Supported platforms

This release supports the following platforms:

• WebAccelerator 4500
• WebAccelerator 400

Important: The WebAccelerator version 5.2 release supports the WebAccelerator 400 platform only if hotfix CR68983 is installed. To obtain this hotfix, contact F5 Networks Technical Support.

Initial Configuration and License Activation

To activate the software, you need a valid license certificate. To obtain a license certificate, the WebAccelerator system provides a registration key and a dossier to the F5 Networks licensing server when you perform the following steps.

To connect to the WebAccelerator system using a terminal emulator

1. Connect the null modem cable to the unit. Use the DB9 port labeled CONSOLE on the unit.
   
   
2. Connect the null modem cable to a serial port on the system with the terminal emulator.
   
   
3. Start the terminal emulator.
   
   
4. Set the emulator to 19200 baud and choose the correct serial device.
   
   
5. Turn on the WebAccelerator system
   
   It may take a moment for the terminal emulator to connect.
   
   
6. At the login prompt, type the user name root and the default password ncwebacc999.
   
   The WebAccelerator system displays the Management Console.

To perform the initial WebAccelerator system configuration

1. At the Management Console's Enter option prompt, type 1, Configure Appliance.
   
   
2. At the prompt, type the password default ncwebacc999.
   
   
3. At the Enter option prompt, type 1, Configure Network.
   
   
4. At the Appliance Hostname prompt, type the WebAccelerator system's host name.
   
   
5. At the Use DHCP prompt, type N.
   
   
6. At the IP address prompt, type the WebAccelerator system's IP address.
   
   
7. At the netmask address prompt, type the WebAccelerator system's netmask address.
   
   
8. At the gateway address prompt, type the WebAccelerator system's gateway address.
   
   
9. At the broadcast address prompt, type the WebAccelerator system's broadcast address.
   
   
10. At the network address prompt, type the WebAccelerator system's network address.
    
    
11. At the primary and secondary nameserver prompts, type the IP address or host name for the primary and secondary DNS servers.
    
    The Main Menu displays.
    
    
12. At the prompt, type S to save the configuration.
    
    The Management Console displays.
    
    
13. At the Enter option menu, type 7, Reboot Appliance to save the changes.
    
    The WebAccelerator system reboots.

To automatically activate a license from the Management Console for first time installation

1. Type the user name root and the default password ncwebacc999 at the log on prompt.
   
   The WebAccelerator system displays the Management Console.
   
   
2. At the Enter option prompt, type 0, License Appliance.
   
   
3. At the Enter base registration key prompt, verify that the 25-character registration key is correct.
   
   
4. At the Do you want to license automatically? [yes|no]: prompt, type y.
   
   The End User License Agreement (EULA) displays.
   
   
5. Review the EULA.
   
   The system is not fully functional until you type y to accept the EULA.
   
   Once you accept the agreement, the WebAccelerator system retrieves the dossier and sends it to the F5 license server. Once the WebAccelerator system receives the signed license file from the F5 license server, it installs the license and displays a message indicating that the licensing process is successful.

New features and fixes in this release

This release includes the following fixes and enhancements.

Pre-defined policies

This WebAccelerator system release includes the following pre-defined policies:

• BEA AquaLogic (Plumtree^® with Collaboration)
• BEA AquaLogic (Plumtree^® without Collaboration)
• BEA WebLogic^®
• Hyperion Financial
• IBM WebSphere^®
• IBM Lotus Domino^®
• Microsoft^® Internet Information Service (IIS)
• Microsoft^® Outlook Web Access (OWA)
• Microsoft^® SharePoint Services
• Oracle^® 11i
• Oracle^® JD Edwards ERP
• Oracle^® Peoplesoft
• Oracle^® Portal
• Oracle^® Siebel CRM
• SAP^® Portal
• Symmetric Deployment
• Level 1 Delivery
• Level 2 Delivery

Web Accelerator 4500 Platform
This WebAccelerator system release includes support for the 4500 platform. This platform includes two 139GB RAID hard drives and redundant power supplies to ensure continuous operation in the event of power supply failure. Additionally, this platform is compliant with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) regulations and meets RoHS guidelines regarding lead-free electronic equipment.

PDF version 1.4 documents (CR65046)
The WebAccelerator system now properly handles PDF version 1.4 documents.

X-PvInfo response header value (CR65047)
The value for the X-PvInfo response header's S code, which under certain conditions was incorrectly displaying a value of 0, now displays the proper value.

Changes in US and Canada Daylight Saving Time (CR73948)
The Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was passed by the US Congress in August 2005, changed both the start and end dates for Daylight Saving Time in the United States, effective March 2007. Canada is also adopting this change. The resulting changes have been addressed in this version of the product software. To find out more about this issue, refer to SOL6551: F5 Networks software compliance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Required configuration changes

After you install the WebAccelerator software, or any time you modify the pvsystem.conf file, you must stop and restart the WebAccelerator system, by typing the following commands:

service pivia stop
service pivia start

Known issues

The following items are known issues in the current release.

Loading policies during initial WebAccelerator software installation (CR68441)
When performing the initial installation of the WebAccelerator software, a policy may fail to load. If this occurs, the WebAccelerator system reports the failure in the installation log, and the policy does not display in the pre-defined policy list. To view the installation log, type the /tmp/pvinstall.log command. If the installation log reports missing policies, see Installing policies manually in the Workaround for known issue section.

pvac stack trace reports error (CR68783)
When the pvac process shuts down for any reason (for instance, if you use the /etc/init.d/pivia stop and /etc/init.d/pivia stop restart commands to shut it down manually, or if you reboot the WebAccelerator system), or when you view the version information using the /etc/init.d/pivia versionx, the pvac stack trace reports the following error message: Caught terminating signal, probably due to invalid application state. This error is benign.

Network configuration script (CR68985)
The network configuration script does not validate network configuration settings, and the Management Console does not report any existing network misconfigurations. To avoid issues, verify your network configuration settings carefully before rebooting the WebAccelerator system. If you discover an error in your network configuration, rerun the network configuration script and correct the issue before rebooting.

Licensing the WebAccelerator system from the Management Console (CR72027)
If you attempt to license, from the Management Console, a WebAccelerator system that does not have a route to the F5 license server, the licensing process fails and you receive a Network unreachable error. To work around this issue, license the WebAccelerator system using the procedure described in SOL6697: Installing a license from the command line.

Providing the dossier for licensing (CR70231)
When you are using the Management Console to manually license the WebAccelerator system, the dossier does not display properly. To work around this issue, license the WebAccelerator system using the procedure described in SOL6697: Installing a license from the command line.

Workaround for known issue

The following section describes the workaround for the corresponding known issue listed in the previous section.

Installing policies manually

If the installation log reports missing policies after you perform the initial installation of the WebAccelerator software, perform the following steps to install the missing policies manually.

To manually install missing policies

1. Type the following command:
   

   /etc/init.d/pivia import_config -f /opt/pivia/dac/policies/predefined/FAILED_POLICY.xml -c /opt/pivia/dac/conf/pvsystem.conf -a administrator -p PASSWORD -r -u -y

   Where:
   
   PASSWORD is the administrator password you assigned when you installed the WebAccelerator software.
   FAILED_POLICY.xml is the name of the missing policy, as reported in the installation log.

2. After the policy loads, reboot the WebAccelerator system by typing the following command:

   reboot

Copyright © 2006, F5 Networks, Inc., Seattle, Washington. All rights reserved.
F5, F5 Networks, the F5 logo, BIG-IP, 3-DNS, iControl, Internet Control Architecture, IP Application Switch, iRules, OneConnect, Packet Velocity, SYN Check, Control Your World, ZoneRunner, uRoam, FirePass, TrafficShield, Swan, WANJet, and WebAccelerator are registered trademarks or trademarks, and AskF5 is a service mark, 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.

This product protected by U.S. Patents 6,505,230; 6,640,240; and 6,772,203.