Minimum system requirements

The minimum system requirements for this release are:

• Intel® Pentium® III 550MHz processor
• 512MB disk drive or CompactFlash® card
• 256MB RAM
• Supported browsers: Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.0, 5.5, or 6.0; Netscape® Navigator 4.7x

Note: The IM package for this release is quite large. If the disk drive in your platform does not meet the minimum requirement, you may not be able to successfully install this release.

Installing the software

Important: If you are upgrading a 3-DNS Controller that belongs to a sync group, you must remove the controller from the sync group before you apply the upgrade. Failure to do so may cause irrevocable damage to the controllers in the sync group that are running older versions of the software. Once you have upgraded all controllers to the same version, you can then re-create the sync group. For details on removing a controller from a sync group, see Removing a controller from a sync group. Once you have removed the controller from the sync group, you can proceed with the upgrade installation.

Note:  If you are updating the 3-DNS Controller module on a BIG-IP system, refer to the BIG-IP version 4.6 note for instructions on installing the upgrade. Applying the upgrade for BIG-IP version 4.6 also applies the upgrade to the 3-DNS module. The enhancements, fixes, and known issues for the 3-DNS Controller, however, are available only in the 3-DNS Controller version 4.6 release note.

The following instructions explain how to install the 3-DNS Controller version 4.6 onto existing systems running version 4.5 PTF-03 and later. The installation script saves your current configuration.

1. Go to the Downloads site and locate the 3-DNS version 4.6 upgrade file, BIGIP_4.6_Upgrade.im.

   3-DNS is not listed as a product line on the Downloads site; the image file is listed under the BIG-IP 4.x product line.

2. Download the software image.

   For information about how to download software, refer to SOL167: Downloading software from F5 Networks.

3. Install the upgrade by typing the following command:
   
   im BIGIP_4.6_Upgrade.im.

The 3-DNS Controller automatically reboots once it completes installation.

Updating the big3d agent

After the PTF installation has completed, you need to install the new version of the big3d agent on all BIG-IP systems and EDGE-FX Cache systems known to the 3-DNS Controller, as follows:

1. Log on to the 3-DNS Controller at the command line.
   
   
2. Type 3dnsmaint to open the 3-DNS Maintenance menu.
   
   
3. Select Install and Start big3d, and press Enter.
   The 3-DNS Controller detects all BIG-IP systems and EDGE-FX systems in the network, and updates their big3d agents with the appropriate version of the agent.
   
   
4. Press Enter to return to the 3-DNS Maintenance menu.
   
   
5. Type Q to quit.

For more information about the big3d agent, see the 3-DNS Reference Guide.

Activating the license

Once you install the upgrade and connect the controller to the network, you need a valid license certificate to activate the software. To obtain a license certificate, you need to provide two items to the license server: a registration key and a dossier. The registration key  is a 25-character string. You should have received the key by email. The registration key lets the license server know which F5 products you are entitled to license. The dossier  is obtained from the software, and is an encrypted list of key characteristics used to identify the platform. If you do not have a registration key, please contact your vendor.

You can obtain a license certificate using one of the following methods:

• Automatic license activation
  You perform automatic license activation from the command line or from the web-based Configuration utility of an upgraded controller. This method automatically retrieves and submits the dossier to the F5 Networks license server, as well as installs the signed license certificate. In order for you to use this method, the controller must be installed on a network with Internet access.
  
  
• Manual license activation
  You perform manual license activation from the Configuration utility, which is the browser-based user interface. With this method, you submit the dossier to, and retrieve the signed license file from, the F5 Networks license server manually. In order for you to use this method, the administrative work station must have Internet access.

Note:  You can open the Configuration utility using either Netscape Navigator 4.7, or Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0, 5.5, or 6.0. Netscape Navigator 6.0 is not supported.

To automatically activate a license from the command line for first time installation

1. Type the user name root and the password default at the logon prompt.
   
   
2. At the prompt, type license. The following prompts appear:
   IP:
   Netmask:
   Default Route:
   Select interface to use to retrieve license:
   The 3-DNS Controller uses this information to make an Internet connection to the license server.
   
   
3. After you type the Internet connection information, continue to the following prompt:
   The Registration Key should have been included with the software or given when the order was placed. Do you have your Registration Key? [Y/N]:
   
   Type Y, and the following prompt displays:
   Registration Key:
   
   
4. Type the 25-character registration key you received. If you received more than one key, enter all of the keys, separating each with a space.
   The controller retrieves and sends the dossier to the F5 Networks license server, and the F5 Networks license server returns and installs a signed license file. A message displays indicating the process was successful.
   
   
5. You are asked to accept the End User License Agreement (EULA). Note that the system is not fully functional until you accept the EULA.
   
   
6. Press Enter to reboot the system. The system is not fully functional until you reboot.
   
   
7. If the licensing process is not successful, contact your vendor's technical support team.
   
   

To automatically activate a license from the command line for upgrades

1. Type your user name and password at the logon prompt.
   
   
2. At the prompt, type setup.
   
   
3. Choose menu option (L) License Activation.
   
   
4. The following prompt displays:
   Number of keys: 1
   If you have more than one registration key, enter the appropriate number, and press Enter.
   
   
5. The following prompt displays:
   Registration Key:
   
   Type the 25-character registration key you received. If you received more than one key, enter all of the keys, separating each with a space.
   The controller retrieves and sends the dossier to the F5 Networks license server, and the F5 Networks license server returns and installs a signed license file. A message displays indicating the process was successful.
   
   
6. If the licensing process is not successful, contact your vendor.

To manually activate a license using the Configuration utility

You can use the Configuration utility to manually activate a license for a previously-configured 3-DNS Controller and for a new controller. Before you can activate the license, however, you must logon to the Configuration utility.

To open the Configuration utility for an existing 3-DNS Controller

1. Open the Configuration utility using the configured address.
   
   
2. Type your user name and password at the logon prompt, and click OK.
   The Configuration utility home screen displays.

To open the Configuration utility for a new 3-DNS Controller

1. From the administrative work station, open the Configuration utility using one of the following addresses: https://192.168.1.245 or https://192.168.245.245. These are default addresses on the units local area network.
   
   
2. Type the user name root and the password default at the logon prompt, and click OK.
   The Configuration utility home screen displays.

Once you have successfully logged on to the Configuration utility, you can proceed with the manual license activation.

To manually activate a license using the Configuration utility

1. Click License Utility to open the License Administration screen.
   
   
2. In the Registration Key box, type the 25-character registration key that you received. If you have more than one key to install, click Enter More Keys to install multiple keys. Once you have entered all registration keys, click Manual Authorization.
   
   
3. At the Manual Authorization screen, retrieve the dossier using one of the following methods:
   
   
   • Copy the entire contents of the Product Dossier box.
     
     
   • Click Download Product Dossier, and save the dossier to the hard drive.
   
   
4. Click the link in the License Server box.
   The Activate F5 License screen opens in a new browser window.
   
   
5. From the Activate F5 License screen, submit the dossier using one of the following methods:
   
   
   • Paste the data you just copied into the Enter your dossier box, and click Activate.
     
     
   • At the Product Dossier box, click Browse to locate the dossier on the hard drive, and then click Activate.
   
   
   The screen returns a signed license file.
   
   
6. Retrieve the license file using one of the following methods:
   
   
   • Copy the entire contents of the signed license file.
     
     
   • Click Download license, and save the license file to the hard drive.
   
   
   
7. Return to the Manual Authorization screen, and click Continue.
   
   
8. At the Install License screen, submit the license file using one of the following methods:
   
   
   • Paste the data you copied into the License Server Output box, and click Install License.
     
     
   • At the License File box, click Browse to locate the license file on the hard drive, and then click Install License.
   
   
   The License Status screen displays status messages, and Process complete appears when the licensing activation is finished.
   
   
9. Click License Terms, review the EULA, and accept it.
   
   
10. At the Reboot Prompt screen, select when you want to reboot the platform.
    You must reboot the controller to complete the license activation.

To automatically activate a license using the Configuration utility

You can use the Configuration utility to automatically activate a license for a previously-configured 3-DNS Controller and for a new controller. Before you can activate the license, however, you must log on to the Configuration utility.

To open the Configuration utility for an existing 3-DNS Controller

1. Open the Configuration utility using the configured address.
   
   
2. Type your user name and password at the logon prompt, and click OK.
   The Configuration utility home screen displays.

To open the Configuration utility for a new 3-DNS Controller

1. From the administrative work station, open the Configuration utility using one of the following addresses: https://192.168.1.245 or https://192.168.245.245. These are default addresses on the units local area network.
   
   
2. Type the user name root and the password default at the logon prompt, and click OK.
   The Configuration utility home screen displays.

Once you have successfully logged on to the Configuration utility, you can proceed with the automatic license activation.

To automatically activate a license using the Configuration utility

1. Click License Utility to open the License Administration screen.
   
   
2. In the Registration Key box, type the 25-character registration key that you received. If you have more than one key to install, click Enter More Keys to install multiple keys. Once you have entered all registration keys, click Automated Authorization.
   
   The License Status screen displays status messages, and Process complete appears when the licensing activation is finished.
   
   
3. Click License Terms, review the EULA, and accept it.
   
   
4. At the Reboot Prompt screen, select when you want to reboot the platform.
   You must reboot the controller to complete the license activation.

New features and fixes in this release

The 4.6 release contains several new features for the BIG-IP and Link Controller software.

Required configuration changes

Once you have installed the software, you must make the following required configuration changes, if appropriate.

Removing a controller from a sync group

If you are upgrading a 3-DNS Controller that belongs to a sync group, you must remove the controller from the sync group before you apply the upgrade. Once you have upgraded all controllers to the same version, you can then re-create the sync group. Once you have removed the controller from the sync group, you can proceed with the upgrade installation.

Note: You can re-create the sync group once you have upgraded the software for all of the controllers that belong to the sync group.

To remove a controller from a sync group using the Configuration utility

1. In the navigation pane, click 3-DNS Sync.
   The Synchronization screen opens.
   
   
2. In the Remove column, next to the controller that you want to remove from the sync group, click the Remove button.
   A popup screen opens to confirm the removal of the controller.
   
   
3. Click OK.
   The screen refreshes, and the controller is no longer listed as a member of the sync group.
   
   
4. Repeat these tasks for any additional sync group members that you want to remove from the sync group.

Alternately, you can remove the entire sync group, instead of removing the controllers one at a time.

To remove a sync group using the Configuration utility

1. In the navigation pane, click 3-DNS Sync.
   The Synchronization screen opens.
   
   
2. On the toolbar, click Remove this Group.
   A popup screen opens to confirm the removal of the sync group.
   
   
3. Click OK.
   The screen refreshes, and the Add a New Sync Group screen opens, where you can re-create your sync group once you have upgraded the software on all of the controllers that belong to the sync group.
   
   

Known issues

This version of the 3-DNS Controller software is based on version 4.5.9, so for a list of known issues that existed prior to this release, please see the known issues for version 4.5.9 . There are no known issues that apply specifically to the new functionality that we have added to version 4.6.

Note: Any of the known issues from 4.5.9 that we have resolved appear in the New features and fixes in this release section of this release note.

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F5, F5 Networks, the F5 logo, BIG-IP, 3-DNS, iControl, GLOBAL-SITE, SEE-IT, EDGE-FX, FireGuard, iRules, Internet Control Architecture, IP Application Switch, Packet Velocity, SYN Check, CONTROL YOUR WORLD, uRoam, and FirePass are registered trademarks or trademarks of F5 Networks, Inc., in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. F5 Networks' trademarks may not be used in connection with any product or service except as permitted in writing by F5.