BIG-IP Next Cloud-Native Network Functions (CNFs)

BIG-IP Next Cloud-Native Network Functions (CNFs) Optimize networks, reduce costs, and scale with true cloud-native functionality and unmatched security.

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Scalable, Secure, and Cloud-Native with BIG-IP Next CNF 2.0

Built for Kubernetes, optimized for efficiency

CNF 2.0 is purpose-built for Kubernetes, delivering true cloud-native functionality. It leverages lightweight containers, secure API communication, and independent scaling of data and control planes. These features reduce complexity, lower operational costs, and deliver unmatched flexibility for dynamic network demands.

  • True Cloud-Native Architecture - Built from the ground up for Kubernetes, CNF 2.0 uses lightweight containers, delivering unmatched resource efficiency and scalability.
  • Secure API-Based Communication - Seamless and secure communication across containers enhances system reliability and reduces failure domains.
  • Independent Scaling of Data and Control Planes - Optimally allocate resources with independent scaling, ensuring flexibility for both growing and complex workloads.
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Unmatched scalability and cost efficiency

CNF 2.0 ensures high performance and reduced operational complexity using a disaggregation (DAG) layer for dynamic traffic steering, fast DNS acceleration, and consolidated subscriber services. With resource optimization that cuts CapEx by 60%+, service providers can seamlessly manage growing traffic and reduce costs.

  • Disaggregation (DAG) for Traffic Steering - Efficiently route traffic across CNF pods with dynamic steering, ensuring better resource utilization and high performance.
  • Accelerated DNS Delivery - High-speed DNS acceleration with caching ensures rapid query resolution and minimal latency for dynamic workloads.
  • Resource Optimization for Cost Efficiency - Consolidated services reduce CapEx by 60%+ and streamline operations, lowering OpEx while boosting scalability.

Modern security for modern networks

CNF 2.0 provides advanced security with solutions including stateful firewall, DDoS mitigation, Deterministic CGNAT and IP Intelligences. These capabilities protect against evolving threats, optimize traffic control, and deliver user experiences with lower latency and greater reliability.

  • High-Performance Stateful Firewall - Ensure secure, optimized user experiences for mobile and enterprise applications with intelligent, high-performance traffic management.
  • DDoS Mitigation with Advanced Signatures - Protect against stealthy and high-volume DDoS attacks, safeguarding infrastructure and service availability.
  • Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) - Granular traffic classification enables URL filtering, policy enforcement, and enhanced subscriber-level control.
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Product Overview

Cloud native functions

Unlock the benefits of a cloud-native solution

BIG-IP Next CNFs are easily installed using F5-provided helm charts and configured using custom resources via the Kubernetes API.

BIG-IP Next Edge Firewall CNF

Firewall, DDoS, and Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) technology based on F5’s highly successful BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM).

BIG-IP Next DNS CNF

Enable DNS caching and reduce DNS latency up to 80%. DoH decrypts and resolves DNS queries over HTTPS without impacting RPS.

BIG-IP Next CGNAT CNF

Ease IPv6 migration and improve network scalability and security with IPv4 address management.

BIG-IP Next Policy Enforcer CNF

Improve QoE and ARPU with tools like traffic classification and subscriber awareness.

BIG-IP Next Disaggregation (DAG) CNF

Efficiently route traffic across CNF pods with dynamic steering, ensuring better resource utilization and high performance.

Deployable on NVIDIA BlueField-3 DPUs enabling AI use cases

By deploying on NVIDIA BlueField-3 DPUs, service providers can bring network and security functions closer to end users. This frees compute resources for diverse applications and allows service providers to gain scalable, cloud-native solutions capable of automatically adapting to evolving network demands.

Distributed N6-LAN

Enable efficient and secure processing of N6-LAN traffic at the edge, leveraging the high-performance capabilities of BlueField-3 DPUs to meet the stringent requirements of 5G networks.

AI-RAN

Optimize AI-RAN deployments with dynamic scaling and enhanced security, ensuring that AI workloads are processed efficiently and securely at the edge, improving overall network performance.

Edge AI Security

Deploy advanced AI applications at the edge with the confidence of carrier-grade security and traffic management, ensuring real-time processing and analytics for a variety of edge use cases.

Core Capabilities

Hardware offload
Increase performance by offloading functionality to DPUs.
Consolidated data plane
Offload SSL processing, deploy application delivery and security services anywhere, and protect your applications against the most prevalent attacks.
Carrier-grade services
CNFs include native IPv6 and telco protocol support.
Orchestrated by Kubernetes
A native Kubernetes API is extended with CRDs to ensure F5 products can be configured properly.
Localized Programmability
Rapidly develop tailored solutions for multiple apps with iRules.
Accelerated DNS
High-speed query handling, caching, and secure zone transfers, serving as a DNS server accelerator that ensures minimal latency.

Platform Support and Integrations

BIG-IP Next Cloud-Native Network Functions (CNF) can be flexibly deployed on Kubernetes cloud-native infrastructure

Azure
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Resources

Featured

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Unlocking the Power of Cloud-Native Infrastructures

Explore how F5's BIG-IP Next CNF drives cloud-native innovation. Join our webinar to unlock strategies for agile, scalable network solutions.

Watch the webinar

Solution areas

5G Innovation and Mobility ›

Consolidate and Virtualize the S/Gi-LAN/N6 Functions ›

Videos

Rakuten Symphony Symworld Solutions Powered by F5 CNFs ›

Solution overviews

F5 and NVIDIA Optimize AI-RAN, Distributed N6-LAN, and AI Edge Security ›

F5 BIG-IP Next CNF ›

Recent news

F5 Accelerates AI at the Edge for Service Providers with NVIDIA BlueField-3 DPUs ›

F5 Expands Collaboration with NVIDIA to Turbocharge AI-Powered Edge Innovations ›

Related Products

BIG-IP DNS
Get hyperscale and security during high query volumes and DNS DDoS attacks.
BIG-IP Carrier-Grade NAT
Get fast, scalable, and secure IPv4/IPv6 IP address management as part of a suite of consolidated functions.
BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager
Protect your network against incoming threats, including complex DDOS attacks.
BIG-IP Policy Enforcement Manager
Improve network performance through effective policy management.

Next Steps

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