F5 Networks rolls out NGNIX Controller 3 to help developers manage tool sprawl

Seattle-based applications delivery networking solutions provider F5 Networks has introduced the NGNIX Controller 3.0, a cloud-native application delivery solution, the company said in a release.  

The controller combines a set of application services such as load balancing, API (application programming interface) management, analytics and service mesh to help organise different tools and ultimately aid in faster application deployments, according to a statement. 

Further, it provides significant performance and insights along with a lower total cost of ownership.

“Controller 3.0 provides the foundation for the developer and DevOps self-service, at scale. We’ve designed the user experience to be centered on the asset that businesses care about most: their apps,” Gus Robertson, SVP and GM of NGINX at F5, said.

This is the first major product introduction for NGNIX, since it was acquired by F5 networks back in March 2019. The NGNIX controller platform works as a multi-cloud and self-service environment that can consolidate different tools such as DevOps, NetOps and SecOps, helping app developers push out solutions faster.

Also read: Importance of DevOps to high performing enterprises 

The move towards application-centric controllers is seen as a big step away from the traditional infrastructure-centric solutions in the market, the release said. 

F5 said the solution, which is cloud agnostic, contains a built-in certificate manager that stores SSL/TLS certificates securely for easy association with applications. The most visible advantage is a reduction in operational costs of the tool sprawl. This is due to increased visibility of the consolidated tools. 

In IT developers’ parlance, tool sprawl occurs when tools reach a point where they hinder the operations. 

The NGNIX controller also provides analytics and insights such as historical metrics and the ability to view events using an API. This will enable developers to reduce the time taken to update applications or add security features. 

F5 acquired the open-source application delivery company NGNIX on March 2019 in a bid to bolster its multi-cloud applications portfolio across environments. 

The $670-million NGNIX deal and the $1 billion acquisition of Shape Security, an application security solutions provider, saw F5 networks register a 50% increase in its software and services revenue in the quarter ending December 2019. The two acquisitions are expected to help the F5 transition from a hardware company and expand its software services. 

Back in October 2019, F5 networks also announced a strategic partnership with Amazon Web services. A multi-year deal was signed between the two Seattle based companies. The partnership was also seen as a win-win for both sides, with AWS benefitting through more data moving to its cloud and F5 by being able to design more products using its tools, through the client base that AWS has to offer.