, and reduced backend server load through SSL offloading, resulting in better performance with fewer escalations and less downtime.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing and licensing for F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition are generally on the higher side compared to other ADC solutions. Setup cost mainly depends on the required modules and sizing. Licensing is mostly subscription-based (annual/term), and if the evaluation license expires, some LTM features can be disabled, so license monitoring is important.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated Citrix ADC (NetScaler) before choosing F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition. Both are strong ADC solutions for load balancing and application delivery, but we found some key differences.
F5 BIG-IP VE vs Citrix ADC (NetScaler) – Pros & Cons
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Very strong LTM load balancing and traffic management
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Mature Layer 7 security and policy control (especially with iRules and security profiles)
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Excellent stability and performance in enterprise environments
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Strong monitoring, logging, and troubleshooting visibility
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Better flexibility for advanced customization and complex use cases
❌ F5 BIG-IP VE – Cons
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Licensing and pricing can be higher compared to alternatives
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Requires skilled resources for advanced configurations (iRules, policies, security tuning)
✅ Citrix ADC – Pros
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Good load balancing and application optimization
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Often seen as cost-effective depending on licensing and bundles
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Works well in environments heavily based on Citrix virtualization / VDI
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Strong GUI-based configuration for standard use cases
❌ Citrix ADC – Cons
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Advanced customization and troubleshooting can be less flexible compared to F5
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Some enterprises find F5 more stable for high-complexity deployments
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Security/policy tuning may require more effort depending on the environment
Summary
Overall, we selected F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition because it provided better application availability, stronger traffic control, and more reliable performance for our production requirements.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition 9/10 overall.
Advice: Plan the sizing and licensing properly, deploy it in HA (Active/Standby) for high availability, and monitor license validity (especially EV licenses) to avoid any service impact. If configured correctly, it delivers excellent load balancing, application availability, and Layer 7 security.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
