If you're looking to understand what all the noise is about, here are some links to help get you started: The iWorkflow Wiki home page This is where we will post all of the API documentation and example code to help you achieve new levels of programmable infrastructure driven automation and orchestration. https://devcentral.f5.com/wiki/iWorkflow.HomePage.ashx iWorkflow 101 Series The first episode titled "The Architecture Explained" has been posted. Read this to understand the various elements that will help you speed application deployments, simplify architecture, and reduce exposure to operational risk. https://devcentral.f5.com/articles/iworkflow-101-episode-1-the-architecture-explained-17866 Any other questions? Please don't hesitate to ask! We're here to help! Thanks, Nathan

Hi Nathan, What is the difference between iWorkflow and BIGIQ Cloud ?

Great question, Yann. We started developing our orchestration and integration features and services as part of BIG-IQ - specifically, as the BIG-IQ "Cloud" module, which you mentioned. We have since spilt this functionality out form BIG-IQ, we've added considerably more extensibility/programmability to it, and now we've announced that it will be released separately as the F5 iWorkflow platform. This will be where we focus Programmability & Orchestration (P&O hereafter). Why? Unlike traditional device management system, iWorkflow is policy-centric and presents an integration point for Management and Orchestrations systems, including SDN Controllers. It serves a different set of use case from that of BIG-IQ Centralized Management. Hence, it made sense to separate. iWorkflow support infrastructure integrations with SDN controllers and infrastructure management solutions, in addition to DevOps tools like Chef, Puppet, and Ansible, to name just a few. You can read more about the product split here: https://devcentral.f5.com/articles/the-intrinsic-asymmetric-division-of-big-iq I hope that answers your question sufficiently! Best regards, Nathan

Great question, Yann. We started developing our orchestration and integration features and services as part of BIG-IQ - specifically, as the BIG-IQ "Cloud" module, which you mentioned. We have since spilt this functionality out form BIG-IQ, we've added considerably more extensibility/programmability to it, and now we've announced that it will be released separately as the F5 iWorkflow platform. This will be where we focus Programmability & Orchestration (P&O hereafter). Why? Unlike traditional device management system, iWorkflow is policy-centric and presents an integration point for Management and Orchestrations systems, including SDN Controllers. It serves a different set of use case from that of BIG-IQ Centralized Management. Hence, it made sense to separate. iWorkflow support infrastructure integrations with SDN controllers and infrastructure management solutions, in addition to DevOps tools like Chef, Puppet, and Ansible, to name just a few. You can read more about the product split here: https://devcentral.f5.com/s/articles/the-intrinsic-asymmetric-division-of-big-iq I hope that answers your question sufficiently! Best regards, Nathan

It seems to align well with the DevOps mania, but it's difficult to evaluate what it exactly does without seeing the end-user experience. Would it be possible to answer the following two questions in a 10-minute video/demo format? I'm sure a supplementary demo will be appreciated by those who do not have prior BigIP automation experience. What are the back-end tasks that a knowledgeable engineer has to execute in preparation for the use of iWorkFlow (creation of iApps, definitions of configuration deployment options, etc.)What is the overall look and feel of the iWorkFlow front-end tool for the end-users? (Please deploy something using just the iWorkFlow tool) An interesting product at first sight.

Does anyone have an questions about F5 iWorkflow?

Nathan_Pearce_1
Historic F5 Account
Dec 12, 2016
Hi el-homer,

I'm back from travels now and just wanted to check-in to see you've got everything working?

Regards,

Nathan
el-homer
Nimbostratus
Dec 13, 2016
Hi Nathan, Welcome back. I have reached out to our F5 account team and shared the iHealth info of the iWorkflow and BIG-IP VE. might has to do with the allocated VM resources? anyhow no joy yet. Do you mind sharing your (F5) email where I can send the links to my qkview on iHealth as well?
pirusti_292072
Nimbostratus
May 09, 2017
Hi Nathan, i still didn't understand if there will be an interaction between iWorkflow and BIG-IQ? At my company we have taken 2 licencies , one for iworkflow and the other for big-iq just for valuating the product. Can you explain by mean of a picture the interaction between those 2 components: big-iq and iworkflow. Can iworkflow be a standalone "device", independent from big-iq?
- Mark_59978
  Nimbostratus
  May 09, 2017
  Hi Ledio,
  
  There is currently no interaction between iWorkflow and BIG-IQ. Yes iWorkflow is designed to function as a standalone controller, independent of BIG-IQ. Do you have sometime this week for a demo or discussion? Mark
- Nathan_Pearce_1
  Historic F5 Account
  May 09, 2017
  This is more a question of what operational model would you prefer. 1) automation, or 2) manual operation via a device management tool/controller.
  
  iWorkflow is a platform that presents a catalog of service templates which can be deployed via the iWorkflow Tenant web interface, or the iControlREST API. This is VERY useful for automation. Device/feature management is abstracted from the deployment system.
  
  On the other hand, BIG-IQ is for device management and is focussed on managing devices, features and settings.
  
  The right tool depends on the operating model you wish to adopt. Are you wanting to automate deployments, or manage devices?
  
  iWorkflow is a platform that enables automation/orchestration workflows. BIG-IQ is for device management, by people.
  
  That help?
pirusti
Nimbostratus
May 09, 2017
Hi Nathan, i still didn't understand if there will be an interaction between iWorkflow and BIG-IQ? At my company we have taken 2 licencies , one for iworkflow and the other for big-iq just for valuating the product. Can you explain by mean of a picture the interaction between those 2 components: big-iq and iworkflow. Can iworkflow be a standalone "device", independent from big-iq?
- Mark_59978
  Nimbostratus
  May 09, 2017
  Hi Ledio,
  
  There is currently no interaction between iWorkflow and BIG-IQ. Yes iWorkflow is designed to function as a standalone controller, independent of BIG-IQ. Do you have sometime this week for a demo or discussion? Mark
- Nathan_Pearce_1
  Historic F5 Account
  May 09, 2017
  This is more a question of what operational model would you prefer. 1) automation, or 2) manual operation via a device management tool/controller.
  
  iWorkflow is a platform that presents a catalog of service templates which can be deployed via the iWorkflow Tenant web interface, or the iControlREST API. This is VERY useful for automation. Device/feature management is abstracted from the deployment system.
  
  On the other hand, BIG-IQ is for device management and is focussed on managing devices, features and settings.
  
  The right tool depends on the operating model you wish to adopt. Are you wanting to automate deployments, or manage devices?
  
  iWorkflow is a platform that enables automation/orchestration workflows. BIG-IQ is for device management, by people.
  
  That help?
pirusti
Nimbostratus
May 29, 2017
hi Nathan,

Is possible to import a GTM(DNS) device inside iworkflow, in order to move the tree structure: (gtm<--ltm<--(vip;pool;nodo)) inside iworkflow? My intention is to have the association of vip,pool,node with gtm, becuase we have a gtm for every data-center.
Roderick_Graham
Nimbostratus
Aug 07, 2017
I'm experiencing a very similar issue with BigIP 12.1.1 and an iWorfklow 2.1.0 eval. When I create a new L4-L7 service its status shows "Publication Service Unhealthy: unavailable" . Additionally the virtual server and pool don't get created on the LTM. In my case, iWorkflow and LTM are both configured to use the same NTP servers. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks
pirusti
Nimbostratus
Oct 23, 2017
Hi ,

I have a question: i created some virtual services using iworkflow so with some iapps. Now we need to upgrade our bigip devices. Usually we transfer the UCS file from old bigip to the new one. How does it work with services created with iapps, will i find the same services in the new bigip (discovering the device from iwrokflow) or i have to create all the services from scratch?
pirusti
Nimbostratus
Nov 14, 2017
hi, which version of release of bigip is supported in iworkflow2.3 ? 13.x is supported?
Hurricane_1983_
Cirrus
Feb 15, 2018
Hi Nathan,

I installed iworkflow in my enviroment i added my bigip device into it and later i think that i can see and manage all configurations (vs,pools and nodes) on the bigip.But nothing is imported into iworkflow. I read the below article, it mentions role based access control. I suppose i can create different type of users and i can assign each users different resource from imported config.But as i see that iworkflow provide us only creating new services rapidly and easly.but it does not provide managing existing or manually configured services on bigip devices.

https://www.f5.com/pdf/products/iworkflow-product-overview.pdf
pirusti
Nimbostratus
Feb 27, 2018
Hi Nathan, is there any solution using iworkflow to make some rest calls to bigip devices without using the admin credentials of bigip but maybe using any local user defined inside iworkflow(where we have imported the bigip device) and enabling some rest calls to this user ?

Forum Discussion

Does anyone have an questions about F5 iWorkflow?

Recent Discussions

iRule command to allow IP range to access specific URL

When user goes through LB the server page has stripped information

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED LOST CRYPTOCURRENCY RECOVERY SERVICE/ DIGITAL TECH GUARD RECOEVRY

Help with an I-rule rewrite

When adding new GTM(DNS) to the existing group, if software version is not same, what will happen?

Related Content

What is iWorkflow?

iWorkflow Roundtable

iWorkflow 201 (episode #4) - Developing iApps for iWorkflow

Anyone running virtual BIG-IP Next?

iWorkflow 101 (episode #4) - iWorkflow Cluster and Backup