F5 BIG-IQ Reviews

Enterprise buyers report that F5 BIG-IQ pricing is reasonably affordable, rated eight out of ten. Licensing fees typically depend on the number of devices, and there is one comprehensive fee. Opinions on cost vary; some suggest the product should be cheaper, while others find it priced well or even cheap. An annual subscription fee is required for the iSeries solution. Few users manage pricing directly, often leaving this to product managers.

• "Users have to pay an annual subscription fee for the solution's iSeries."
• "F5 BIG-IQ is a cheap solution."
• "There is only one licensing fee for F5 BIG-IQ and everything is included in the price."

Users primarily utilize F5 BIG-IQ for internet-facing web application security, load balancing, and centralized management of F5 appliances. They deploy it on-premises and in the cloud to handle tasks like backups, monitoring, software upgrades, and configuration. It supports managing web-based services, email, and interfaces such as internet banking. F5 BIG-IQ also aids in deploying data centers by securing and handling SSL panels on servers.

Technical support for F5 BIG-IQ is frequently praised as experienced, supportive, and knowledgeable by users globally, including Qatar and Vietnam. They rate their service between seven and ten, equating it to industry leaders like Cisco. However, some users face challenges due to delays in response when tickets are elevated, occasionally requiring direct engagement with F5 instead of partners for better efficiency during upgrade processes.

F5 BIG-IQ initial setup varies in complexity. Some users find it straightforward, while others experience challenges, particularly when migrating from Microsoft systems or due to the Linux-based setup requiring command knowledge. Deployment time ranges from two hours to three months, influenced by use case complexity. Issues are noted with cloud deployments, especially on non-VMware platforms. Users report difficulties in integration and dashboard analytics, impacting management reporting. Configuration auto-setup assistance eases the process for some.

F5 BIG-IQ demonstrates excellent scalability, allowing configuration movement between environments, accommodating both scaling up and down. Version choice impacts scalability, with some mediumsized variants handling traffic efficiently for numerous users. Administrators appreciate its ease in expanding capacity, echoed by praise for its seamless hardware updates and capacity upgrades. Suitable for medium to large businesses, the device excels with multiple instance management. Some express concerns about scalability limitations on traditional setups, common in on-premises platforms. Utilization across several users confirms its effectiveness.

F5 BIG-IQ is rated as both highly reliable and unstable by different users. While many express satisfaction with its performance and reliability, others report issues when handling extensive operations like telemetry, causing high CPU usage. Some users experience crashes and glitches, especially in complex setups or integrations. The stability compared to F5 BIG-IP is sometimes questioned, with specific cases pointing to frequent connection drops and troubleshooting challenges, though some give it high marks for reliability.