Introduction

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The following sections provide an overview of BIG-IP LTM devices and the F5 BIG-IP PowerPack:

What is F5 BIG-IP LTM?

F5 Networks' BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) devices manage local system traffic to ensure optimal network and application performance and increase the system's operational efficiency. BIG-IP LTM solutions include BIG-IP appliances, the VIPRION application delivery controller, and software-based BIG-IP Virtual Editions.

What Does the F5 BIG-IP PowerPack Monitor?

The F5 BIG-IP PowerPack enables you to monitor LTM configuration and performance metrics for virtual servers, pools, and member nodes, as well as other chassis and asset information.

The F5 BIG-IP PowerPack includes the following features:

  • Dynamic Applications that discover and monitor F5 BIG-IP LTM devices
  • Device Classes for each of the F5 BIG-IP LTM devices that the F5 BIG-IP PowerPack can monitor
  • Event Policies and corresponding alerts that are triggered when F5 BIG-IP LTM devices meet certain status criteria

Installing the F5 BIG-IP PowerPack

Before completing the steps in this section, you must import and install the latest version of the F5 BIG-IP PowerPack.

By default, installing a new version of a PowerPack overwrites all content from a previous version of that PowerPack that has already been installed on the target system. You can use the Enable Selective PowerPack Field Protection setting in the Behavior Settings page (System > Settings > Behavior) to prevent new PowerPacks from overwriting local changes for some commonly customized fields. For more information, see the section on Global Settings.

Ensure that you are running version 12.1.2 or later of SL1 before installing this PowerPack. For details on upgrading SL1, see the relevant SL1 Platform Release Notes.

To download and install the PowerPack:

  1. Search for and download the PowerPack from the PowerPacks page (Product Downloads > PowerPacks & SyncPacks) at the ScienceLogic Support Site.
  2. In SL1, go to the PowerPacks page (System > Manage > PowerPacks).
  3. Click the Actions button and choose Import PowerPack. The Import PowerPack dialog box appears.
  4. Click [Browse] and navigate to the PowerPack file from step 1.
  5. Select the PowerPack file and click Import. The PowerPack Installer modal displays a list of the PowerPack contents.
  6. Click Install. The PowerPack is added to the PowerPacks page.

If you exit the PowerPack Installer modal without installing the imported PowerPack, the imported PowerPack will not appear in the PowerPacks page. However, the imported PowerPack will appear in the Imported PowerPacks modal. This page appears when you click the Actions menu and select Install PowerPack.