New Features in BIG-IP Version 16.1.6.1

New Features in Version 16.1.6.1

General

Software Support Lifecycle change to 4 years on Long-Term Supported versions (x.1 releases)

F5 is changing the standard support phase of the BIG-IP software lifecycle for Long-Term Stability (LTS) releases from five (5) years to four (4) years. This means that EoSD and EoTS dates will now be reached 4 years after individual versions are released, with this change remaining in effect for all subsequent BIG-IP LTS releases. As F5 shifts to deliver more software-based solutions this change is intended to maintain alignment with the industry, while also helping facilitate migration of customers BIG-IP’s to newer versions.

You can find more information about the updated software lifecycle here:

• K8986: F5 software lifecycle policy
• K5903: BIG-IP software support policy

Due to the rotation of cryptographic keys used to sign BIG-IP images, the image verification process for this BIG-IP release may not function as expected.

Important: This change is implemented in BIG-IP versions released October 2025 or later, and all BIG-IP Engineering Hotfixes created on or after October 13, 2025. As a result, BIG-IP images signed with new keys may not be automatically verified by earlier BIG-IP and F5OS releases. In addition, earlier BIG-IP releases may not be automatically verified by BIG-IP versions released October 2025 or later.

Step to mitigate this issue:

For BIG-IP ISO images, the signature verification process outlined in K15225 will prevent the installation of this release on systems running earlier versions of BIG-IP.

To successfully install this BIG-IP release:

1. Temporarily disable BIG-IP ISO signature verification
2. Install this BIG-IP release
3. Re-enable BIG-IP ISO signature verification

For BIG-IP ISO images, the signature verification process described in K15225 will block the installation of BIG-IP versions released before October 2025.

To successfully install older BIG-IP versions while running this BIG-IP release:

1. Temporarily disable BIG-IP ISO signature verification
2. Install the desired BIG-IP release
3. Re-enable BIG-IP ISO signature verification

Note: It is highly recommended that all F5-provided software images be manually verified using the procedures described in K24341140: Verifying BIG-IP software images using SIG and PEM file

Also see, K15225: Enabling signature verification for BIG-IP ISO image files

No new features

There are no new features specific to this product area.