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wlepkin_98758's avatar
wlepkin_98758
Icon for Nimbostratus rankNimbostratus
Oct 01, 2012

Is iControl automatically available on LTM?

Hi --

 

We're running LTM version 9.4.6. I don't believe that we are using iControl at all, but we may want to start using it. Ignoring for the moment the iControl client, does the server side of iControl automatically run as part of LTM? If not, is there anything we need to do to start iControl? Do we need a separate license for iControl? I have looked everywhere but cannot seem to find an answer to what should be a simple question. I see articles describing what iControl is, and articles discussing how to use it from the client perspective, but nothing on what (if anything) has to be done on the server side. If there is such an article or post or document, please point me to it.

 

Thanks for your assistance.

 

Wayne

 

 

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iControl

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  • Joe_Pruitt's avatar
    Joe_Pruitt
    Oct 01, 2012

    There is nothing you need to do, iControl is run as a server side module under our administrative web server and is turned on by default. In fact, there is no way to turn it off if you wanted to. There is no licensing needed, it's included as part of the product just as snmp is.

     

    If you are just starting, i'd check out the iControl wiki main page as it has a lot of good documents and examples to help get you going.

     

    https://devcentral.f5.com/wiki/iControl.HomePage.ashx

     

    Let us know if you have any questions as you start development. Good luck and have fun!

     

    -Joe

     

  • omniplex's avatar
    omniplex
    Icon for Nimbostratus rankNimbostratus
    Oct 01, 2012
    No extra license is needed. It runs through the management server. Either the management IP or self IP if you have 443 open to it.

     

    Authentication is with the same users that are already on the system.
  • What_Lies_Bene1's avatar
    What_Lies_Bene1
    Icon for Cirrostratus rankCirrostratus
    Oct 01, 2012
    Hi. Just to clarify on the authentication side of things can anyone confirm it's HTTP Basic and also, if I'm using TACACS+ for user authentication for the web GUI, will I also be able to use it for iControl?
  • Joe_Pruitt's avatar
    Joe_Pruitt
    Oct 01, 2012

    @wlepkin - no problem, glad to help!

     

    @What Lies Beneath - iControl uses the same auth mechanism as the BIG-IP admin GUI so any way you have that configured should work with iControl as it's going through the same auth module on the web server.

     

    -Joe

     

  • Xue-Lin_Lin_839's avatar
    Xue-Lin_Lin_839
    Historic F5 Account
    Dec 03, 2012
    Posted By Joe on 10/01/2012 01:27 PM

     

    @wlepkin - no problem, glad to help!

     

    @What Lies Beneath - iControl uses the same auth mechanism as the BIG-IP admin GUI so any way you have that configured should work with iControl as it's going through the same auth module on the web server.

     

    -Joe

     

     

     

    Great to know it. So any request invoking via external will go to the same place like invoking via GUI.

     

  • What_Lies_Bene1's avatar
    What_Lies_Bene1
    Icon for Cirrostratus rankCirrostratus
    Dec 03, 2012
    I'm not sure I completely understand your question Sharlee. From a user authentication point of view, iControl can use the same authentication mechanisms as those used for GUI and CLI access. Note only the management network interface can be used for iControl.