F5 BIG-IP Next
The next-generation BIG-IP, redesigned for the AI era — a delivery engine optimized for Kubernetes and AI workloads.
BIG-IP Next (v21.0) reduces operational friction and accelerates data movement. It strengthens AI data delivery with S3 profiles, MCP support, and post-quantum cryptography, and BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes integrates with NVIDIA BlueField DPUs.
What Is BIG-IP Next
BIG-IP Next (v21.0) is the next-generation platform that redesigns BIG-IP for the AI era. Its modernized architecture reduces operational friction and management complexity while accelerating data movement, with particular optimization for Kubernetes and AI inference workloads. BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes integrates with NVIDIA BlueField DPUs to offload network and security processing, keeping GPU resources focused on inference.
Key Capabilities
S3 profiles
Optimized AI data delivery
Model Context Protocol (MCP) security
Minimizes AI data-leakage risk
Post-quantum cryptography (PQC)
Hardened API and DNS security
BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes
L4–L7 firewall, IPS, and DDoS + BlueField DPU offload
BIG-IP vs BIG-IP Next
| Aspect | BIG-IP (Classic) | BIG-IP Next (Next-Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Traditional monolithic platform | Modernized, modular, API-first |
| Operations | Per-device management | Centralized and automated to reduce friction |
| AI & K8s | Add-on configuration | Optimized for Kubernetes and inference workloads |
| Acceleration | - | BlueField DPU offload integration |
What It's Used For
AI inference cluster delivery
Accelerated data delivery for Kubernetes-based inference services
A single delivery layer
Standardized, consistent delivery across hybrid and multicloud
Next-generation security
Proactively protect AI data paths with PQC and MCP security