F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager provides robust network protection with advanced DDoS features and efficient load balancing. Its design prioritizes scalability and ease of management, catering to securing data centers and applications.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) | 1.6% |
| Cloudflare | 13.2% |
| Imperva Application Security Platform | 8.1% |
| Other | 77.1% |
| Type | Title | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Product | Reviews, tips, and advice from real users | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Comparison | F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Radware DDoS | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Comparison | F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Cloudflare | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Comparison | F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Arbor DDoS | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Title | Rating | Mindshare | Recommending | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | 4.3 | 13.2% | 96% | 79 interviewsAdd to research |
| Cloudflare One | 4.3 | 3.7% | 100% | 23 interviewsAdd to research |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 8 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 5 |
| Large Enterprise | 12 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 76 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 20 |
| Large Enterprise | 59 |
F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager is a strategic choice for combating cyber threats, including DDoS attacks. With powerful network defenses, integrated WAF, and adaptable capabilities, it efficiently handles web services on-premise and in the cloud. Users value its application-level threat defense with IP blocking and AI-enhanced reporting. Advanced integration with SIEM solutions allows comprehensive monitoring and enhanced threat detection through dynamic resource allocation. However, areas for improvement include better dashboard statistics and pricing adjustments. Enhancing integration with BIG-IQ and intuitive configuration would streamline its operation. Automatic geolocation updates and improved support could address current challenges alongside its high cost and complex initial setup.
What are the standout features?F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager is widely used in sectors requiring stringent security measures, such as finance and healthcare. These industries deploy it as a data center and web application firewall to protect against cyber threats, manage client connections, and ensure the security of on-premise and cloud applications.
F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) was previously known as F5 AFM, F5 Advanced Firewall Manager.
City Bank, Ricacorp Properties, Miele, American Systems, Bangladesh Post Office
| Author info | Rating | Review Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Information Security Engineer at BigFish Enterprise Ltd. | 4.5 | I've used F5 BIG-IP AFM for 2–3 years and find it stable, scalable, and easy to use, especially for DDoS protection, though I believe the pricing could improve and better cloud integration would be valuable. |
| System Advisor at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees | 4.5 | I use F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) to secure my application against attacks and manage global client connections. Its most valuable features include stability, security, and scalability. Improvements could include enhanced security features and more competitive pricing. |
| Network Security Engineer at IIPL | 4.0 | I provide F5 solutions for load balancing and API security using AFM and BIG-IP. The IP Intelligence and AI-driven behavioral analysis are valuable, but zero-day attack prevention needs improvement compared to competitors like Palo Alto. Integration with SIEM enhances security monitoring. |
| Network and Security Engineer at Malam Engineering PLC | 4.0 | I have used F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager for two years in government. Its features effectively secure the network, though the price is a challenge. Setup was easy, and I recommend it, rating it 8/10. |
| IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital | 4.0 | I found F5 BIG-IP AFM valuable for its web application firewall, enhancing our cloud migration. While NGINX's load balancing features need improvement, the cost-effective security makes F5 a worthwhile investment compared to our previous Fortinet firewall use. |
| Network Administrator at Bank of Abyssinia | 4.5 | I use F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager to establish both clientless and client VPNs, as well as to monitor, block, and filter traffic between environments. It's easily deployable with great functionality, but the UI needs improvement and it requires high CPU power. |
| Sr. Architect at NBC Universal | 4.0 | We use F5 BIG-IP AFM as a data center firewall for approximately 10,000 users. Its performance is commendable, although it doesn't fully meet edge firewall needs. The setup is straightforward, and we haven't used another solution previously. |
| Chief Technology Officer, Senior Executive Vice President at Midland Bank Plc | 4.0 | I primarily use F5 BIG-IP AFM for web and mobile application security, including DDoS protection. The platform's WAF feature is valuable, but I seek improvements in API discovery and pricing options to better align with our budget. |
| Director Comercial at Ngeek Consulting "Suigeneris Tech" | 4.0 | I implemented F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager to protect our clients' DNS and applications from DDoS attacks, ensuring service availability. Its dashboard could improve in providing detailed statistics and graphical reports, enhancing understanding of security during attacks. |
| Head of security of digital systems, electronic databases and networks at Ukreximbank | 4.5 | We use F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager for load balancing and as a web application firewall. The initial setup is challenging. Before this, we used Arbor and Radware. |
I am starting to learn and working with F5 team to conduct a proof of concept, and I do have experience with F5 Rules for AWS WAF.
I have experience with BIG-IP, not BIG-IQ, and I may have experience with F5 bot management or BIG-IQ.
I work with BIG-IP for LTM, and I also work with F5 BIG-IP DNS.
I also mention F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM).
I have been working with F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) for around two or three years.
I think the DDoS features are valuable in F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM), and I recommend it usually for certain types of companies.
I find it easy to use, so when it comes to performance, I am satisfied with F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM). The product is stable, scalable, and easy to use. It is also easy to implement.
Currently, there are no weaknesses or disadvantages in F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) that I have identified.
It is a little bit expensive, and I think about additional features they could have in the future to make it even better. For example, I have thoughts about the price.
Currently, it does not integrate, and I would assess the importance of F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)'s integration with cloud services as significant.
Currently, I use only one site, and I cannot tell you about F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) centralized security policies.
I have not used F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)'s Threat Intelligence capabilities. I have not used their dynamic traffic shaping feature. So far, the only thing that could be improved is the pricing of F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM).
I have been working with F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) for around two or three years.
I rate the technical support by F5 a ten from one to ten.
Positive
On the on-premises side, I cannot see any competitor. I do not see any good competition to F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) or any DDoS solutions that might be better than F5.
I am still with F5.
I am currently working with WAF, Cloud WAF, and on-premises solutions, something like NGINX App Protect or Distributed Cloud Services.
I am talking about Web App and API Protection.
I am not working with NGINX API Gateway.
I am a reseller operating as MSI.
I rate this review a nine out of ten.
Positive
I provide F5 solutions to load balance application servers behind their network. I also work with API security, protecting their APIs with AFM and BIG-IP.
I provide load balancing features for managing incoming traffic. I use AFM's IP Intelligence to create custom feeds for enhancing firewall capabilities. The solution provides behavioral analysis via AI to detect malicious traffic. It integrates with logging and SIEM solutions for comprehensive monitoring and security.
F5 should increase its capability to prevent zero-day attacks. Having advanced technology similar to other vendors like Palo Alto for zero-day attack prevention would be valuable.
I have been working with these solutions for eight to nine months.
I do not have any complaints regarding the scalability.
The customer service is excellent, and I rate it ten out of ten.
Positive
The setup is relatively easy but not as simple as other firewalls like Palo Alto and FortiGate. I would rate the setup around eight to nine out of ten.
If considering a one-stop solution that provides load balancing, DNS security, AAA authentication, and firewalling on the same hardware, the cost is reasonable.
I recommend AFM for those who want to include firewalling along with load balancing. I rate the F5 Advanced Firewall Manager around eight out of ten.
The overall product rating is eight out of ten.
The features of F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager that have proven most effective in securing the network are significant. The user mentioned that these features are valuable in security management, suggesting that they find the product attractive for their needs.
I have encountered challenges with the price of the solution. Apart from the price, I feel no other areas need improvement.
I have used the solution for two years.
I would rate the stability of F5 at eight out of ten.
I would rate the scalability of F5 as six out of ten. While there is room for improvement, it somewhat meets the scalability requirements.
The initial setup was easy for me.
The price of the solution presents a challenge.
Based on my experience, I recommend F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager to other people.
I would rate this solution overall as eight out of ten.
It's very helpful in mitigating DDoS attacks. It helps us with our database and provides defence in areas we aren't focused on.
The web application firewall has been very helpful. We purchased F5 when we were migrating our applications to the cloud.
So it has the capability to move to the cloud, providing us with that opportunity in the future.
BIG-IP utilize AI and it is very helpful in gathering reports and collaborating all the reports for reporting to our executives.
NGINX, which F5 purchased, has room for improvement in its features, particularly its load balancing or application load balancing features.
I've been using F5 for around four years.
BIG-IP supports our organizational growth because we publish applications externally. Many of our clients appreciate the convenience it adds for them as patients.
It also helps our team check on the features of our websites more thoroughly. They feel we are more advanced now because of the features we have published with the help of F5.
I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
We're looking into the cloud. More on-prem devices would require more resources. For now, our focus is on cloud migration.
We only used Fortinet products, just the firewall.
The installation itself was quite difficult, and then the integration also presented some issues. We haven't encountered any issues with integration so far.
The installation took about four hours, but integrating all our applications with AFM took around two to three days.
So, in total, it took about two to three days to prepare it for usage.
We use the on-prem version, and we are planning to use the cloud version in the future, hopefully within the next two years.
There are cost reductions. We saw a reduction when we purchased it, but the costs have added up. However, if you consider the security F5 provides, it's efficient and the best purchase. Instead of focusing on the cost, consider the value of having F5 on-premises. It's a win-win situation.
Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten.
We use the solution to establish a clientless VPN and the client VPN. We also use the solution to monitor traffic, block traffic, and filter traffic between the external and internal fixed environments.
The solution is easily deployable and has great functionality.
The solution's UI could be improved. The solution takes a high CPU computing power.
More than 1,000 users use the solution in our organization.
The solution's initial setup is straightforward.
If the environment is correctly set up to be fully functional, deploying the solution takes less than an hour. We implemented the solution through an in-house team.
You have to deploy the solution on some virtual machines. After we have deployed, we have to configure the interface. Once it is deployed and the virtual interface is completed, we apply the security policy and security profile.
F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager is not an expensive solution.
The solution has great functionality and many capabilities. I recommend the solution for businesses because you get all the needed functionality in one place.
Overall, I rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Our company uses the solution as a data center firewall.
It is hard to determine all users within our infrastructure. It depends on systems we put behind the solution. Its internal but also a data center firewall. Sometimes, there are hooks from the solution to our external infrastructure or external into internal. A ballpark range is that we have 10,000 users.
The solution's performance and granularity are very good.
The setup and functionality are fairly straightforward.
The solution doesn't really meet our requirements for an edge firewall. It meets the requirements for a data center and that is the intended use of the base product.
I have been using the solution for ten years.
The solution is stable so I rate stability a nine out of ten.
The solution is scalable so I rate scalability an eight out of ten.
If technical support provides correct information, then I rate their help an eight out of ten.
Positive
We did not use another solution prior to F5.
The setup is straightforward so is rated an eight out of ten.
We implement the solution in-house. Deployment time depends on the scope of our customer's project.
We have centralized deployment management so pushing out our base setup is fairly simple and quick. A project scope dictate the timeline which can span one to six months.
If we have a six-month timeline, that means that we are handling every ancillary aspect like the AFI, AFM, network infrastructure, application infrastructure, the core network features, and anything else related to F5.
We have an atypical infrastructure so projects pass through teams in architecture, design, engineering, and operations.
Overall, we have a group of five to ten technicians who manage firewall rules. Three people on the administration team handle management of yearly or intermittent security patches that need to be applied.
The solution is slightly on the higher priced side, so I rate pricing a six out of ten.
Before choosing a solution, it is important to do background research and conduct evaluations across comparable products.
I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
We use AFM mainly for web and mobile application security. We use the DDoS protection feature as well.
We are a financial institution and, thus, have a mandatory policy for IT security. The product helps us provide security validation by protecting various applications from getting hacked.
The platform has a valuable WAF feature.
We are looking for API discovery and protection-oriented solutions. F5 could provide a distributed cloud version. Additionally, they should give better pricing options to justify the ROI. It would help make investments within the budget considering the use cases. If both the criteria match, I can opt for it or look for other alternatives.
We have been using F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) for three years.
It is a stable product.
Our organization has 1000 F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) users. It is a scalable platform.
The technical support services are good.
Positive
The initial setup has no complexity.
The implementation team involves one admin executive and five engineers from our partner's team.
We have purchased a five-year licensing package for the product.
I rate F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) an eight out of ten. The users need to be careful about the use cases they are looking for. The product is good enough. However, there could be a distributed cloud application model for API security.
In the past three years, I implemented Advanced Firewall Manager to safeguard our clients' DNS solutions and protect applications from DDoS and BPOS attacks. This involved securing DNS queries and ensuring resilience against various cyber threats.
The most valuable features of Advanced Firewall Manager are its effectiveness in protecting applications from DDoS attacks, ensuring service availability, and safeguarding against infrastructure and application-level threats. It excels in preventing downtime and maintaining application performance, which is crucial for our clients' security and operational continuity.
There is room for improvement in Advanced Firewall Manager's dashboard statistics, especially during attacks. Enhancements in graphical representation and more detailed reports would be beneficial for a more comprehensive understanding of the security landscape.
I have been using Advanced Firewall Manager for seven years.
In terms of stability, Advanced Firewall Manager performs well. Logging is straightforward, allowing for easy analysis and integration with other solutions. It provides detailed logs during attacks, facilitates in-depth review, and supports integration with SNMP for added insights into security events.
Advanced Firewall Manager scales well with a flexible SKN architecture, allowing easy capacity and high availability expansion. This scalability extends to hybrid setups, enabling consistent policies and configurations across on-premise and cloud environments through the BigIQ solution. It ensures seamless synchronization for efficient management.
Contacting F5 support for issues, especially related to traffic, attacks, or platform bugs, is easy and communication is straightforward. However, there is room for improvement in the support team's accuracy, as sometimes their recommendations may not directly address the reported issues, leading to a need for clearer and more relevant guidance. I would rate the support as a seven out of ten.
Neutral
The installation could be moderately complex, involving the implementation of new traffic flows and applications into the network for protection. Deployment for Advanced Firewall Manager for one application takes approximately one week. However, the technical configuration itself, focused on proactive platform setup and protection, can typically be accomplished in about a day.
Deploying Advanced Firewall Manager usually involves around five people, covering security, network, application, support, and project teams.
While Advanced Firewall Manager comes with a relatively higher price, it aligns with the platform's benefits, stability, and warranty.
Overall, I would rate F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager as an eight out of ten.
We use the solution for load balancing and WAF (web application firewall).
The solution's initial setup is not easy.
I have been using F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) for three years.
F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager is a stable solution.
I rate F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager a nine out of ten for stability.
F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager is a scalable solution. Two administrators from IT use the solution for load balancing, and two administrators from security use it for WAF.
We previously used Arbor and Radware.
We implemented the solution through a consultant.
For our services, the solution took nearly three months to deploy.
We need to pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution.
I would recommend F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager to other users.
Overall, I rate F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager a nine out of ten.
