We primarily use it to create WAFs and wide IP (virtual server) configurations. Additionally, we leverage Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) when we need to define access policies or create web application firewalls (WAFs). In those scenarios, F5 is our go-to solution.
Let's say we have servers in the DMZ or back-end that shouldn't communicate directly with the outside world or receive unwanted traffic. F5 comes in with virtual IPs to act as a middleman. Daily traffic gets routed according to our policies, like round robin. With four servers, F5 sends queries one by one to each, checking if they're healthy and ready to serve clients. That's a typical use case.
Additionally, if we need to inspect or modify packets (e.g., for SSL decryption), we can install tools on F5 to handle that offloading and send the traffic onward transparently to the back-end. These are some of the key features I use regularly.
And if we need to modify packets on the fly, like the certificates within the traffic, we can install them on the F5, perform traffic manipulation and offloading, and then send the traffic decrypted or encrypted to the backend in plain text. These are all capabilities we're quite familiar with.
