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Network_Virtuoso's avatar
Network_Virtuoso
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Feb 02, 2025

Adding Big IP F5 into Big IQ

I am new to Big IQ world.

Just wanted to know will there be any downtime while adding Big IP F5 into Big IQ. We won't be importing any services. Big IQ will simply be used to get regular scheduled backup.

  • Hi Network_Virtuoso 

    Welcome to the world of BIG-IQ! That's a great question, and I’m happy to help clarify this for you.

    Adding a BIG-IP device to BIG-IQ for backups:

    When you add a BIG-IP device to BIG-IQ for managing and setting up scheduled backups, there is no downtime introduced for the BIG-IP itself or its traffic processing. The process is primarily focused on establishing communication between BIG-IQ and the BIG-IP device.

    Here are the key points for this process:

    1. BIG-IP Connectivity: BIG-IQ will communicate with the BIG-IP device via the management interface using APIs (typically HTTPS on port 443 or a custom port you've specified).
    2. Backup Process: Once connected, BIG-IQ retrieves the BIG-IP configuration metadata to set up the backup process, but this doesn't interrupt or interfere with traffic management on the BIG-IP system.
    3. Scheduled Backups: When you configure regular scheduled backups, BIG-IQ will create snapshots of the BIG-IP configuration at the specified intervals. Again, this is a lightweight process and does not cause downtime or affect live traffic.

    Prerequisites to Ensure No Downtime:

    To avoid any connectivity or issues during the process:

    1. Make sure the BIG-IQ has proper network access to the BIG-IP device (firewall rules, proper routing, etc.).
    2. Use appropriate credentials to authenticate the BIG-IP device in BIG-IQ.
    3. Ensure no conflicting tasks (such as other administrative updates or software upgrades) are happening on the BIG-IP during the time you're adding it to BIG-IQ.

    In short, adding a BIG-IP to BIG-IQ for scheduled backups is non-disruptive and does not cause downtime for the BIG-IP device or the traffic it processes. 

    However, generally, the F5 TAC will advise doing this process in a maintenance window.

    You can read more on Managing BIG-IP Devices from BIG-IQ

    Cheers,

    Mo