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  5. Platform Installation
Manual Chapter : Platform Installation

Applies To:

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BIG-IP AAM

  • 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 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

  • 15.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 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

  • 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 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

  • 15.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 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 Analytics

  • 15.0.0

BIG-IP LTM

  • 15.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 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 PEM

  • 15.0.0

BIG-IP AFM

  • 15.0.0

BIG-IP DNS

  • 15.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0

BIG-IP ASM

  • 15.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 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
Manual Chapter
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About platform installation

After you have reviewed the hardware requirements and become familiar with the 1600 platform, you can install the unit.

Determining which rack mounting kit to use

The 1600 platform comes with two types of rack mounting kits: stationary front-mounting and sliding rail-mounting. An advantage of installing the sliding rail-mounting kit is that you can then slide the unit in and out of the rack as needed.

The tasks required to install the platform differ depending on the type of rack mount you decide to use or which type of cabinet unit you are installing into (single two-post cabinet or four-post cabinet).

About general recommendations for rack mounting

Although not required, a 1U space between units makes it easier for you to remove the unit from the rack if that the unit requires service. A 1U space between units also provides additional cable routing options.

Leaving at least 100 mm spacing from the front panel of the unit to the rack front or rack door provides enough room for you to route the cables without excessive bending or insulation damage.

A shelf or similar device is required to support the unit if only one person is installing the unit.

CAUTION:
To prevent personal injury or damage to the unit, F5 Networks strongly recommends that at least two people perform the installation.
Important: This product is sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). F5 Networks recommends that you use proper ESD grounding procedures and equipment when you install or maintain the unit.

Unpacking the platform

The platform ships in a custom-designed package that protects the product during shipment.
CAUTION:
To ensure your safety and to prevent damage to the platform, F5 Networks recommends that you have at least two people remove the platform from the shipping box.
  1. If you have not already done so, open the top of the shipping box.
    Shipping box
  2. Remove the rail-mounting kit and accessory boxes from the foam inserts.
    Foam inserts
  3. Remove the platform from the box and remove the foam inserts.
    Platform removed from box
  4. Remove the platform from the plastic bag.
  5. Place the platform on a flat surface until you are ready to install the platform into a rack.

About the front-mounting kit

You can use the front-mounting kit if you are installing into a two-post rack.

Front-mounting kit hardware

The front-mounting kit includes these parts.

Quantity Hardware
2 front-mounting brackets
4 #6-32 pan head screws

Installing using a front-mounting kit

Before you install this platform, review the environmental guidelines to make sure that you are installing and using the platform in the appropriate environment.
This platform includes front-mounting brackets, which you can use to attach the unit directly to the rack.
  1. Align the bracket's keyhole slots with the PEM fasteners on the side of the unit.
  2. Slide the bracket toward the back of the unit to lock the bracket into place.
    Important: You must secure the bracket to the unit using four of the #6-32 inch screws provided with the platform.

    Front mount bracket installed on a platform
  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the other bracket.
  4. Secure the front-mounting brackets to the rack using four rack manufacturer-provided screws. The unit must be securely fastened to the rack to provide adequate stability and to prevent the unit from falling out of the rack.
    Platform installed using the front-mounting kit
If the rack you have does not provide adequate support for the unit, you might need a shelf kit. We recommend that you use a shelf kit created by the rack manufacturer, if available.

About the rail-mounting kit

Use the rail-mounting kit if you want to be able to slide the unit in or out of the rack for maintenance activities.

Rail-mounting kit hardware

The rail-mounting kit includes these parts.

Quantity Hardware
1 pair of rails (left and right)
4 mounting brackets (two front and two rear)
1 pair of rail lock brackets
8 #8-32 thumb screws
8 #8-32 Keps nuts or wing nuts
4 #6-32 pan head screws
2 #8-32 pan head screws (for rail locks)

Installing the rail-mounting kit hardware

Before you install this platform, review the environmental guidelines to make sure that you are installing and using the platform in the appropriate environment.
  1. Separate the inner rails from the outer rails by fully extending the rails outward and pressing the lever located on the inner rail.
  2. Align the large holes in the inner rails with the PEM fasteners on the unit and then push toward the back of the unit to lock the PEM fasteners to the inner rails. You can secure the inner rails to each side of the chassis using two of the pan head screws that are included with the kit.
    Note: If you need to remove an inner rail from the side of the unit, press the spring clip located on the first PEM fastener, pull the inner rail away from the PEM fastener, and then remove the inner rail from the unit.

    Inner rail on unit
  3. Attach the rail lock brackets to each side of the unit using the rail lock screws that are included in the kit. Use 6 to 7 inch-pounds (0.7 to 0.8 Newton-meters) of torque on these screws.
    Rail mount lock brackets on unit
  4. Slide the outer rails onto the inner rails on the unit.
    Front mounting bracket attached to outer and inner rail
  5. Attach the front mounting brackets to the outer rails, and then slide the front mounting brackets up to the rail locks.
    Note: The front brackets are shorter than the rear brackets.
  6. Secure the front mounting brackets to the outer rails by attaching and hand-tightening the included Keps (or wing) nuts.
  7. Attach the rear mounting brackets to the outer rails.
  8. Secure the rear mounting brackets to the outer rails by attaching and hand-tightening the included Keps (or wing) nuts.
  9. Remove the outer rails and attached mounting brackets from the unit.
  10. Hold the rails and brackets up to the rack, place the front bracket either in front of or behind the cabinet rail (as appropriate for the rack type), and secure it to the rack using at least two thumb screws.
    Outer slide in rack
  11. Adjust the rear bracket until it fits either in front of or behind the cabinet rail (as appropriate for the rack type), and secure it to the rack using at least two thumb screws.

Installing the unit into a rail-mount rack

Once the outer rails are installed into the rack, you can slide the inner rails mounted on the unit into the rack.
  1. Extend the outer rails to the fully-locked position.
  2. Slide the ball retainer on each rail to the front of the rail.
    Proper position of ball retainer in extended outer rail
  3. Align the rear portion of the inner rails to the black plastic alignment pins.
  4. Slide the unit into the rack, fitting the inner rails attached to the unit to the outer rails attached to the rack, and continue sliding the rail to the fully-closed position.
    Note: If the rail stops suddenly or locks, press the levers on the inner rail to enable the rails to slide into the fully-closed position.
  5. Move the unit in and out of the rack to settle the slide operation.
  6. Ensure that all screws and Keps (or wing) nuts are properly tightened.
After installing the platform, secure it to the rack with the rail lock brackets that are provided.

About grounding the platform

You should ground the platform after you install it in a rack. The chassis ground lug is located on the back of the platform.

Do not secure multiple bonding or grounding connectors with the same bolt. The grounding connectors do not need to be removed to perform service or installation procedures. You can connect other bonding or grounding conductors to a grounding connector provided a reliable bond between the connector and the equipment is not disturbed during installation, service, or maintenance of the platform.

Important: All copper grounding cable compression-type terminal lugs used for grounding must meet all appropriate UL standards.
Note: The platform must be grounded to a common bonding network (CBN).

DC ground lugs
Chassis ground lug

Connecting the ground lug to the ground terminal

After the unit is installed in the rack and before you provide power to the system, you need to connect the grounding hardware.
  1. Attach a two-hole grounding terminal lug to 12 AWG copper ground wire.
  2. Install the M6 Keps nuts on the ground terminal lugs. Use 60 to 70 inch-pounds (6.8 to 8.0 Newton-meters) of torque on these Keps nuts.
  3. Connect the ground wire to a common bonding network (CBN).

Connecting the cables and other hardware

After you have installed the unit into the rack, connect the cables and other hardware.

  1. Connect an Ethernet cable to the MGMT port if you are using the default network configured on the management interface.
    Note: For EMI compliance, shielded cables are required for the MGMT port.
  2. Connect the serial console cable supplied by F5 Networks to the CONSOLE port.
    Important: In the event that network access is impaired or not yet configured, the serial console might be the only way to access the unit. F5 Networks recommends that you perform all installations and upgrades using the serial console, as these procedures require reboots, in which network connectivity is lost temporarily.
    Note: The default baud rate is 19200,n,8,1.
  3. For AC-powered systems, connect the power cable to the power input panel, and then connect the cable to the power source. For DC-powered systems, wire the DC power terminal block and connect the power supply to a DC power source.
  4. Connect the serial failover cable to the failover port on each unit if you plan to set up device service clustering (DSC) with hard-wired failover capacity. For more information about configuring failover, see BIG-IP Device Service Clustering: Administration.
  5. If you have not already done so, power on the unit.

You can now assign a management IP address to the system, and then license and provision the software.

Optionally, you should run the latest version of the qkview utility. This utility collects configuration and diagnostic information about your system into a single file that you can provide to F5 Technical Support to aid in troubleshooting. For more information, see http://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/1000/800/sol1858.html.

Configuring a management IP address

You can use the LCD panel to configure the management IP address. The management IP address enables you to access the Configuration utility to configure other aspects of the product, such as the product license, VLANs, and trunks. The options are located in the System menu.
Note: When using the LCD panel to configure the unit, be sure to use the Commit option to save all settings.
  1. Press the X button to activate Menu mode for the LCD.
  2. Use the arrow keys to select System, and then press the Check button.
  3. Press the Check button to select Management.
  4. Press the Check button to select Mgmt IP.
  5. Enter your management IP address using the up and down arrow keys, and then press the Check button.
  6. Use the arrow keys to select Mgmt Mask, and then press the Check button.
  7. Enter the netmask using the up and down arrow keys, and then press the Check button.
  8. Use the arrow keys to select Mgmt Gateway, and then press the Check button.
  9. Enter your default route using the up and down arrow keys, and then press the Check button. If you do not have a default route, enter 0.0.0.0.
  10. Use the arrow keys to select Commit, and then press the Check button.
  11. Press the Check button to select OK.

Licensing the platform

After the management IP address is configured for the platform, you can use the browser-based Configuration utility to license the appropriate BIG-IP software.
  1. Using a Web browser, navigate to the management IP address that you assigned to the platform. Use the following format where <mgmt_ip_address> is the management IP address you assigned: https://<mgmt_ip_address>
  2. Type admin as the user name and admin as the password. If this is the first time you have accessed the Configuration utility, the first screen you see is the License screen.
  3. Follow the instructions in the Configuration utility to license the platform. For more information about licensing the system, click the Help tab.
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