Release Notes : BIG-IQ Centralized Management 5.3.0

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BIG-IQ Centralized Management

  • 5.3.0
Release Notes
Original Publication Date: 08/17/2017 Updated Date: 04/18/2019

Summary:

This release note documents version 5.3.0 of BIG-IQ Centralized Management.

Contents:

BIG-IQ Centralized Management 5.3.0

This release note documents version 5.3.0 of BIG-IQ Centralized Management.

New features

BIG-IQ Centralized Management version 5.3.0 introduces the following new features:
Enhanced iHealth integration

BIG-IQ systems now contain more robust iHealth functionality to help you schedule qkview uploads, view histories, and create and manage custom iHealth data reports. Additionally, you can leverage the upgrade advisor functionality of iHealth to help in determining the best upgrade path for managed devices.

Improved DNS visibility and reporting

A new dashboard and improved data presentation help you better view and track health of BIG-IQ DNS systems.

DNS Sync Group-aware Device Upgrade

During the upgrade process of BIG-IP devices with DNS service enabled, BIG-IQ will allow for Sync-Group aware upgrades, either one by one or in batches, without interfering with the DNS service.

Centralized BIG-IP upgrade health check

During the upgrade process, you can now run an assessment of the BIG-IP system health before and after and upgrade. This can help you identify any potential changes in network objects after you perform an upgrade on managed devices in your network.

Simplified licening APIs

Our new licensing APIs support IT Orchestration and iWorkflow licensing workflows. These new APIs are designed to work with iWorkflow licensing workflows for licensing BIG-IP VE instances through BIG-IQ License Manager.

TACAACS+ auth support

We've added TACACS+ to our list of Auth Providers. You can use TACACS+ in a similar manner as you would other providers supported by BIG-IQ.

Configuration comparison

You can now compare specific elements of two UCS archives. This gives you the ability to compare elements of different configurations and see differences to assist in keeping devices in sync or keeping track of historical configuration changes on managed devices.

Outbound connectivity through web proxy

Enhanced web proxy support. You can now connect through a web proxy from BIG-IQ to the F5 iHealth server, or for license management for the BIG-IQ system or BIG-IQ managed keys.

IPsec management

BIG-IQ now supports centralized management of IPsec objects across multiple BIG-IPs and also provides IPsec tunnel troubleshooting capabilities. IPsec tunnel related objects can be configured on BIG-IQ and imported and deployed as part of your LTM and Network management tasks. IPsec event logs from BIG-IPs are stored on Data Collection Devices and can help you with troubleshooting IPsec tunnel issues.

Management of single-NIC BIG-IP systems

BIG-IQ now supports communication with BIG-IP systems over ports other than 443, to better support public and hybrid cloud deployments.

Screen resolution requirement

To properly display, the BIG-IQ system requires that your screen resolution is set to 1280x1024 or higher.

Browser support

BIG-IQ version 5.3.0 supports the following browsers and versions:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 11.x and later
  • Microsoft Edge version 12.x and later
  • Mozilla Firefox version 46.x and later
  • Google Chrome version 51.x and later

BIG-IP compatibility

SOL14592: Compatibility between BIG-IQ and BIG-IP releases provides a summary of version compatibility for specific features between the BIG-IQ system and BIG-IP releases.

In general, this table outlines managed device compatibility:

Functional Description Minimum BIG-IP version Maximum BIG-IP version
Backup/Restore 11.5.0 HF7 13.0.0 HF2
Upgrade - legacy devices 10.2.0 11.4.1
Upgrade - managed devices 11.5.0 HF7 13.0.0 HF2
Licensing - BIG-IP VE 11.5.0 HF7 13.0.0 HF2
Licensing - WebSafe 12.0.0 13.0.0 HF2
ADC management 11.5.1 HF4 13.0.0 HF2
AFM 11.5.2 13.0.0 HF2
Access 12.1.0 13.0.0 HF2
ASM 11.5.3.HF1 13.0.0 HF2
DNS 12.0.0 13.0.0 HF2
FPS 11.6.0 13.0.0 HF2

User documentation for this release

Software documentation
For a list of user documentation for this software release, go to the BIG-IQ Centralized Management Knowledge Center and select version 5.3.0.
Platform documentation
For Virtual Edition or Cloud setup documentation organzied by VE or Cloud type, refer to the Cloud Knowledge Center on AskF5 to select an option.
For hardware platform documentation, visit the Hardware Knowledge Centers page on AskF5 to select the appropriate BIG-IQ hardware documentation.

Software installation

Depending on whether you are installing a new system or upgrading an existing one, the following documentation resources can help you get started with version 5.3.0.

For information about planning and installing BIG-IQ Centralized Management, refer to the Planning and Implementing an F5 BIG-IQ Centralized Management Deployment guide.

For instructions about how to upgrade from BIG-IQ version 5.x to 5.3 refer to the F5 BIG-IQ Centralized Management Upgrading version 5.x to BIG-IQ version 5.3 guide.

If your configuration uses logging nodes, data collection devices, or logging node or DCD clusters, please refer to one or more of the following guides:

For procedures about specifying network options and performing initial configuration, refer to the BIG-IQ Centralized Management: Licensing and Initial Setup guide.

Known Issues, Fixes, and Behavior Changes

For a comprehensive list of fixes, behavior changes, and known issues for this release, refer to the BIG-IQ 5.3.0 Release Information page.

Contacting F5 Networks

For additional information, please visit http://www.f5.com.

Additional resources

You can find additional support resources and technical documentation through a variety of sources.

F5 Networks Technical Support

Free self-service tools give you 24x7 access to a wealth of knowledge and technical support. Whether it is providing quick answers to questions, training your staff, or handling entire implementations from design to deployment, F5 services teams are ready to ensure that you get the most from your F5 technology.

AskF5

AskF5 is your storehouse for thousands of knowledgebase articles that help you manage your F5 products more effectively. Whether you want to browse periodically to research a solution, or you need the most recent news about your F5 products, AskF5 is your source.

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