DEVOPSdigest

F5 announced new tools to reduce the immense complexity cross-functional operations (XOps) teams face in managing hybrid, multicloud, and AI-driven application environments.

F5 AI Assistant now provides a single natural language interface across F5 BIG-IP, F5 NGINX One, and F5 Distributed Cloud Services offerings to unify the user experience throughout the F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP). As a new feature for the AI Assistant, F5 iRules code generation introduces a scalable, automated solution for teams at all levels of expertise to customize and program solutions for their specific environments.

F5 AI Assistant with iRules code generation helps customers streamline operations by easing configurations, optimizing processes, and unlocking programmability to elevate enterprise application and security management.

“The programmability of iRules has long proved essential for customers and served as a compelling differentiator,” said Kunal Anand, Chief Innovation Officer at F5. “What we’re doing now is making that power instantaneous. With AI Assistant and iRules code generation, any operator can use natural language to generate or explain iRules on the fly. This means they can adapt to application changes or security events with far greater speed and efficiency, ensuring the policy that protects their infrastructure can evolve as fast as their business does.”

From generating customized iRules to improving security postures, F5 AI Assistant transforms application delivery and security workflows. In the coming months, F5 will continue enhancing agentic AI capabilities within the F5 ADSP to empower XOps teams with more autonomous decision-making, enhanced threat intelligence, and security analytics. Made possible by the continuous advances of the F5 AI Data Fabric in labeling datasets and training specialized models, F5 solutions alleviate operational bottlenecks and allow teams to launch new AI applications and features faster than ever before.

F5 AI Assistant helps reduce Ops overhead and improve decision-making. By embedding real-time, domain-specific intelligence directly into the tools organizations already use, F5 AI Assistant turns previous complexity into actionable guidance for myriad teams, including:

- DevOps: Reduce documentation searches and accelerate innovation by leveraging context-aware intelligence for routine tasks like fine-tuning configurations and deploying APIs.

- SecOps: Prioritize critical risks and speed the mitigation of security incidents using AI-driven insights that reduce false positives, validating and enhancing security settings automatically.

- NetOps: Ensure reliability and scalability with optimized traffic management and app delivery flows, supported by real-time contextual analytics.

- Platform Ops: Drive consistency and efficiency across diverse environments by using intelligent, automated workflows that reduce errors and streamline security and delivery tasks.

- CISOs: Gain confidence that your teams can properly assess application-layer vulnerabilities and emerging business risks while driving informed, aligned, and timely decisions.

F5 iRules are dynamic scripts that modify traffic behavior, optimize routing, and solve challenges beyond standard configurations, empowering teams to tailor their application delivery and security environments to meet unique needs with unmatched precision and flexibility. With over 85% of F5 BIG-IP customers relying on iRules to tailor their environments, the need for faster, more efficient iRules creation and optimization has never been more critical.

F5 AI Assistant with iRules code generation functionality tackles the most challenging aspects of iRules management to enhance precision while minimizing effort, resulting in quicker, more informed IT decisions. From automating workflows to eliminating manual processes, F5 AI Assistant now seamlessly generates validated iRules from a natural language interface, providing a platform for greater efficiency, scalability, and creativity. In addition, F5 AI Assistant will explain iRules components, logic, and functionality to help XOps teams better understand how manual and generated iRules are performing.

With new F5 solutions, customers enjoy faster deployments, improved security posture, and less downtime across mission-critical systems. By enhancing operational agility, F5 AI Assistant helps teams focus on higher-priority initiatives, such as developing new features or enhancing customer experiences.

F5 AI Assistant delivers measurable value for organizations managing complex deployments, including enhancements promoting:

- Speed: Teams can now generate and validate complex iRules in minutes instead of days, dramatically shortening deployment timelines.

- Accuracy: Advanced natural language processing ensures iRules are both syntactically correct and securely validated, reducing configuration errors and oversights.

- Efficiency: By automating tedious configurations and troubleshooting workflows, XOps teams can dedicate more time to pressing security and performance priorities.

- Scalability: F5-trained AI models make it easier than ever to manage distributed applications and APIs at scale, from deployments in private clouds to multicloud environments.

F5 AI Assistant uses proprietary data acquired directly from F5’s engineering expertise in application delivery and security, ensuring outputs are optimized, secure, and tailored to customer needs. The solution’s unified approach empowers teams to reduce blind spots, shift from reactive to proactive workflows, and ultimately operate with greater confidence.

F5 AI Assistant with iRules code generation functionality is available now.