Manual Chapter : Platform Overview

Applies To:

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F5OS-A

  • 1.7.0, 1.3.1, 1.3.0, 1.2.0, 1.1.1, 1.1.0
Manual Chapter

Platform Overview

F5
r2000/r4000 Series
models

F5
r2000/r4000 Series
platforms are powerful systems that are designed specifically for application delivery performance and scalability.
For more information, please see the data sheet at www.f5.com/services/resources/datasheets.

Platform overview

Before you install your F5 rSeries platform, review information about the controls and ports located on both the front and back of the platform.
On the front of the platform, you can use the LCD touchscreen to view information about, manage, and reset the system. You can also use the front-panel LEDs to assess the condition of the system.
Front view of the r2000 Series platform
  1. 1000-BaseT management port
  2. USB 3.0 port
  3. Serial console port
  4. Serial failover port
    *
  5. 10G/1G RJ45 ports (4)
  6. M.2 SSD assembly (removable)
  7. 25G/10G/1G SFP+/SFP28/SFP ports (4)
  8. Indicator LEDs
  9. 2.2 inch LCD touchscreen
Front view of the r4000 Series platform
  1. 1000-BaseT capable management port
  2. USB 3.0 port
  3. Serial console port
  4. Serial failover port
    *
  5. 10G/1G RJ45 ports (4)
  6. M.2 SSD assembly (removable)
  7. 25G/10G/1G SFP+/SFP28/SFP ports (4)
  8. Indicator LEDs
  9. 2.2 inch LCD touchscreen
* Serial (hardwired) failover is not supported by the F5OS-A software layer. If high availability (HA) failover is required, configure network failover between BIG-IP tenants.
The back of the r2000/r4000 Series platform includes one power supply unit (PSU), one power blank, and a chassis ground terminal.
Back view of the r2000/r4000 Series AC-powered platform
  1. Power input panel 1 (AC power receptacle)
  2. Power blank
  3. Chassis ground terminal
Back view of the r2000/r4000 Series DC-powered platform
  1. Power input panel 1 (DC terminal)
  2. Power blank
  3. Chassis ground terminal
Back view of the r2000/4000 Series High Voltage DC-powered platform
  1. Power input panel 1 (HVDC power receptacle)
  2. Power input panel 2 (HVDC power receptacle)
  3. Chassis ground terminal

Hardware included with the platform

This platform includes all of the hardware components listed here.
Quantity
Hardware
1
Power cables (black), AC power only, per platform configuration. Might include multiple power cable types if product is delivered outside of the US/Canada.
By default, these platforms include one power supply unit (PSU) and one power cable:
r2000/
r4000
Series.
4
DC ring terminals, DC power only. By default, this platform includes two DC PSUs and two ring terminals per supply.
1
RJ45 to DB9 console port cable (beige)
1
RJ45F to RJ45M rolled adapter (beige)
1
Quick-install rail kit
2
Rail lock brackets
4
M3 x 6mm flathead screws, black with patch

Peripheral hardware recommendations

For each platform, you might need to provide additional peripheral hardware. If you plan to remotely administer the system, it would be helpful to have a workstation already connected to the same subnet as the management interface.
Type of hardware
Description
Network hubs, switches, or connectors to connect to the platform network interfaces
You must provide networking devices that are compatible with the network interface ports on the platform.
You can use 1000/10000-Megabit Ethernet switches.
USB flash drive
You can use any USB-certified flash drive for installing upgrades and for system recovery.
Serial console
You can remotely manage the platform by connecting to a management console or console server through the console port.
In the event that network access is impaired or not yet configured, the serial console might be the only way to access the unit. You should perform all installations and upgrades using the serial console, as these procedures require reboots, in which network connectivity is lost temporarily.
Management workstation on the same IP network as the platform
You can use the default platform configuration if you have a management workstation set up.

F5OS software on
F5
rSeries

F5
rSeries
platforms include a new software layer known as F5OS. F5OS is the operating system software for
rSeries
hardware, and it manages the configuration for software components, such as networking, tenants, and users.
For more information about installing and configuring F5OS on your F5 rSeries system, see these documents at Documentation - F5OS-A and F5 rSeries:
  • F5 rSeries Systems: Getting Started
  • F5 rSeries Systems: Software Installation and Upgrade
  • F5 rSeries Systems: Administration and Configuration

LCD menus overview

The LCD touchscreen enables you to manage the platform without attaching a console or network cable. You can configure the display options to meet your needs.
To prolong the life of the backlight, the LCD will auto-dim the brightness when there has been no user activity for a period of 5 minutes. After an additional 10 seconds, the backlight will turn off entirely.
Touching anywhere on the LCD will restore the backlight to the operational brightness.
The LCD displays a splash screen by default. Tap the touchscreen to display the main menu, which displays options for navigating to the System, Health, Options, and Setup menus.
The LCD touchscreen also supports these modes:
Standard
Allows access to all options.
Secure
Allows access only to management and setup options. A padlock icon displays next to limited options.
Disabled
Does not allow access to any options and displays only an image to indicate that the LCD touchscreen is disabled.

Main menu

The main menu includes sections for accessing additional sub menus.
Option
Description
System
Provides options for system control, including system reboot, reset, halt, power off, or power on.
Health
Provides LCD test option.
Options
Provides options for enabling/disabling the system locator LED and configuring LCD brightness.
Setup
Provides options for configuring the management interface, Always-On Management (AOM) management interface, and serial port baud rate.

System menu

You can use the System menu to reboot, reset, halt, power off, or power on the system.
The available options vary depending on whether the LCD touchscreen is operating in secure or standard mode. For more information on configuring the modes, see LCD configuration overview. Approximate system boot time from power-on to login is 1 minute for both r5000 and r10000.
Option
Description
System Info
Shows information about power state, hostname, IP addresses, platform, software version, AOM addresses and firmware, and LCD firmware version.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
Soft Reboot
Performs a properly-sequenced restart of the system.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
Approximate system boot time from Soft Reboot to login is 2:45 minutes for r10000 and 1:45 minutes for r5000.
Network Reboot
Performs a restart with network (PXE) booting.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
Approximate system boot time from Network Reboot to login varies depending on network speed and boot image size.
Shutdown
Shuts down and powers off the system.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
Hard Reset
Performs a hard reset on the system.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
Approximate system boot time from Hard Reset to login is 1 minute for both r10000 and r5000.
Power Off
Powers off the system.
Using this option to power off the system might result in data corruption.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
Power On
Powers on the system.

Health menu

You can use the Health menu to view active alarms, view the event log, and run LCD tests.
Option
Description
Active Alarms
The Active Alarms option is used to view alarms raised on the system. The total number of alarms is visible at the top of the
Active Alarms
page.
Active alarms are organized by severity. Severities are
Emergency
,
Alert
,
Critical
,
Error
,
Warning
,
Notice
, and
Info
. The number of active alarms is indicated for each severity. Select the corresponding severity option to review all alarms for a given severity.
Event Log
The Event Log option is used to view the most recent event logs from the host. The Event Log is limited to 50 entries when viewed on the LCD. When there are more than 50 entries, the remaining events can be reviewed through the webUI or CLI.
The Event Log page also provides a
Clear All
button to clear the event log.
Run LCD Tests
The Run LCD Tests option allows you to performs these tests:
  • Touchscreen - Verifies that the touchscreen functions correctly at nine locations in a 3x3 grid.
  • LCD Backlight - Verifies that the LCD backlight functions correctly.
  • Logo Ball - Verifies that the F5 logo ball functions correctly.
  • System LEDs - Verifies that the system status, system alarm, and power LEDs function correctly.

Options menu

You can use the Options menu to enable/disable the system locator LED and configure LCD brightness.
Option
Description
Locator LED
Controls the use of the system locator feature, which causes the F5 logo ball on the chassis front panel to flash on and off. Select from these options:
  • OFF (default)
  • ON
Display
Adjusts LCD backlight brightness from 10% to 100%.

Setup menu

You can use the Setup menu to configure the management interface, Always-On Management (AOM) management interface, and serial port baud rate.
When using the LCD touchscreen to configure system or AOM management IP addresses, be sure to use the
Commit
option to save all settings.
Option
Description
Management
Configures the front-panel management interface. Select from these options:
  • Enable
    IPv4
    and/or
    IPv6
    for the management address.
  • Enable or disable
    DHCP
    . The default value is disabled.
  • IPv4 Address
    sets an IPv4 management address.
  • IPv4 Prefix Length
    sets an IPv4 prefix length for the management address.
  • IPv4 Gateway
    sets an IPv4 gateway, or default route, for the management address. This route is necessary if you plan to manage the unit from a different subnetwork.
  • IPv6 Address
    sets an IPv6 management address.
  • IPv6 Prefix Length
    sets an IPv6 prefix length for the management address.
  • IPv6 Gateway
    sets an IPv6 gateway, or default route, for the management address. This route is necessary if you plan to manage the unit from a different subnetwork.
AOM Management
Configures the AOM management interface. Select from these options:
  • Enable
    IPv4
    and/or
    IPv6
    for the AOM management address.
  • Enable or disable
    DHCP
    . The default value is disabled.
  • IPv4 Address
    sets an IPv4 AOM management address.
  • IPv4 Prefix Length
    sets an IPv4 prefix length for the AOM management address.
  • IPv4 Gateway
    sets an IPv4 gateway, or default route, for the AOM management address. This route is necessary if you plan to manage the unit from a different subnetwork.
  • IPv6 Address
    sets an IPv6 AOM management address.
  • IPv6 Prefix Length
    sets an IPv6 prefix length for the AOM management address.
  • IPv6 Gateway
    sets an IPv6 gateway, or default route, for the AOM management address. This route is necessary if you plan to manage the unit from a different subnetwork.
Baud Rate
Changes the baud rate of the management serial port. Select from these options:
  • 9600
  • 19200 (default)
  • 38400
  • 57600
  • 115200

System configuration from the LCD

To manage the platform using the LCD menu options, tap the touchscreen LCD to put it into menu mode. The LCD is operational even when the Host is powered off, provided that Always-On Management and the LCD are fully booted.
It might take a few minutes for the LCD to become operational when the system is started from a powered off state.
When using the LCD to configure the unit, be sure to use the
Commit
option to save all settings.

View system information

You can use the touchscreen LCD to view a summary of system information.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    System
    .
    The System screen displays.
  3. On the System screen, swipe up to scroll down and tap
    System Info
    .
  4. Expand the
    AOM Info
    and
    LCD Info
    sections by tapping the plus sign (+) .
  5. Tap
    Back
    to return to the previous screen.

Perform a soft reboot

You can use the touchscreen LCD to perform a soft reboot of the system.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    System
    .
    The System screen displays.
  3. On the System screen, tap
    Soft Reboot
    .
  4. Tap
    Reboot
    to confirm.

Perform a network reboot

You can use the touchscreen LCD to perform a network reboot of the system.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    System
    .
    The System screen displays.
  3. On the System screen, tap
    Network Reboot
    .
  4. Tap
    Reboot
    to confirm.

Shut down the system

You can use the touchscreen LCD to shut down and power off the system.
This is disabled for security purposes when the LCD user interface is in Secure Mode, as indicated by a padlock icon. It is also disabled when the current state of Secure Mode is unknown.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    System
    .
    The System screen displays.
  3. On the System screen, tap
    Shutdown
    .
  4. Tap
    Shutdown
    to confirm.

Perform a hard reset

You can use the touchscreen LCD to halt the unit.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    System
    .
    The System screen displays.
  3. On the System screen, swipe up to scroll down and tap
    Hard Reset
    .
  4. Tap
    Reset
    to confirm.

Power off/on the unit

You can use the touchscreen LCD to power the unit off and on.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    System
    .
    The System screen displays.
  3. On the System screen, swipe up to scroll down and tap
    Power Off
    or
    Power On
    .
  4. Tap
    Power Off
    or
    Power On
    to confirm.

Run LCD tests

You can use the touchscreen LCD to verify LCD components, including the touchscreen, LCD backlight, F5 logo ball, and system LEDs.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    Health
    .
    The Health screen displays.
  3. On the Health screen, tap
    Run LCD Tests
    .
    The Touchscreen Test displays.
  4. Tap
    Continue
    to begin the test.
  5. Tap each of the nine Xs that display, in sequence.
    The test is complete after you have tapped all nine locations.
  6. Next, you test the LCD backlight.
    Tap anywhere on the screen to verify that the backlight functions correctly.
  7. Next, you test the logo ball.
  8. Tap
    Yes
    if the logo ball is flashing.
  9. Finally, you test the system LEDs (status, alarm, power 1, and power 2).
    You are prompted to verify each LED in sequence.
  10. Tap
    Yes
    if each LED functions correctly.
  11. When all tests have completed, on the Test complete screen, press
    OK
    to return to the Health menu.

Enable the system locator

You can use the touchscreen LCD to enable the system locator. This flashes the F5 logo ball, enabling you to more easily locate the system in your data center.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    Options
    .
    The Options screen displays.
  3. On the Options screen, tap
    Locator
    .
    When the locator is enabled, the logo ball will flash.
    When the locator is disabled, the logo ball will no longer flash.

Configure LCD brightness

You can use the touchscreen LCD to adjust the brightness of the display.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    Options
    .
    The Options screen displays.
  3. On the Options screen, tap
    Display Brightness
    .
  4. Tap plus (+) and minus (-) to adjust the brightness of the LCD in real-time.

Configure DHCP for management addresses

You can use the touchscreen LCD to configure whether to use DHCP to assign management addresses.
When DHCP is enabled, manual configuration of management IP addresses is disabled.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    Setup
    .
    The Setup screen displays.
  3. On the Setup screen, tap
    Management
    .
  4. For
    DHCP
    , tap to enable (On) or disable (Off) DHCP.
  5. Tap
    Commit
    .

Configure management IP addresses manually

You can use the touchscreen LCD to configure management IP addresses manually if you are not enabling DHCP.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    Setup
    .
    The Setup screen displays.
  3. On the Setup screen, tap
    Management
    .
    The Management screen displays.
  4. For
    DHCP
    , ensure that it is disabled (Off).
  5. For
    IPv4
    or
    IPv6
    , tap to enable (On).
  6. Expand the
    IPv4
    or
    IPv6
    section by tapping the plus sign (+) .
  7. Tap
    IPv4 Address
    or
    IPv6 Address
    .
  8. Use the up and down arrows to increment/decrement values and the left and right arrows to select which octet to modify.
  9. Click
    Save
    .
    The Management screen displays.
  10. Tap
    Prefix Length
    .
  11. Use the up and down arrows to increment/decrement values.
  12. Click
    Save
    .
    The Management screen displays.
  13. Tap
    IPv4 Gateway
    .
  14. Use the up and down arrows to increment/decrement values and the left and right arrows to select which octet to modify.
  15. Click
    Save
    .
  16. Tap
    Commit
    .

Configure DHCP for the AOM management address

You can use the touchscreen LCD to configure whether to use DHCP to assign the Always-On Management (AOM) management address. For more information about AOM, see Always-On Management overview.
When DHCP is enabled, manual configuration of the AOM management IP address is disabled.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    Setup
    .
    The Setup screen displays.
  3. On the Setup screen, tap
    AOM Management
    .
    The AOM Mgmt screen displays.
  4. Expand the
    IPv4
    or
    IPv6
    section by tapping the plus sign (+) .
  5. For
    DHCP
    , tap to enable (On).
  6. Tap
    Commit
    .

Configure the AOM management IP address manually

You can use the touchscreen LCD to configure management IP addresses manually if you are not enabling DHCP.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    Setup
    .
    The Setup screen displays.
  3. On the Setup screen, tap
    AOM Management
    .
    The AOM Mgmt screen displays.
  4. For
    IPv4
    or
    IPv6
    , tap to enable (On).
  5. Expand the
    IPv4
    or
    IPv6
    section by tapping the plus sign (+) .
  6. For
    DHCP
    , ensure that it is disabled (Off).
  7. Tap
    IPv4 Address
    or
    IPv6 Address
    .
  8. Use the up and down arrows to increment/decrement values and the left and right arrows to select which octet to modify.
  9. Click
    Save
    .
    The AOM Mgmt screen displays.
  10. Tap
    Prefix Length
    .
  11. Use the up and down arrows to increment/decrement values.
  12. Click
    Save
    .
    The AOM Mgmt screen displays.
  13. Tap
    IPv4 Gateway
    .
  14. Use the up and down arrows to increment/decrement values and the left and right arrows to select which octet to modify.
  15. Click
    Save
    .
  16. Tap
    Commit
    .

Configure the baud rate

You can use the touchscreen LCD to configure the baud speed for connecting to the front-panel serial port from a serial console.
  1. Touch the screen to activate the LCD menus.
  2. Tap
    Setup
    .
    The Setup screen displays.
  3. On the Setup screen, tap
    Baud Rate
    .
  4. Select which baud rate to use for the front-panel serial port.
  5. Tap
    Back
    to return to the previous screen.

LCD configuration from the CLI

You can configure options, including operational mode, for the LCD touchscreen from the CLI.

Show the LCD mode from the CLI

You can show the current mode for the LCD touchscreen from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Show which LCD mode is currently configured.
    show components component lcd
    A summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show components component lcd components component lcd state serial-no sub0872g00ct state part-no "SUB-0872-02 REV 1" state empty false state mode standard

Configure LCD secure mode from the CLI

The LCD touchscreen supports a secure mode, which allows access only to management and setup options. No customer data is shown. You can enable secure mode for the LCD touchscreen from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Enable secure mode for the LCD.
    components component lcd config mode secure
    In this example, you enable secure mode for the LCD:
    appliance-1(config)# components component lcd config mode secure
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Disable the LCD from the CLI

You can choose to disable the LCD touchscreen from the CLI. This prevents access to all options and shows only an image to indicate that it is disabled.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Enable secure mode for the LCD.
    components component lcd config mode disabled
    In this example, you disable the LCD:
    appliance-1(config)# components component lcd config mode disabled
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Enable LCD standard mode from the CLI

You can choose to enable standard mode for the LCD touchscreen from the CLI. This allows access to all options.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Enable standard mode for the LCD.
    components component lcd config mode standard
    In this example, you enable standard mode for the LCD:
    appliance-1(config)# components component lcd config mode standard
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Platform LEDs overview

The behavior of the various LEDs on the platform indicate the status of the system or component.

Status LED

The status LED indicates the operating state of the system.
State
Description
off/none
System is powered down, or LCD module has failed.
green solid
System is running in normal mode.
amber solid
System is running in an impaired mode or is operating in one of these conditions:
  • It is in the standby power state
  • It is powered on and in the process of booting
  • It is powered on, but offline
amber/yellow blinking
System might be in a state in which a software or hardware problem is interfering with control of the LCD or communication is lost between the system and the LCD.

Alarm LED

The alarm LED indicates system alarm conditions and the severity of the alarm condition.
There are five levels of messages.
The alarm LED remains lit until you have used the LCD panel to clear alerts above an informational level.
State
Description
off/none
Informational or no alarm conditions are present. System is operating properly, is completely unpowered, or the LCD module has failed.
amber/yellow solid
Warning (0). System might not be operating properly, but the condition is not severe or potentially damaging. An error will occur if action is not taken.
amber/yellow blinking
Error (1). System is not operating properly, but the condition is not severe or potentially damaging. Notifications about error conditions, but the system is not unusable.
red solid
Alert (2) or Critical (3). System is not operating properly, and the condition is potentially damaging. Requires immediate attention.
red blinking
Emergency (4). System is not operating, and the condition is potentially damaging. System is not usable.

Management port LED

The management port LED indicates the link and activity status of the management port.
LED
State
Description
link
off/none
Not linked.
green solid
Linked at 1GbE.
amber solid
Linked at 10MbE or 100MbE.
activity
off/none
Not linked or link is idle.
green blinking
Link is actively transmitting or receiving data.

F5 logo ball LED

The F5 logo ball on the front of the chassis indicates when the platform has valid input power and can also function as a system locator.
You can enable the system locator from the touchscreen LCD. For more information, see lcd-enable-system-locator.dita.
State
Description
on
System has valid input power applied.
blinking
System locator function is enabled (only available when the platform is powered on).
off
System is powered completely off.

Power 1 and Power 2 LEDs

The Power 1 and Power 2 LEDs on the front of the chassis indicate the general operating state of the power supply units (PSUs).
Power supply state
Description
green solid
PSU is present and operating properly. Also indicates when the system is in power standby mode.
amber/yellow solid
PSU is present and operating in one of these conditions:
  • PSU not powered
  • PSU has experienced a fault or failure
  • Mismatched PSU configuration detected
  • Unidentified PSU configuration detected
off/none
PSU is not present or not fully seated in the chassis.

250W AC power supply unit (PSU) LEDs

The LEDs located on 250W AC power supply units (PSUs) indicate PSU operating state.
Input LED
Output LED
Condition (PWR-0334-xx)
green solid
green solid
Normal operation
off
off
Fault: Input UV
off
amber/yellow solid
Not valid
green solid
amber/yellow solid
Warning: VSB OC
Fault: SC, OC, VOUT OV/UV
green solid
amber/yellow blinking
Warning: VOUT OC, VOUT OV/UV
Fault: VSB OC, VSB SC
green blinking
amber/yellow solid
Fault: Input OV
green blinking
amber/yellow blinking
Warning: Input OV, Input UV
green blinking
off
Not valid
green solid
green blinking
PS_ON_L is high
green solid
off
PS_KILL PSU not inserted
OV - Over Voltage; OTP - Over Temperature Protection; UV - Under Voltage; OC - Over Current; VSB - Standby Voltage

650W DC power supply LEDs

The LEDs located on the DC power supply units (PSUs) indicate PSU operating state.
Input LED
Output/Fault LED
Condition (PWR-0307-xx)
green solid
green solid
Normal operation
off
off
Fault: Input UV, VSB SC
off
amber/yellow solid
Not valid
green solid
amber/yellow solid
Warning: VSB OC
Fault: Fan, OTP, OC, VOUT OV/UV
green solid
amber/yellow blinking
Warning: FAN, OTP, OC, VOUT OV/UV
green blinking
amber/yellow solid
Fault: Input OV
green blinking
amber/yellow blinking
Warning: Input OV, Input UV
green blinking
off
Not valid
green solid
green blinking
PS_ON_L is high
green solid
off
PS_KILL PSU not inserted
OV - Over Voltage; OTP - Over Temperature Protection; UV - Under Voltage; OC - Over Current; VSB - Standby Voltage

650W HVDC power supply LEDs

The LEDs located on the DC power supply units (PSUs) indicate PSU operating state.
Input LED
Output/Fault LED
Condition (PWR-0378-xx)
green solid
green solid
Normal operation
off
off
Fault: Input UV
off
amber/yellow solid
Not valid
green solid
amber/yellow solid
Warning: VSB OC
Fault: Fan, OTP, OC, VOUT OV/UV
green solid
amber/yellow blinking
Warning: FAN, OTP, OC, VOUT OV/UV
green blinking
amber/yellow solid
Fault: Input OV
green blinking
amber/yellow blinking
Warning: Input OV, Input UV
green blinking
off
Not valid
green solid
green blinking
PS_ON is high
green solid
off
PS_KILL PSU not inserted
OV - Over Voltage; OTP - Over Temperature Protection; UV - Under Voltage; OC - Over Current; VSB - Standby Voltage

Platform interfaces overview

Every platform includes multiple interfaces. The exact number of interfaces that are on the system depends on the platform type.
Each interface on the platform has a set of properties that you can configure, such as enabling or disabling the interface and setting the requested media type and duplex mode.

10G SFP+ interfaces

The r2000/r4000 Series platforms include 1G SFP ports (1.0-4.0 and 7.0-10.0) and 10G SFP ports (5.0-6.0, 11.0-12.0), in which you can use 10 G (SFP+) or 1G (SFP) transceiver modules.
The SFP+ ports on these platforms are not backwards compatible with SFP transceiver modules.

25G SFP28 interfaces

F5
r2000/r4000 Series
platforms include 25 G (SFP28) ports (3 to 10 and 13 to 20), in which you can use 25G (SFP28), or 10G (SFP+) transceiver modules.
The SFP28 ports on these platforms are not backwards compatible with SFP transceiver modules.

Interface duplex mode and port speed

All interfaces on the system default to auto-negotiate speed and full duplex settings. We recommend that you also configure any network equipment that you plan to use with the system to auto-negotiate speed and duplex settings. If you connect the system to network devices with forced speed and duplex settings, you must force the speed and duplex settings of the system to match the settings of the other network device.
If the system is attempting to auto-negotiate interface settings with an interface that has the speed and duplex settings forced (that is, auto-negotiation is disabled), you will experience severe performance degradation.
By default, the media type on interfaces is set to automatically detect speed and duplex settings. The system provides restrictions to prevent you from configuring an interface with invalid settings.
Auto-MDI/MDIX functionality is retained when you manually configure an interface to use specific speed and duplex settings. You can use either a straight-through cable or a crossover cable when media settings are forced, and you will be able to successfully link to either DTE or DCE devices.

Management port configuration overview

You can configure the front-panel management port on this platform from the CLI or webUI.

Enable the management port from the CLI

You can enable the management port from the CLI.
  1. Connect to the system using a management console or console server.
    The default baud rate and serial port configuration is 19200/8-N-1.
  2. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  3. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  4. Enable the specified management port.
    interfaces interface mgmt config enable
    In this example, you enable the management port on the platform:
    appliance-1(config)# interfaces interface mgmt config enable
  5. Return to user (operational) mode.
    end
  6. Verify that the management interface is enabled.
    show interfaces interface mgmt state enabled
    A summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show interfaces interface mgmt state enabled state enabled true

Disable the management port from the CLI

You can disable the management port from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Disable the specified management port.
    interfaces interface mgmt config disabled
    In this example, you enable the management port on the platform:
    appliance-1(config)# interfaces interface mgmt config disabled
  4. Return to user (operational) mode.
    end
  5. Verify that the management interface is disabled.
    show interfaces interface mgmt state enabled
    A summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show interfaces interface mgmt state enabled state enabled false

Configure auto-negotiation for the management port from the CLI

You can configure auto-negotiation for the management port from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Configure auto-negotiation for the management port.
    interfaces interface mgmt ethernet config auto-negotiate {
    true
    |
    false
    }
    In this example, you enable auto-negotiation:
    appliance-1(config)# interfaces interface mgmt ethernet config auto-negotiate true
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Configure duplex mode for the management port from the CLI

You can configure duplex mode for the management port from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Configure duplex mode for the management port.
    interfaces interface mgmt ethernet config duplex-mode {
    FULL
    |
    HALF
    }
    In this example, you configure the management port to be full speed:
    appliance-1(config)# interfaces interface mgmt ethernet config duplex-mode FULL
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Configure port speed for the management port from the CLI

You can configure port speed for the management port from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Configure the port speed for the management port.
    interfaces interface mgmt ethernet config port-speed {
    SPEED_1GB
    |
    SPEED_10MB
    |
    SPEED_100MB
    }
    In this example, you configure the management port to use 100MB speed:
    appliance-1(config)# interfaces interface mgmt ethernet config port-speed SPEED_100MB
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Front-panel interface configuration overview

You can manage the front-panel interfaces on the platform from the CLI or webUI.

Show the status of all interfaces from the webUI

You can show the status of all interfaces on the platform from the webUI.
  1. Log in to the webUI using an account with admin access.
  2. On the left, click
    NETWORK SETTINGS
    Interfaces
    .
    A table showing all interfaces displays.

Configure an interface from the CLI

You can configure front-panel interfaces from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Configure settings for the specified interface.
    interfaces interface <
    interface
    > config {
    disabled
    |
    enabled
    } description <
    interface-description
    > type <
    interface-type
    >
    In this example, you enable and configure interface 1.0 with a custom description:
    appliance-1(config)# interfaces interface 1.0 config enabled description "Interface 1.0"
    Changing the MTU at the platform level would affect all tenants, so this is configurable at the tenant level for greater control.
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Show the state of a specific interface from the CLI

You can show the state of a specific interface on a platform from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Display the current status of a specific interface.
    show interface interface <
    interface-number
    >
    When you specify a specific interface, a summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show interfaces interface 5.0 interfaces interface 5.0 state name 5.0 state type ethernetCsmacd state mtu 9600 state enabled true state ifindex 26 state oper-status DOWN state counters in-octets 0 state counters in-unicast-pkts 0 state counters in-broadcast-pkts 0 state counters in-multicast-pkts 0 state counters in-discards 0 state counters in-errors 0 state counters in-fcs-errors 0 state counters out-octets 0 state counters out-unicast-pkts 0 state counters out-broadcast-pkts 0 state counters out-multicast-pkts 0 state counters out-discards 0 state counters out-errors 0 state forward-error-correction auto state lacp_state LACP_DEFAULTED ethernet state port-speed SPEED_25GB ethernet state hw-mac-address 00:12:a1:34:56:78 ethernet state counters in-mac-control-frames 0 ethernet state counters in-mac-pause-frames 0 ethernet state counters in-oversize-frames 0 ethernet state counters in-jabber-frames 0 ethernet state counters in-fragment-frames 0 ethernet state counters in-8021q-frames 0 ethernet state counters in-crc-errors 0 ethernet state counters out-mac-control-frames 0 ethernet state counters out-mac-pause-frames 0 ethernet state counters out-8021q-frames 0 ethernet state flow-control rx on

Show the state of all interfaces from the CLI

You can show the state of all interfaces on the platform from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Show the current state of all interfaces.
    show interfaces interface
    A summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show interfaces interface state oper-status OPER NAME STATUS -------------- 5.0 UP 6.0 UP 7.0 DOWN 8.0 DOWN mgmt UP

Show statistics for all interfaces from the CLI

You can show statistics for all interfaces from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Show statistics for all interfaces.
    show interfaces interface state counters
    Possible completions include:
    in-broadcast-pkts in-discards in-errors in-fcs-errors in-multicast-pkts in-octets in-unicast-pkts out-broadcast-pkts out-discards out-errors out-multicast-pkts out-octets out-unicast-pkts
    A summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show interfaces interface state counters interfaces interface 1.0 state counters in-octets 0 state counters in-unicast-pkts 0 state counters in-broadcast-pkts 0 state counters in-multicast-pkts 0 state counters in-discards 0 state counters in-errors 0 state counters in-fcs-errors 0 state counters out-octets 0 state counters out-unicast-pkts 0 state counters out-broadcast-pkts 0 state counters out-multicast-pkts 0 state counters out-discards 0 state counters out-errors 0 interfaces interface 2.0 state counters in-octets 0 state counters in-unicast-pkts 0 state counters in-broadcast-pkts 0 state counters in-multicast-pkts 0 state counters in-discards 0 state counters in-errors 0 state counters in-fcs-errors 0 state counters out-octets 0 state counters out-unicast-pkts 0 state counters out-broadcast-pkts 0 state counters out-multicast-pkts 0 state counters out-discards 0 state counters out-errors 0 ...

Show the current running configuration for all interfaces from the CLI

You can show the current running configuration for all interfaces from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Show the current running configuration for all interfaces.
    A summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show running-config interfaces interface interfaces interface 1.0 config name 1.0 config type ethernetCsmacd config enabled ! interfaces interface 2.0 config name 2.0 config type ethernetCsmacd config enabled ! interfaces interface 3.0 config name 3.0 config type ethernetCsmacd config enabled ! ...

Show the current running configuration of VLAN interface members from the CLI

You can show the current running configuration of VLAN interface members from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Show the current running configuration of VLAN interface members.
    show running-config interfaces interface
    ethernet
    switched-vlan
    A summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show running-config interfaces interface ethernet switched-vlan interfaces interface 1.0 ethernet switched-vlan config trunk-vlans [ 2001 ] !

Reset counters for specified interfaces from the CLI

You can reset counters for specified interfaces from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Reset counters for specified interfaces.
    reset counters interfaces [ <
    interface-number
    > ]
    In this example, you reset counters for interfaces 1.0 and 2.0:
    appliance-1(config)# reset counters interfaces [1.0 2.0]
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Create a LAG interface from the CLI

You can create a LAG interface from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Create a LAG interface.
    interfaces interface <
    lag-name
    > config
    Possible completions include:
    aggregation config hold-time
    In this example, you create an IEEE 802ad LAG interface named "new-lag":
    appliance-1(config)# interfaces interface new-lag config type ieee802adLag
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Show the current running configuration for LAG interfaces from the CLI

You can show the current running configuration for LAG interfaces from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Show the current running configuration for LAG interfaces.
    show running-config interfaces interface <
    lag-name
    > aggregation
    When you specify a LAG interface, a summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show running-config interfaces interface lag-test aggregation interfaces interface lag-test aggregation config lag-type STATIC aggregation config distribution-hash src-dst-ipport

Associate an interface with a specified LAG from the CLI

You can associate an interface with a specified LAG from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Associate an interface with a specified LAG.
    interfaces interface <
    interface-number
    > ethernet config aggregate-id <
    lag-name
    >
    In this example, you associate interface 1.0 with a LAG named "new-lag":
    appliance-1(config)# interfaces interface 1.0 ethernet config aggregate-id new-lag
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit

Port profiles overview

The front-panel SFP28 25G ports on F5
r2000/r4000 Series
systems support port profile functionality. Port profiles enable you to change which mode, or port speed, that port uses. SFP28 ports operate at 25G by default, and SFP+ ports operate at 10G by default. Only these configurations are available:
​2x25G​ - 4x10G
Two 25G (SFP28) ports run at 25G speed, and four 10G (SFP+) ports run at 10G.
4​x25G​
All four 25G (SFP28) ports run at 25G speed.
8x10G
All eight 10G (SFP+) ports run at 10G speed. This is the default configuration.
Changing the mode for a port profile reboots the system, and then removes stale interfaces and any references to stale interfaces from your configuration. You must reconfigure any previously-configured protocols to use your modified port group.

Configure a port profile from the CLI

You can configure port profiles for the interfaces on the system from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  3. Change the port profile configuration.
    port-profiles config mode [
    2x25G-4x10G
    |
    4x25G
    |
    8x10G
    }
    In this example, you configure the port profile to use the 4x25G mode:
    appliance-1(config)# port-profiles config mode 4x25G
  4. Commit the configuration changes.
    commit
Changing the mode for a port profile reboots the system, and then removes stale interfaces and any references to stale interfaces from your configuration. You must reconfigure any previously-configured protocols to use your modified port profile.

Show the state of port profiles from the CLI

You can show the state for port profiles on the system from the CLI.
  1. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  2. Show which port profile is currently configured.
    show port-profile
    A summary similar to this example displays:
    appliance-1# show port-profile port-profile state mode 8x10G

Network interface LED behavior

The appearance and behavior of the network interface LEDs on the platform indicate network traffic activity, interface speed, and interface duplexity.

SFP/SFP+ port LED behavior

The appearance and behavior of the SFP/SFP+ port LEDs indicate network traffic activity, interface speed, and interface duplexity.
State
Description
off (not lit)
No link.
green solid
Linked at 1GbE/10GbE.
green blinking
Link is actively transmitting or receiving data at 1GbE/10GbE.

SFP28 port LED behavior

The appearance and behavior of the SFP28 port LEDs indicate network traffic activity, interface speed, and interface duplexity.
State
Module
Description
off (not lit)
SFP28 or SFP+
No link.
green solid
SFP28 or SFP+
Linked at 1GbE/10GbE/25GbE.
green blinking
SFP28 or SFP+
Link is actively transmitting or receiving data at 100MbE/1GbE/10GbE/25GbE.

Always-On Management overview

The Always-On Management (AOM) subsystem enables you to manage the system remotely from a serial console, even if the host is powered down. The AOM Command Menu operates independently of F5OS.
You can use the command menu to reset the unit if the system has locked up or get access to the system directly, so that you can configure it from the command-line interface.

Access the AOM Command Menu from the serial console

You can access the AOM Command Menu after connecting to the front panel serial console.
  1. Connect to the system using a management console or console server.
    The default baud rate and serial port configuration is 19200/8-N-1.
  2. Open the AOM Command Menu.
    Esc (
Quitting the AOM Command Menu returns you to the system console.

AOM Command Menu options

The AOM Command Menu provides the AOM options for the platform. You can access the AOM Command Menu from a serial console.
The availability of menu options varies depending on the platform type.
Letter
Option
Description
A
Reset AOM
Resets the AOM subsystem.
B
Set baud rate
Configures the baud speed for connecting to AOM from the serial console. These options are available:
  • 9600
  • 19200 (default)
  • 38400
  • 57600
  • 115200
I
Display platform information
Displays information about the AOM firmware and bootloader; chassis serial number, power status for the active console, front-panel USB port status, and system runtime status; power supply unit (PSU) status and serial numbers; and FIPS initialization error status (if applicable).
N
Configure AOM network
Runs the AOM network configuration utility. This utility enables you to reconfigure the IP address, netmask, and default gateway used by AOM. If you use this option while connected using SSH, your session will be disconnected as a part of the network configuration operation.
This option is not available when you are connected using SSH.
P
Power on/off host subsystem
Powers the host subsystem on or off.
R
Reset host subsystem
Resets the host subsystem with a hardware reset.
F5 does not recommend using this option under normal circumstances. It does not allow for graceful shutdown of the system.
S
Configure SSH Server
Sets a session idle timeout (in seconds) for the AOM SSH server. Available values are 0 (no timeout; default value), or between 30 and 86400 (one day).
U
Front panel USB port
Enables or disables the front-panel USB port on the platform.
When you change the USB port configuration, the system must restart for the change to take effect. The BIOS enables/disables the USB port as configured during startup.
Q
Quit menu and return to console
Exits the AOM Command Menu and returns to terminal emulation mode.

Create an AOM user

If you would like to access AOM over the network rather than using the serial console, you need to create an AOM user.
This account is created on the AOM subsystem only and is not saved to your F5OS system configuration.
  1. Connect using SSH to the management IP address.
  2. Log in to the command line interface (CLI) of the system using an account with admin access.
    When you log in to the system, you are in user (operational) mode.
  3. Change to config mode.
    config
    The CLI prompt changes to include
    (config)
    .
  4. Type
    system aom set-ssh-user-info
    .
  5. Type the user name you want.
  6. Type the required password.
    When the account creation is successful, a message similar to this one displays:
    AOM SSH username and password set successfully.

Configure the AOM management network

You can assign a management IP address, netmask, and gateway to access AOM either manually or with DHCP.
  1. Connect to the system using a management console or console server.
    The default baud rate and serial port configuration is 19200/8-N-1.
  2. Open the AOM Command Menu.
    Esc (
  3. Type
    n
    to open the AOM management network configurator.
  4. Assign a management IP address, netmask, and gateway:
    • To use DHCP to assign the addresses, enter
      y
      when prompted about using DHCP.
    • To manually assign the addresses, enter
      n
      when prompted about using DHCP. At the prompts, type values for IP address (required), netmask (required), and gateway (optional).
    A confirmation message displays the configured management IP address, netmask, and gateway.
  5. Type
    i
    to verify the assigned addresses.

Access the AOM Command Menu using SSH

Before you access the AOM Command Menu using SSH, you must assign a management IP address, netmask, and gateway for AOM. You can assign the addresses manually or with DHCP. You must also create an AOM admin user account.
You can access the AOM Command Menu remotely using SSH from a management workstation that is connected to the same subnet as the platform's management (MGMT) interface.
On this platform, AOM allows only one SSH connection at a time.
  1. Open an SSH session, where
    <aom-username>
    is the AOM admin user account that you configured for the system, and
    <ip-addr>
    is the IP address that you configured for AOM.
    ssh <
    aom-username
    >@<
    ip-address
    >
  2. Type the previously configured AOM user password.
  3. Open the AOM Command Menu.
    Esc (

Set an SSH idle session timeout

You can specify a timeout value (in seconds) for idle AOM SSH sessions. You can access the AOM Command Menu using either a serial console or SSH.
  1. Connect to the system using a management console or console server.
    The default baud rate and serial port configuration is 19200/8-N-1.
  2. Open the AOM Command Menu.
    Esc (
  3. Type
    s
    to configure a timeout value for idle SSH sessions.
  4. Type a timeout value.
    The default value is 0 (no timeout). Available values are 0, or between 30 and 86400 (one day).

Disable network configuration

You can connect to the system's serial console to disable SSH access to AOM over the network. This does not affect console access to AOM.
  1. Connect to the system using a management console or console server.
    The default baud rate and serial port configuration is 19200/8-N-1.
  2. Open the AOM Command Menu.
    Esc (
  3. Type
    n
    to open the AOM management network configurator.
  4. When prompted about using DHCP, enter
    n
    .
  5. At the IP address prompt type
    0.0.0.0
    .
    A confirmation message displays the configured management IP address, netmask, and gateway.
  6. Type
    i
    to verify that network configuration is disabled.