This course gives networking professionals a functional understanding of the BIG-IP DNS system as it is commonly used. The course
covers configuration and ongoing management of the BIG-IP DNS system, and includes a combination of lecture, discussion, and hands-on labs.

Audience

This course is intended for system and network administrators responsible for installation, setup, configuration, and
administration of BIG-IP DNS systems.

There are no F5-technology-specific prerequisites for this course: However, completing the following before attending would be helpful for students with limited BIG-IP administration and configuration experience:

Administering BIG-IP instructor-led course or F5 Certified BIG-IP Administrator

The following free web-based courses, although optional, will be very helpful for any student with limited BIG-IP administration and configuration experience.

Getting Started with BIG-IP web-based training

Getting Started with BIG-IP DNS web-based training

The following general network technology knowledge and experience are recommended before attending any F5 Global Training Services
instructor-led course:

OSI model encapsulation

Routing and switching

Ethernet and ARP

TCP/IP concepts

IP addressing and subnetting

NAT and private IP addressing

Default gateway

Network firewalls

LAN vs. WAN

The following course-specific knowledge and experience is suggested before attending this course:

DNS resolution process

Experience configuring DNS content and resolution servers

DNSSEC

Students should be able to:

Provision the BIG-IP system for operation

Back up the BIG-IP system configuration for safekeeping

Describe how the Domain Name System (DNS) resolves host names into IP addresses

Describe how the BIG-IP DNS system can participate in the DNS resolution process

Use DNS Express on the BIG-IP DNS system to accelerate DNS resolution

Cache DNS query responses on BIG-IP DNS to accelerate DNS resolution

Load balance DNS queries to a pool of DNS servers and monitor pool health

Configure the key features of the BIG-IP DNS system to perform intelligent DNS resolution

Describe the LDNS probes used by BIG-IP DNS to support path-based load balancing

Configure a wide IP pool to use a path load balancing method

View and confirm DNS resolution behavior using path load balancing methods

Use static and dynamic load balancing methods to intelligently resolve DNS queries

Use persistence to effectively return one or more clients to the same virtual server on each query

Use manual resume to control certain load balancing behavior in the event of an outage

Configure and use load balancing decision logs to fine-tune and troubleshoot DNS resolution

Configure monitors on the BIG-IP DNS system in support of DNS resolution

Configure BIG-IP DNS to participate in the DNSSEC chain of trust

Configure limit settings on virtual servers, servers, and wide IP pools to temporarily direct client traffic away from resources that may not be performing at certain thresholds of efficiency

Configure iRules on a wide IP to customize intelligent DNS resolution

Describe the other wide IP types provided with BIG-IP DNS

Configure a BIG-IP DNS sync group

Apply all the principles learned throughout the course to configure a BIG-IP DNS system based on hypothetical specifications

Overview of the Domain Name System and DNS resolution flow through BIG-IP DNS

Configuring DNS listeners

Accelerating DNS resolution with DNS Express, DNS cache, and DNS server load balancing

Intelligent DNS resolution with wide IPs and wide IP pools

Using probes and metrics to assist the intelligent DNS resolution process

Intelligent DNS load balancing methods

Monitoring intelligent DNS resources

Logging GSLB load balancing decisions

Using DNSSEC

Integrating iRules in the DNS resolution process

Managing BIG-IP DNS sync groups