Overview
This course provides networking professionals a functional understanding of iRules development.
The course builds on the foundation of the Administering BIG-IP course, demonstrating how to logically plan and write iRules to help monitor and manage common tasks involved with processing traffic on the BIG-IP system.
Extensive course labs consist of writing, applying and evaluating the effect of iRules on local traffic.
This hands-on course includes lectures, labs, and discussions.
Prerequisites
Students must complete one of the following F5 prerequisites before attending this course:
• Administering BIG-IP instructor-led course
-or-
• Configuring BIG-IP LTM instructor-led course
-or-
• F5 Certified BIG-IP Administrator
The following free web-based training courses, although optional, are very helpful for any student with limited BIG-IP administration and configuration experience. These courses are available at F5 University (http://university.f5.com):
• Getting Started with BIG-IP
• Getting Started with BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)
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
• NAT and private IP addressing
• Default gateway
• Network firewalls
• LAN vs. WAN
The following course-specific knowledge and experience are suggested before attending this course:
• HTTP protocol
• Any programming language
Who should attend?
This course is intended for system administrators, network administrators and application developers responsible for the customization of traffic flow through a BIG-IP system using iRules.
Delegates will learn how to
• Setting up the BIG-IP system
• Getting started with iRules
• Using the iRules Editor
• Leveraging DevCentral resources for iRule development
• Exploring iRule elements, including events, functions, commands, variables, and operators
• Using control structures for conditional branching and looping
• Mastering whitespace, grouping, and special symbols
• Tracing iRule execution and profiling performance using the Rule Profiler
• Measuring iRule efficiency using timing statistics
• Logging from an iRule using syslog-ng and high-speed logging (HSL)
• Optimizing iRules execution, including implementing efficiency best practices
• Modularizing iRules for administrative efficiency, including using procedures
• Securing web applications with iRules, including preventing common HTTP attacks, securing HTTP headers and cookies, and implementing HTTP strict transport security (HSTS)
• Working with strings, including using Tcl parsing commands and iRules parsing functions
• Accessing and manipulating HTTP traffic, including applying selective HTTP compression
• Working with iFiles and data groups
• Using iRules with universal persistence and stream profiles
• Gathering statistics using STATS and ISTATS
• Incorporating advanced variables, including arrays, static variables, and the session table
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 System Configuration
• Leveraging F5 Support Resources and Tools
Chapter 2: Getting Started with iRules
• Customizing Application Delivery with iRules
• Triggering an iRule
• Leveraging the DevCentral Ecosystem
• Using the F5 iRule Editor
• Assigning and Testing iRules
Chapter 3: Exploring iRule Elements
• Introducing iRule Constructs
• Understanding iRule Events and Event Context
• Working with iRule Commands
• Logging from an iRule Using SYSLOG-NG Working with User-Defined Variables
• Working with Operators and Data Types
• Working with Conditional Control Structures
• Incorporating Best Practices in iRules
Chapter 4: Developing and Troubleshooting iRules
• Mastering Whitespace and Special Symbols
• Developing and Troubleshooting Tips
• Tracing iRule Execution and Profiling Performance
• Using Fiddler to Test and Troubleshoot iRules
Chapter 5: Optimizing iRule Execution
• Understanding the Need for Efficiency
• Profiling iRule Performance with the Rule Profiler
• Measure iRule Runtime Efficiency Using Timing Statistics
• Modularizing iRules for Administrative Efficiency
• Using Procedures to Modularize Code
• Optimizing Logging
• Using High-Speed Logging Commands in an iRule
• Implementing Other Efficiencies
• Using Looping Control Structures
Chapter 6: Securing Web Applications with iRules
• Integrating iRules into Web Application Defense
• Mitigating HTTP Version Attacks
• Mitigating Path Traversal Attacks
• Using iRules to Defends Against Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
• Mitigating HTTP Method Vulnerabilities
• Securing HTTP Cookies with iRules
• Adding HTTP Security Headers
• Removing Undesirable HTTP Headers
Chapter 7: Working with Numbers and Strings
• Understanding Number Forms and Notation
• Working with Strings
• Combining Strings
• Using iRule String Parsing Functions
Chapter 8: Processing the HTTP Payload
• Reviewing HTTP Headers and Commands
• Accessing and Manipulating HTTP Headers
• Parsing the HTTP URI
• Selectively Compressing HTTP Data
Chapter 9: Working with iFiles and Data Groups
• Working with iFiles
• Introducing Data Groups
• Working with Old Format Data Groups
• Working with New Format Data Groups
Chapter 10: Using iRules with Universal Persistence, Stream, and Statistics Profiles
• Implementing Universal Persistence
• Working with the Stream Profile
• Collecting Statistics Using a Statistics Profile
• Collecting Statistics Using iStats
Chapter 11: Incorporating Advanced Variables
• Reviewing the Local Variable Namespace
• Working with Arrays
• Using Static and Global Variables
• Using the Session Table
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