Installing the PTF

Use the following instructions to apply the PTF to the BIG-IP, version 4.2. 

Important:  If you are upgrading an IP Application Switch use the installation instructions here.

Apply the PTF to the BIG-IP, version 4.2 using the following process.  The install script saves your current configuration.

1. Connect to the F5 Networks FTP site (ftp.f5.com).
2. Download the correct PTF file to the /var/tmp/ directory on the target BIG-IP.
   • For crypto BIG-IP units, choose PTF-4.2-1-BSD_OS-4.1.im.
   • For non-crypto units, choose NOCRYPTOPTF-4.2-1-BSD_OS-4.1.im.
3. Change your directory to /var/tmp/ by typing:
   cd /var/tmp/
4. Enter the following command to install this PTF:
   
   • For crypto, type:  im PTF-4.2-1-BSD_OS-4.1.im
   • For non-crypto, type:  im NOCRYPTOPTF-4.2-1-BSD_OS-4.1.im
   The BIG-IP automatically reboots once it completes installation.

To upgrade an IP Application Switch or a Compact Flash media drive (SSD), use the following process:

1. Create a memory file system, by typing the following:
   mount_mfs -s 200000 /mnt
2. Type the following command:
   cd /mnt
3. Connect to the FTP site (ftp.f5.com).
4. If you are running the crypto version of the BIG-IP, download the file PTF-4.2-1-BSD_OS-4.1.im from the /crypto/bigip/bigip42 directory.
   If you are running the non-crypto version, download the file NOCRYPTOPTF-4.2-1-BSD_OS-4.1.im from the /nocrypto/bigip/bigip42nocrypto directory.
5. On the BIG-IP, run the im upgrade script, using the file name from the previous step as an argument:
   im /mnt/<file name>

   When the im script is finished, the BIG-IP reboots automatically.

Note:  This procedure provides over 90MB of temporary space on /mnt.  The partition and the im package file are deleted upon rebooting.

Software enhancements and fixes

What's new in this PTF (PTF-01)

SSL Proxy: Improved traffic throttling  (CR20229)
The SSL Proxy is now much more efficient at handling the scenario when the bandwidth between the client and the proxy is significantly less than the bandwidth from the proxy to the server. This is done by limiting the server-to-proxy bandwidth to the bandwidth of the proxy-to-client.

Akamaizer Proxy: improvements to the akamaizer proxy  (CR20167)
Added several improvements that streamline the performance of the akamaizer proxy.

BIG-IP now sends a TCP RST when no routes are available   (CR20114)
BIG-IP now sends a reset (RST) when auto-lasthop is enabled and no route is available. This enhances the performance of clients that do not resend TCP packets.

SSL Proxy: 100% CPU utilization freezes existing connections   (CR19966)
Improved the way the SSL proxy handles prematurely disconnected clients.

BIG-IP is not adversely affected by broadcast pings originating from itself  (CR19901)
BIG-IP is not adversely affected by broadcast pings originating from itself.

Required configuration changes

There are no required configuration changes in this PTF.

Known Issues

The following items are known issues in the current release.

Update status in the LOAD-BAL-MIB.txt (CR17864)
The return status for virtual server status is reversed for ready and disabled.