iControl

iControl - Overview

iControl is the first open API that enables applications to work in concert with the underlying network based on true software integration.

Utilizing SOAP/XML to ensure open communications between dissimilar systems, iControl helps F5 customers, leading independent software vendors ( ISVs ), and Solution Providers realize new levels of automation and configuration management efficiency. Whether monitoring network-level traffic statistics, automating network configuration and management, or facilitating next generation service-oriented architectures, iControl gives organizations the power and flexibility to ensure that applications and the network work together for increased reliability, security, and performance. Further, iControl has proven itself as a valuable technology that can help reduce the cost of managing complex environments.

You can investigate the power of iControl further by browsing through the iControl Wiki, which is effectively a live copy of the SDK, and is a great online resource for scoping projects and researching.

iControl Essentials: Wiki | Samples | Forum | SDK Online | SDK Download

Managing Ramcache Entries with Pycontrol

A DevCentral user posted a question in the forums asking for verification of an attribute on the RamCacheKey structure. The maximum_responses attribute should be a long integer. With his C# code, the maximum_responses returned from his iControl call is always double the setting. I fired up pycontrol to see if this was a bug, and in my pycontrol code, I received the expected responses. While he’s taking a look at his code and the .Net library he’s using, I took an interest in the ramcache methods...