F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) Reviews

Vendor: F5

4.1 out of 5

121 reviews
83% willing to recommend

2,608 followers

What is F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)?

F5 BIG-IP LTM optimizes the speed and reliability of your apps via both network and application layers. Using real-time protocol and traffic management decisions based on app and server and connection management conditions, and TCP and content offloading, BIG-IP LTM dramatically improves application and infrastructure responsiveness. BIG-IP LTM's architecture includes protocol awareness to control traffic for the most important applications. BIG-IP LTM tracks the dynamic performance levels of servers and delivers SSL performance and visibility for inbound and outbound traffic, to protect the user experience by encrypting everything from the client to the server.

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F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is the #2 ranked solution in top Application Delivery Controllers. PeerSpot users give F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is most commonly compared to Microsoft Azure Application Gateway: F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway. F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 66% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 17% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)

March 2025

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Featured F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) reviews

Bonieber Orofeo

Information Security Manager at Chong Hua Hospital

One of the most beneficial features of F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) ( /products/f5-big-ip-local-traffic-manager-ltm-reviews ) 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.

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Richard Polyak

Sr. Architect at NBC Universal

The advice I would give to others who are looking to implement F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager is this: look at their user knowledge base first to see if the solution truly fits what you need. On a scale of one to 10, I would give F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager a nine.

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Mahmoud-Yassin

Head of IT Infrastructure and Security Operations at United Arab Bank

LTM's cloud capabilities could be improved. Cloud providers all offer load balancing, but you can't get the same level of security. F5's cloud service is still not on par with its on-prem service. F5 acquired multiple companies a few years ago, but they still haven't integrated those solutions. For example, F5 acquired Shape Security, which had an excellent solution for detecting bots and automated login attacks, but F5 offers the solution in an inflexible way. It is only available as a cloud-based solution. It isn't zone-based. Some companies are restricted from sending financial data outside the country because of GDPR in Europe or other national regulations. Here in the UAE, we can't send host data out.

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F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) mindshare

As of March 2025, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) in the Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) category stands at 15.7%, down from 15.7% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

PeerAnalyst reports based on F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)	Mar 24, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Mar 24, 2025	Download
Comparison	F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) vs NetScaler	Mar 24, 2025	Download
Comparison	F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) vs HAProxy	Mar 24, 2025	Download
Comparison	F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway	Mar 24, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Microsoft Azure Application Gateway	3.6	8.0%	78%	47 interviews Add to research
NetScaler	4.2	15.1%	91%	107 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) offers valuable features including load balancing, SSL offloading, and iRules for customization. Users appreciate its integration with application environments, high performance, and stability. The web application firewall, automation, and orchestration are highly rated. Its user-friendly interface and strong security measures, such as DDoS protection, enhance reliability and speed while improving user experience by offering advanced traffic management and application visibility.

"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."
"I have never faced any stability issues with F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)."
"Features such as SSL offloading, various balancing methods, and the ability to work with HTTP, HTTPS, or TCP protocols are beneficial."

Room for Improvement

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager needs improvements in cost, as its pricing is seen as high compared to competitors. Users also face issues with licensing structure and find the system complex, especially in configuring advanced features. The interface is considered outdated and lacks intuitive navigation, reporting capabilities are limited, making it difficult to generate needed analyses. Users would benefit from enhanced support in cloud environments and improvements in security features, particularly around integration.

"The price needs improvement as it is quite costly."
"One improvement could be updating the user interface (UI)."
"The setup is a little bit complex."

ROI

Users experienced varied results with F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM). Some reported significant returns and found it worthwhile, praising its security features. Others saw low returns due to pricing changes, leading to alternatives. Several mentioned seeing returns, with a rating of up to five out of five. Moving workloads to the cloud enhanced their ROI. Security and high performance were highlighted as major benefits. A few were satisfied with its value for its cost.

Pricing

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is seen as a high-cost solution, often priced higher than competitors like Citrix and A10 Networks. While its robust performance and features justify the price for many, enterprise buyers must carefully consider budget constraints. Licensing is typically on a yearly or subscription basis, and consulting with an F5 expert is advised to tailor purchases to specific needs. Purchasing through AWS Marketplace is noted for convenience, though often more expensive.

"The tool is a bit expensive."
"In my view, the cost is somewhat on the higher side. There are discounts available, but I wouldn't say it's overpriced. It's not cheap either, and the value for money is a bit higher from that perspective."
"The solution is more expensive than one of its competitors."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) for high availability and load balancing of applications, ensuring efficient distribution of user traffic across servers. It also serves as a web application firewall, providing enhanced security features such as SSL offloading, DDoS protection, and application security management. Many companies utilize its reverse proxy capabilities to deliver secure, reliable connectivity while integrating diverse services within their infrastructure, including cloud and on-premise deployments.

Service and Support

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) receives positive feedback for their customer service and technical support. Users appreciate the professionalism, responsiveness, and high level of expertise from the support team. Some find the technical support satisfactory, highlighting quick responses and helpful resources, while others encounter slow response times or challenges with cases needing escalation. Despite regional and premium support differences, many rate the support team highly, emphasizing the availability of assistance and efficient problem resolution capabilities.

Deployment

Many users found F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) setup straightforward, appreciating its user-friendly GUI and extensive documentation. Experienced users noted ease in deployment, although challenges arose in complex environments or due to inadequate product knowledge. Rapid deployment options and automation for tasks like Microsoft Exchange load balancing were valued, yet initial setups were often influenced by specific network configurations and application requirements, impacting complexity and duration from hours to weeks.

Scalability

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) shows strong scalability across various environments. Users have reported successful scaling from small deployments to thousands of users and servers, both in on-premise and cloud settings. Some note potential constraints due to licensing or hardware, but generally, it handles enterprise-level demands well. Users express satisfaction with its flexibility and capacity to meet future growth needs, with some indicating the need for careful planning, particularly with physical appliances.

Stability

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) shows consistent stability across various environments, including data centers and high-load situations. Users generally report reliability with no significant downtime, though some note hardware and bug-related issues. Many praise its high availability and redundancy features. While some experience occasional firmware bugs, support quickly addresses them. Most users rate its stability highly, appreciating its performance under stress and seamless integration with existing networks.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

17%

Computer Software Company

13%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Insurance Company

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Energy/Utilities Company

Healthcare Company

University

Retailer

Non Profit

Media Company

Construction Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Legal Firm

Transportation Company

Hospitality Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Logistics Company

Outsourcing Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Performing Arts

Consumer Goods Company

Recruiting/Hr Firm

Compare F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) with alternative products

Learn more about F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)

BIG-IP LTM provides enterprise-class Application Delivery Controller (ADC). You get granular layer 7 control, SSL offloading and acceleration capabilities, and advanced scaling technologies that deliver performance and reliability on-demand. The highly optimized TCP/IP stack combines TCP/IP techniques and improvements in the latest RFCs with extensions to minimize the effect of congestion and packet loss and recovery. Independent testing tools and customer experiences show LTM's TCP stack delivers up to a 2x performance gain for users and a 4x increase in bandwidth efficiency.

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) was previously known as F5 BIG-IP, BIG-IP LTM, F5 ASM, Viprion, F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition , Crescendo Networks Application Delivery Controller, BIG IP.