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F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) vs OpenVPN Access Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.9
Users experienced mixed returns from F5 BIG-IP, praising deployment and security, despite some criticisms of pricing and cloud transitions.
Sentiment score
3.0
OpenVPN Access Server enhances remote work efficiency, reduces errors, and offers substantial long-term benefits despite initial costs.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Customer service is generally praised for professionalism and expertise, but some experience delays and inconsistent response quality.
Sentiment score
3.2
OpenVPN Access Server's support is underutilized due to comprehensive online resources and strong community assistance with highly rated technical support.
I would rate the technical support of F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) nine out of ten.
IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital
Overall, my experience with F5 is very good compared to Radware.
Project Manager at IBM
It was very good, and I would rate it an eight.
Chief Cloud Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
I have not dealt with support or customer service, however, the documentation is good, and I would rate it a seven out of ten.
Service Delivery Manager at CasCom
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
F5 BIG-IP LTM offers scalable solutions with flexible deployment, efficiently managing large environments, preferred for modular growth and adaptability.
Sentiment score
5.8
OpenVPN Access Server scales well, but some users face challenges with hardware limits, OS issues, and network conditions.
It's not very easy to expand, and it would be beneficial if the process were simpler.
Chief Cloud Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
It does not utilize much memory or CPU on the VM.
Devops Engineer at Emergent
I would give OpenVPN a six out of ten for scalability, as it's usually a single user or single device.
Service Delivery Manager at CasCom
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
F5 BIG-IP LTM is stable and resilient, with users rating its reliability high despite occasional hardware or update issues.
Sentiment score
4.9
OpenVPN Access Server is stable and reliable, with minimal issues, though some challenges arise during updates or poor configuration.
 

Room For Improvement

F5 BIG-IP LTM faces criticism for high costs, inflexible licensing, complex management, and needing improved UI, synchronization, and security.
Users want a more intuitive OpenVPN Access Server with improved security, scalability, and simpler management and configuration processes.
The pricing of F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is on the higher side compared to competitors, but it is worth it.
Project Manager at IBM
If they had a one-click setup where you provide credentials instead of manually running commands, that would be beneficial.
Chief Cloud Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
If there was a dedicated plan for startups, it would be really helpful.
Devops Engineer at Emergent
OpenVPN could improve in centralized management.
Service Delivery Manager at CasCom
 

Setup Cost

F5 BIG-IP LTM is costly but offers performance benefits, with various licensing options and potential discounts to match competitors.
OpenVPN Access Server provides a cost-effective, flexible VPN solution with free community access and reasonable enterprise pricing.
The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for OpenVPN Access Server is really good, not that expensive.
Devops Engineer at Emergent
My experience with pricing is excellent as the pricing is free.
Service Delivery Manager at CasCom
 

Valuable Features

F5 BIG-IP LTM provides efficient traffic management, security features, and customization options with a user-friendly interface and robust performance.
OpenVPN Access Server offers user-friendly setup, strong security, compatibility, scalability, and efficient remote access across multiple operating systems.
The impact of SSL offloading on reducing server load and latency is very much positive because whatever traffic we receive, we encrypt at our F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) level, which has definitely reduced the additional load and SSL decryption load on the servers, so it has very much helped us and it is very smooth; it will not take much time and will not impact our regular traffic.
Project Manager at IBM
One of the most beneficial features of F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is its ability to identify compromised traffic and its capabilities in authentication.
IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital
The most valuable features of OpenVPN are its ease of use, client familiarity, end-user familiarity, operating system integration, and price points.
Service Delivery Manager at CasCom
Before using OpenVPN Access Server, only developers mainly had access to databases. We can create read-only users for databases and internally give them access using OpenVPN Access Server.
Devops Engineer at Emergent
What I appreciate the most about OpenVPN Access Server is that it's very easy to set up.
Chief Cloud Architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Categories and Ranking

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Man...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
123
Ranking in other categories
Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) (2nd)
OpenVPN Access Server
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
52
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) and OpenVPN Access Server aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is designed for Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) and holds a mindshare of 15.3%, up 15.3% compared to last year.
OpenVPN Access Server, on the other hand, focuses on Enterprise Infrastructure VPN, holds 13.9% mindshare, down 14.6% since last year.
Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)15.3%
NetScaler13.2%
HAProxy9.9%
Other61.6%
Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
OpenVPN Access Server13.9%
Fortinet FortiClient7.8%
Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect)6.3%
Other72.0%
Enterprise Infrastructure VPN
 

Featured Reviews

Bonieber  Orofeo - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital
Identifying compromised traffic and securing data has been a significant advantage
One of the most beneficial features of F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is its ability to identify compromised traffic and its capabilities in authentication. Additionally, the security aspect of it provides a significant advantage as it helps us secure our data, which is a major investment and benefit for us. Before using this system, we had difficulties in storing our data and managing the traffic that comes in and out.
Girraj Godia - PeerSpot reviewer
Devops Engineer at Emergent
Has improved internal app access by allowing secure user onboarding and simplified network whitelisting
The plan for OpenVPN Access Server could be improved. When adding new people, better plans for startups would be beneficial. I'm working in a startup and sometimes people think we should take the enterprise plan or not. If there was a dedicated plan for startups, it would be really helpful. For instance, providing store credit for OpenVPN Access Server through a startup program, similar to YC's program which gives credit to new startups. UI-wise, OpenVPN Access Server is easy to manage, but the overall overview dashboard in the admin portal could be improved. Currently, you have to go through dropdowns to find where to add users or whitelist IPs. Creating an onboarding dashboard where an admin person can find these things easily would be beneficial.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Computer Software Company
17%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business62
Midsize Enterprise32
Large Enterprise85
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business31
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise14
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with F5 BIG-IP?
The pricing of F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is on the higher side compared to competitors, but it is worth it.
What is your primary use case for F5 BIG-IP?
Our main use cases involve multiple applications, so we are using F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) services, and we are using WAF and ASM services to secure those applications and load balance...
How does Fortinet FortiClient compare with Open VPN Access Server?
Fortinet FortiClient is a feature-rich solution that is easy to use and deploy without sacrificing safety and security. It has a very fast connection rate and has a built-in VPN. With this solution...
What do you like most about OpenVPN Access Server?
OpenVPN Access Server is a simple and easy-to-use solution that I can use myself without anybody's help.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for OpenVPN Access Server?
The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for OpenVPN Access Server is really good, not that expensive. I am easily able to add new users from the OpenVPN Access Server official websit...
 

Also Known As

F5 BIG-IP, BIG-IP LTM, F5 ASM, Viprion, F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition , Crescendo Networks Application Delivery Controller, BIG IP
OpenVPN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Riken, TransUnion, Tepco Systems Administration, Daejeon University, G&T Bank, Danamon, CyberAgent Inc.
Verizon, Amazon, Disney, HP, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung
Find out what your peers are saying about F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) vs. OpenVPN Access Server and other solutions. Updated: March 2023.
879,711 professionals have used our research since 2012.