Oct 22, 2002 : F5 Networks Launches New BIG-IP Version

📅 October 22, 2002 - Network equipment maker F5 Networks (F5.com -> hostinger.com) announced on Monday that it has introduced the next generation of its BIG-IP traffic management solution, marking the start of a new networking category called ?application traffic management.?

F5 says the new technology allows customers to apply the benefits of traditional Web and Internet traffic management to any IP-based application, including Web services, enterprise or mobile applications. The protocols used by these applications, including XML, SQL, SIP and others, were previously not understood by network devices unless the functions were designed into the application. F5 says its next generation BIG-IP software offers new features for deploying networks that can understand any application protocol and securely support any IP application.
Key to the operation of the new technology is F5's patent-pending Universal Inspection Engine (UIE) and iRules. The new version of BIG-IP, says F5, can read the value of an IP-based packet header or payload, directing the packet to the appropriate resource.
iRules allow organizations to incorporate application-specific logic into BIG-IP, says F5, eliminating the need for Web services, enterprise and mobile applications to address high availability, security or control within the application itself.
"Once again, F5 is demonstrating its market leadership by delivering the most advanced technology coupled with exceptional value," says Jeff Pancottine, senior vice president of marketing and business development. "With today's pressing need to securely deliver all types of applications over IP, many of our customers' requirements go beyond the capabilities of traditional ITM. Now, with the power of application traffic management and this next generation of BIG-IP, best practice network architectures can be built quickly and inexpensively without having to make massive application changes or buying expensive high-end servers."