F5 Networks, Inc. today announced the F5 Network Virtualization Solution for Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V. The solution gives F5 customers the flexibility to use the BIG-IP platform to deploy network services in cloud-driven data centers that are built on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V. This announcement underscores F5’s commitment to deliver a dynamic, efficient data center that will ensure scalability, security, and manageability across an organization’s IT environments and systems.

With this solution, the same network-based services that the BIG-IP platform provides—such as local and global load balancing, advanced traffic steering, access control, and application security and acceleration—can now also be used to deliver applications in the Microsoft cloud and virtualized network environments. The solution is enabled by F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager^™ (LTM^®) Virtual Edition (VE) running on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V.

Organizations that use Hyper-V network virtualization to realize cost savings and operational efficiencies stand to gain many additional benefits from the F5 solution, including:

• Improved Flexibility – Working in conjunction with Hyper-V
  network virtualization, the F5 solution supports seamless, low-cost
  migration to the cloud by allowing organizations to use the same
  policies and IP addresses in the cloud that they currently use in the
  physical network.
• Cost Savings – The F5 solution accelerates data center
  consolidation by connecting hybrid cloud environments, enabling
  organizations to cut costs while extending their applications and
  services.
• Efficient Network Management – The F5 solution can
  intelligently manage network traffic at layers 4-7, mitigating the
  need for organizations to build and manage large layer 2 networks.
• Streamlined ADN Services – The F5 solution runs on Windows
  Server 2012 Hyper-V, and all services are applied in BIG-IP LTM VE, so
  no software upgrades or special code is required on the physical
  network.