F5 BIG-IP DNS Reviews

One of our primary use cases for F5 BIG-IP DNS is local traffic management. We also use the LTM module, application services, load balancer, and advanced firewall. F5 BIG-IP DNS is a secure web gateway. 

It would be great to see a F5 BIG-IP DNS cloud version. What we within the Australian government are looking at doing is utilizing a secured DNS service much the same as the English GCHQ version of their protected DNS service. That's a fully-managed external platform and it's used by multiple government agencies, so we get a better holistic view of all malicious DNS traffic that is occurring. 

We have been using F5 BIG-IP DNS for about six years, although we are looking at migrating off to a central government-provided DNS upstream service. We are doing this because we have adopted a cloud-only policy. 

F5 BIG-IP DNS has been rock solid in terms of stability for years. 

We have not had to scale it much as our internal infrastructure was small. We have 1,000 individuals using F5 BIG-IP DNS. 

The tech support is always great. 

Positive

It took us about six months to get it all bolted down and working as we expected it to. It was relatively simple for us to launch. 

We received a bit of external support from F5 – from one of the channel partners here in Western Australia, but it was relatively simple to turn on in-house. 

Moreover, once we set it up, the ongoing maintenance turned out to be relatively small.

One a scale of one to five, with one being expensive and five being adequately priced, I would give this solution a four. However, the solution we are migrating to is free. 

We did not evaluate other options because when we picked up the BIG-IP package, we wanted to implement a number of things, and DNS is a bonus blade that we picked up. Therefore, we didn't do a full evaluation because what we were buying for was more like ASM module and the load balancing features out of that BIG-IP box. We just picked up DNS as a subsequent bonus.

On a scale of one to ten, with one being the worst and ten being the best, I would give F5 BIG-IP DNS an eight as a solution overall. 

My use case includes load balance swaps and mostly exposing web applications to the Internet.

We have different use cases for different clients. For example, for one of our clients, F5 improved global server load balancing with an active-active site configuration for Disaster Recovery.

Most benefits are for disaster recovery and having a spare data center for business continuity. 

From the perspective of global server load balancing, this feature has helped business continuity.

DNSSEC feature contributes to enhancing network security posture. 

The global load balancer is mainly for availability, allowing for more data center options, but for strict security reasons, not so much beyond DNS security.

We faced challenges while integrating DNS into the existing network infrastructure. Integrating with actual customers' DNS solutions and migrating them from local servers to F5.

The IP intelligent services are good for mitigating threats, but there are also false positives.  So, it's not a standalone solution that can cover everything.

F5 can consider enhancing the security profiles.

Another area of improvement is documentation. 

I have been using it for four years now. 

The hardware version and the cloud edition have been stable.

It is a scalable solution , especially in the cloud. The licensing is manageable and satisfactory.

The quality of customer service and support varies. Cloud-related issues have been challenging, but they handle common issues for virtual and physical editions competently.

Positive

The initial setup is complex, and the documentation could be improved. It is not very well documented. 

It is not very easy to learn. 

Just one person can handle it. The deployment process involves analyzing the current architecture and determining how F5 can benefit the existing setup. Documentation and analysis are key steps.

The hardware version takes longer due to the need for on-site work. The virtual edition is easier to install but lacks the throughput of the physical version. Typically, it takes about five days.

It is not difficult to maintain, especially if you have an active-passive cluster.

You cannot do much around DDoS protection without an additional license from F5 for full DDoS protection. 

Since it is WAF, you can implement some solutions, but for a comprehensive DDoS solution, other licenses are more effective with their cloud-based or web-based services.

I would definitely recommend using this solution. 

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

We use it for data center (DC) operations. We have a three-tier, eight-site DNS configuration: one DC and two "DR." It's used for the failover of our applications and resolving hosts for applications.

It intelligently works at release time to load balance traffic and applications. It also provides an intelligent solution to resolve their (application) hosts securely.

BIG-IP DNS effectively handled a traffic surge. For example, we have application forms replicated across our DCs. If our primary application becomes unavailable, BIG-IP automatically fails over to a client-unaware secondary application.

We primarily rely on our GTM, not a full BIG-IP DNS bundle implementation. In a disaster scenario, we leverage our DR solutions and a dedicated LTLF line connecting all three geographically dispersed recovery (GDR) sites. When a blackout occurs, it automatically fails over to the DR site, ensuring our applications remain managed by the DR solution.

Global availability is a key feature for me. Additionally, DNS Security Zones (DSZ) within DNS Check is a good feature.

It is cost-effective as well.

Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) functionality within BIG-IP DNS enhanced our DNS resolution efficiency.

It's the GSLB component that handles load-balancing applications across different locations. Through GSLB, if you have one location in India and another in the US, for instance, you can set up priority-based or cost-based IT services.

When a user requests support, the system checks if they are coming from a location associated with a specific service level. If the user is in the US,  GSLB automatically resolves them to US-based DCs, and vice versa for India. This ensures users are directed to the appropriate applications based on their location.

The monitoring capabilities of F5 BIG-IP DNS could be improved. Sometimes, it requires additional work to monitor details effectively.

I have been using it for six years. Currently, we're using version 16.1.2. The latest version is 16.1.0.

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. 

I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. 

Since it's used in an Indian government ministry department, it's used across all of India.

The customer service and support is very helpful and responsive. 

Positive

We have multiple technologies in our infrastructure, including Cisco routers, HP routers, F5 products, FortiGate firewalls, NPLs, and IPS solutions like McAfee.

We use F5 primarily for DNS, while other technologies like firewalls and routers are used based on specific needs and licensing models.

So we have dedicated specialists for each solution, and I personally focus only on F5 BIG-IP DNS.

The implementation wasn't always easy. There were situations where the hardware DNS server wasn't readily available.

It's an on-premises hardware solution. 

I would rate the pricing a three out of ten, with ten being a low price. 

There are additional costs to the standard license. 

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. I would recommend using this solution. 

The solution is used for balancing the load. For example, if someone calls the X-ray department, we use the solution to transfer the calls to different servers. This way, we are not putting a load on one specific server all the time. F5 BIG-IP DNS balances the load. For example, there are a hundred calls and I have ten servers, so every server will receive 10 calls instead of one server receiving all the calls.

The solution has improved our organization by providing a means to transfer data from one source to another securely.

The most valuable feature of the solution is security. I have not encountered any hacking attempts since we have been using the solution.

F5 BIG-IP DNS is quite old and may go extinct in a few days, months, or years, depending on whether it offers additional features. I first heard about the solution over ten years ago. People are moving away from it slowly to cloud-based load-balancing solutions. I don't have any strong evidence to back up my opinion, but that's what I believe based on what I've seen. Cloud-based tools are already available in the market, so no one will consider an on-prem tool unless it's affordable for small organizations. The solution can improve by adding cloud integration through plugins or additional configurations so we can use F5 BIG-IP DNS to communicate with the cloud.

I have been using the solution for seven months.

The solution has been in the market for over 12 years, used by many organizations because it is very stable.

I give the stability an eight out of ten.

I am currently facing around three or four hundred servers, all of which are using F5 BIG-IP DNS load balancers. The solution easily handles the load. I believe the solution is quite scalable.

I give the solution a seven out of ten.

The solution is currently on-prem. The engineering team is always upgrading something. Perhaps in six months, this solution will be pushed to the cloud. The cloud has its own load balancer tools. We may decommission the solution down the line.

We have between 70 and 80 middleware users on our team that use the solution. We are the link between the development and the production teams. We are the service providers, sitting at the center of the funnel of time. Time flows through us, and we act as a bridge between the developers making requests and the rest of the world. Without this center frame, the requests would not be visible.

Our organization started using the solution a long time ago, around 2014 or 2015. At that point, the cloud was not as popular as it is now, and F5 BIG-IP DNS was at its peak. The organization may soon migrate to a cloud environment.

F5 BIG-IP DNS is a very user-friendly solution, and because it's an old tool, it's easier to understand in the first call compared to an API gateway. The solution is quite easy to configure any new items which are available. New users should keep the configuration neat and shouldn't mix different types. The details are fine enough, the solution won't give us bad feedback and will result in a positive output.

This is a DNS solution.

The security is pretty good. It helps protect against DDoS. 

The management is very easy. 

Overall, it works well and is effective. 

The pricing is reasonable.

It is stable.

We can scale the solution. 

it is pretty secure. It's a good environment. 

The costs could always be a bit lower. 

I've been using the solution for about a year and a half. 

It's a very stable, reliable solution. I'd rate the stability ten out of ten. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze. 

The product scales well. I'd rate scalability ten out of ten. It's easy to expand. 

While I've never used technical support, the company has reached out to support in the past. Support is managed by a third party. They manage the troubleshooting as well. 

We did previously use a different Windows solution. F5 is better for bigger companies. I changed solutions when I changed companies. 

You do need a team to manage the setup process. 

The solution was deployed by the time I got to the company. I'm not sure if there was outside assistance. 

You do need a license to use the solution and do need to renew it periodically if you decide to continue to use it. 

While I do not know what the exact price of the solution is, my understanding is that it is pretty cheap. 

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten. 

If the client wants to clarify that they are using the trusted packet and trusted browsing, they can use the DNS load balancing. F5 can provide some DNS service solutions. The client forwards the traffic, and the DNS is verified whether it can be trusted. If it's suspicious or malicious, it will be declined. If the traffic is observed to be trusted, valid, or legitimate, then it can pass.

F5 BIG-IP DNS is a stable solution.

The solution's initial setup is complex compared to Fortinet.

I have been using F5 BIG-IP DNS for ten years.

F5 BIG-IP DNS is a scalable solution.

The solution's technical support is complex.

I did a POC for Cisco Umbrella on the client side.

You need to connect to the console port, put the management IP, and connect the management IP for the dashboard in the management port. Then, you must go to the laptop and browse the management IP, username, password, and GUI. There is a CLI option also, but most of the configuration is done on the graphical unit. The CLI dependency is very low. For the first configuration, I need to go to the CLI, put the management IP, and connect to the graphical unit.

Overall, I rate F5 BIG-IP DNS an eight out of ten.

I use BIG-IP DNS to replace our DNS servers.

BIG-IP DNS's best feature is the Global Traffic Manager (GTM).

I've been working with BIG-IP DNS for six to eight years.

BIG-IP DNS is stable.

F5's technical support responds a little slowly.

The initial setup was easy and took around two days.

BIG-IP DNS is more expensive than its competitors like Citrix, but it gives good value for money.

I would give BIG-IP DNS a rating of nine out of ten.

We are using the latest version of FS BIG-IP. We use the solution for classic reverse proxy authentication. We have approximately 800 internal staff and 2,000 external customers using the solution.

F5 BIG-IP DNS is useful, depending on how you use it. Once you write to it, you can do anything you want from it, making it a very powerful solution.

The solution is complicated to use. It is difficult to write to. F5 BIG-IP DNS is powerful but challenging to use.

I would like to see the login facilities improved, as well as more troubleshooting.

I have been working with F5 BIG-IP DNS for two and a half years.

The solution is stable.

I have not scaled F5 BIG-IP, it is only a single-box solution.

Prior to using F5 BIG-IP, we used PMG. We switched because PMG was at end of life.

The initial set up of F5 BIG-IP DNS is complex. It took approximately six months to deploy.

We implemented the solution through consultants. We are still using the consultants, so we will need to add someone to our team to handle future deployment and maintenance.

Anyone deciding to implement F5 BIG-IP DNS should be aware that it is a complex and powerful product.

I would rate this solution an 8 out of 10.