Applies To:
Show VersionsBIG-IP AAM
- 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.5, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.5, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.10, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1
BIG-IP APM
- 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.6, 12.1.5, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.5, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.10, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1
BIG-IP GTM
- 11.6.5, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.10, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1
BIG-IP Link Controller
- 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.6, 12.1.5, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.5, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.10, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1
BIG-IP LTM
- 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.6, 12.1.5, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.5, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.10, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1
BIG-IP DNS
- 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.6, 12.1.5, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0
BIG-IP ASM
- 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.6, 12.1.5, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.5, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.10, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1
iApps components
The iApps framework consists of two main components, application services and templates.
Application services
iApps application services use templates to guide users through configuring new BIG-IP system configurations. An application service lets an authorized user easily and consistently deploy complex BIG-IP system configurations just by completing the information required by the associated template. Every application service is attached to a specific configuration and cannot be copied the way that iApps templates can.
Templates
iApps templates create configuration-specific forms used by application services to guide authorized users through complex system configurations. The templates provide programmatic, visual layout and help information. Each new application service uses one of the templates to create a screen with fields and help that guide the user through the configuration process and creates the configuration when finished.
iApps templates allow users to customize by either modifying an existing template or creating one from scratch. Users can create scratch-built templates using either the iApps Templates screen or any text-editing software.
About iApps templates
iApps application services generate configurations based on application-centric user entries dictated by the template in use.
The BIG-IP system comes with several system-supplied templates that you can use as-is to create your application services. You can also use the system-supplied templates as a starting point for your own templates, or you can write templates from scratch using, variously, tmsh and Tcl for the back-end template implementation section, the iApps application programming language (APL) for the presentation section, and HTML for the help section.
Template sections
- The macro section provides template developers with the ability to develop macros that can create objects.
- The presentation section collects user entries.
- The implementation section uses user entries to build a configuration that will control traffic.
- The help section documents the template and its presentation to users when creating an application service.
Viewing a template's contents
Copying a template
Before modifying any template, you must license the BIG-IP modules used by that template.
Ensure that you have administrator privileges on the BIG-IP system you are using to modify a copied template.
Signing a template
Signatures are one means of determining a template's authenticity. F5-authored and signed templates that have a valid signature display the F5 Verified logo in the Verification column of the Template list. Templates you author and sign that have a valid signature display the Signature Verified logo. The BIG-IP system can use unsigned templates, but if a template is signed and the signature is invalid, the template will fail to load. Checksum verification is the other method used to establish a template's integrity. You cannot use both a checksum and a signature.
You can sign a template that you create so that the BIG-IP system will validate the signature before it loads the template.Adding a checksum to a template
You can use a template with no checksum, but a template with an invalid checksum will not load.
You can add a checksum to an iApps template that you create so that when someone downloads it, they can be confident in the integrity of the template.iControl manipulation of iApp templates
Besides working with iApps templates directly, you can also use iControl for creating and manipulating templates. iControl methods available to use with iApps templates are listed here. For the most up-to-date list of iControl methods for iApps templates, refer to F5 DevCentral (http://devcentral.f5.com).
iControl method | Description |
---|---|
create | Creates a set of application templates. Each template automatically is created with a default empty "definition" action. |
delete_all_templates | Deletes all application templates. |
delete_application_template | Deletes a set of application templates. |
get_action_implementation | Gets the implementation script text for the specified application template actions. |
get_action_list | Gets the names of the actions in the application templates. |
get_action_presentation | Gets the presentation text for the specified application template actions. |
get_action_presentation_help | Gets the HTML help text for the specified application template actions. |
get_description | Gets the descriptions for the specified application templates. |
get_list | Gets the names of all application templates. |
get_version | Gets the version information for this interface. |
set_action_implementation | Sets the implementation script text for a set of actions in an application templates. The implementation is a TMSH script that can use the answers to the questions in the presentation, provided as variables, to create the configuration objects that make up the application service. This script is executed whenever the application is created or modified. |
set_action_presentation | Sets the presentation text for a set of actions in application templates. The presentation contains Application Presentation Language (APL) text that describes what input is needed and how it should be displayed in the UI. |
set_action_presentation_help | Sets the HTML help text for a set of actions in application templates. |
set_description | Sets the descriptions for the specified application templates. |
About application services
An iApps application service lets you create and deploy new configurations by filling out screens with forms generated by the underlying information in the iApps template. Within the BIG-IP Configuration utility, iApps users can manage, reconfigure, and view statistics about an application service once it is created.
About application services deployment requirements
- You must license and provision a template's required BIG-IP modules on all BIG-IP systems that will be using the template.
- If you are modifying a template, ensure that you have sufficient privileges on the BIG-IP system you are using so you can test the template.
iApps user role permissions
The standard BIG-IP user roles have built-in permission settings for iApps. Only certain system user roles can create, edit, or delete templates or application services. All user roles with system access can see the contents of iApps templates and application services.
BIG-IP role | Manage application services? | Edit templates? |
---|---|---|
Administrator | Yes | Yes |
Application Editor | Yes | No |
Certificate Manager | No | No |
Guest | No | No |
Manager | Yes | No |
Operator | No | No |
Resource Administrator | Yes | No |
User Manager | No | No |
tmsh user role name cross-reference
The user roles displayed in the BIG-IP Configuration utility are identified by slightly different names in tmsh. The cross-reference table below shows the Configuration utility user role name and the corresponding tmsh name.
Configuration utility user role name | tmsh value | Associated BIG-IP module |
---|---|---|
Administrator | admin | all |
Application Editor | application-editor | all |
Certificate Manager | certificate-manager | all |
Guest | guest | all |
Manager | manager | all |
No Access | no-access | all |
Operator | operator | all |
Resource Administrator | resource-admin | all |
User Manager | user-manager | all |
Web Application Security Administrator | web-application-security-administrator | ASM |
Web Application Security Editor | web-application-security-editor | ASM |
About the strict updates setting
When you are working in the Application Services properties screen, and select the Advanced view, the Strict Updates field is shown. Selecting Strict Updates protects against accidental changes to an application service's configuration. The Strict Updates setting is on by default when an application service is created.
When the strict updates setting is enabled, users can control only objects that are exposed through the templates.
- nodes
- pool members
- virtual addresses
- virtual servers
Deploying an application service
- On the Main tab, expand iApp, and click Application Services.
- Click Create.
- In the Name field, type the name for your application service.
- From the Template List menu, select a template for your application, and wait for the screen to automatically refresh.
- Configure remaining settings as needed.
- At the bottom of the screen click Finished to save your changes.
- Wait for the application properties to load.
- (Optional) In the Description field, enter information to describe this application service and click Update.