Updated Date: 10/27/2026
New Features in this Version
Starting from v.1.8.3 the firmware upgrade process is integrated into the set-version command. Previously, firmware upgrades occurred after the OS upgrade and required a separate reboot, which extended the maintenance window. With this change, firmware is flashed before the OS and services upgrade and takes effect during the same reboot.
This optimization reduces the number of reboots required during an F5OS upgrade, resulting in shorter maintenance windows and less system downtime.
NOTE: No new commands or configuration changes are required. The existing set-version command handles firmware upgrades automatically.
Starting from v.1.8.3 the VELOS firmware update rotates certificates across all firmware components, including LOPs, bootloaders, and BIOS. This strengthens security but increases firmware upgrade times because all components require an update.
Note: Firmware rollback is no longer supported. If your upgrade workflows depend on rollback, plan accordingly before upgrading. Schedule an extended maintenance window and complete pre-upgrade validation before you begin the upgrade.
F5OS v1.8.3 introduces a system-level QKView capability that collects diagnostic data from all system controllers and chassis partitions in a single operation, triggered from the controller level. This ensures complete, consistent system-wide data collection and simplifies the diagnostic workflow for customers and F5 Support teams.
F5OS v1.8.3 now includes the Linux Kernel Runtime Guard (LKRG) module, which provides continuous runtime verification of kernel integrity. LKRG monitors the kernel for unauthorized modifications, credential anomalies, and potential exploit activity.
NOTE: LKRG operates in observation mode in the current release — it detects and logs all security events without taking enforcement action. The system continues running normally, ensuring zero disruption from LKRG itself, while providing comprehensive observability through system logs (dmesg and /var/log/messages).
Key capabilities:
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Detects unauthorized modifications to kernel text and critical data structures at runtime.
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Logs kernel integrity violations, process credential anomalies, and control flow integrity (CFI) violations to
dmesgand/var/log/messages. -
Loads automatically at boot time across all supported platforms.
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Provides runtime parameter inspection through
/proc/sys/lkrg/.
F5OS v1.8.3 now automatically pre-pulls container images to the local cache when you import a software image, eliminating the need to download images during the upgrade itself. This saves an average of 5–6 minutes per upgrade across chassis controllers, partitions, blades, and appliances, with no changes to your existing import or upgrade workflow.
F5OS v1.8.3 introduces the Health Engine, a built-in diagnostic framework that runs structured health checks directly on the platform. This new capability enables faster, first-line diagnostics without the delays associated with traditional qkview capture, transfer, and iHealth upload workflows.
Key capabilities:
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On-demand diagnostics - Run health checks directly from the F5OS bash prompt or confd CLI using the
h-enginecommand. -
Background health monitoring - The engine can run heuristics continuously as an F5OS service to detect issues before they impact operations.
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Structured analysis - Each heuristic script checks a specific condition, evaluates the result against known thresholds, and produces severity-tagged output.
F5OS v1.8.3 introduces the Platform Health Assessment Suite, a pre-upgrade diagnostic framework designed to detect platform health issues before an upgrade starts. The suite runs a collection of heuristic scripts inside a Health Engine to report conditions that could cause upgrade failures or extended outages.
The VELOS BX520 blade now supports the following additional mixed portgroup mode configuration:
| Port 1 | Port 2 |
|---|---|
| 1 x 100 GbE QSFP28 | 1 x 100 GbE QSFP28 |
| 1 x 400 GbE QSFP-DD |