Deploying F5 BIG-IP in Microsoft Azure for Developers

F5’s BYOL (Bring Your Own License) model allows you to purchase a developer/lab license and install it in Microsoft Azure. This model provides a stable development instance for the following software components of BIG-IP:  LTM, GTM, DNS, AFM, ASM, APM Lite (10 users), AAM, CGN, SSL Forward Proxy, Advanced Protocols, and Crypto Offload all at a 10Mbps rate limit.

The Good/Better/Best options in Azure help guide you to suggested compute provisioning resources but since we’re deploying a Developer Lab license, we can chose any option and select a much lower cost virtual machine size.  This allows MSDN Subscriptions with Azure credits to maintain a working F5 BIG-IP environment and stay within the monthly reoccurring billing cycles (assuming you power off (deallocate) your environment when not in use).

 

Please refer to these resources to get started in Microsoft Azure

 

Recommended Azure Computer Tiers for Developer & Lab Environments

 

NOTE: DevCentral recommends 2 cores and 8GB to 14GB of RAM.  The DevCental team uses D11 so we don’t have to reprovision as many modules for testing and lab work; we deallocate resources when we’re not using it to save cost.  The BIG-IP Virtual Edition in Microsoft Azure at this time only supports 1 NIC so plan accordingly in regards to network security groups and network planning.

Published Nov 12, 2015
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  • Steve_DiStefano's avatar
    Steve_DiStefano
    Icon for Nimbostratus rankNimbostratus
    Nov 13, 2016

    The note under the three Azure VM sizes indicates to never use the A1. Why is it pictured? Also, is my understanding incorrect that you must purchase developer licenses for dev internal environments?

     

  • Chase_Abbott's avatar
    Chase_Abbott
    Icon for Employee rankEmployee
    Nov 14, 2016

    Hi Steve.

     

    The sizing is for developer use only. The Good/Better/Best Azure licensing gives you proper production instance recommendations but we're using A1, DS2, or D11 for dev environments only. My MSDN account gives me 100 bucks to use per month and I'd rather not spend it on unneeded resources.

     

    The Developer license is $95 USD that gives you access to most BIG-IP modules (minus service provider resources, those are optional). This is purchased through your BIG-IP reseller. For only a bit longer, F5's Azure licensing is BYOL but it will soon match AWS licensing and offer hourly billing. AWS licensing also gives you a free 30 day eval period.