You can see it againUnder pressure people bring back shapes and positions long after the wording has gone.
Picture superiority · Shepard 1967, Standing 1973
F5F5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP APM
The F5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP APM certification validates your ability to implement, troubleshoot, and maintain BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) across a variety of application environments. It focuses on authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) resources, SAML federation, access control lists, and single sign-on. Earning this credential demonstrates that you can secure and manage access to applications using F5's TMOS-based solutions.
Exam formatProctored exam
Duration90 minutes
DeliveryPearson VUE
Passing score245
Free questions760
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What 304 proves, and what it asks of you
What this certification covers, who it is written for, and what the exam itself looks like on the day.
4domains
42objectives
224concepts
US $180exam fee
What it is
What this certification is
What it validates, who it is written for, and the experience it assumes.
About this certification
The F5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP APM certification validates the skills and understanding required for day-to-day management of application delivery networks that incorporate technologies based on the TMOS operating system. It emphasizes the implementation, troubleshooting, and maintenance of BIG-IP APM in various application environments, with special focus on different types of authentication, authorization, and accounting resources.
Candidates who earn this certification demonstrate proficiency in configuring SAML federation, defining Layer 4 and Layer 7 access control lists, applying single sign-on profiles, and understanding all access policy modes. This credential is a prerequisite for the Security Solutions Expert certification track, making it a foundational step for professionals pursuing advanced security expertise.
Who it’s for
This certification is for network and security professionals who manage application delivery networks and need to implement, troubleshoot, and maintain BIG-IP APM in a variety of application environments. It is ideal for those who work with authentication, authorization, and accounting resources, SAML federation, and access control. The minimally qualified candidate is proficient in various authentication mechanisms used to provide security and access management for different types of applications, and can configure, implement, troubleshoot, and maintain BIG-IP APM without assistance.
Recommended experience
F5 recommends that candidates have a valid F5-CA, BIG-IP certification and hands-on experience with BIG-IP APM in production environments. Experience with BIG-IP LTM and APM modules; Understanding of authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) resources; Familiarity with SAML federation and single sign-on concepts; Knowledge of access control lists and portal objects
The syllabus
What you’ll learn
Every domain and objective F5 measures, with the weight they carry on the exam.
The official F5 exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
Section 1: Assess security needs and requirements to create an APM policy
- Objective 1.01 Explain how APM mitigates common attack vectors and methodologies (e.g., cookie hijacking [front and back], DoS attack)
- Objective 1.02 Identify which APM tool(s) should be used to mitigate a specific authentication attack
- Objective 1.03 Explain how APM uses and manages session cookies (domain, host, multi-domain)
- Objective 1.04 Explain the differences among access methods (e.g., network, portal, access management)
- Objective 1.05 Determine the appropriate access method for a use case or set of requirements
- Objective 1.06 Explain how APM interacts with commonly used applications (e.g., Microsoft Exchange, Citrix, VMware View, SharePoint)
- Objective 1.07 Explain the differences among logging levels (e.g., performance implications, security implications, information provided)
- Objective 1.08 Determine appropriate logging methods and verbosity levels to meet specified requirements
Section 2: Configure and deploy an access profile
- Objective 2.01 Determine the circumstances under which it is appropriate to use an APM specific profile (i.e., access, connectivity, rewrite, VDI and Java support)
- Objective 2.02 Determine the circumstances under which it is appropriate to use a non-APM specific profile (e.g., ServerSSL, Web Acceleration, Compression)
- Objective 2.03 Explain how to create and assign an SSL profile
- Objective 2.04 Determine appropriate SNAT settings to meet access requirements for Network Access (e.g., VoIP, Active mode FTP, Remote Desktop to Network Access Clients)
- Objective 2.05 Explain the characteristics (e.g., pros and cons, restrictions, security implications, HA setup) of available AAA profiles
- Objective 2.06 Explain the characteristics (e.g., pros and cons, restrictions, security implications) of available SSO profiles
- Objective 2.07 Explain the implications of passwordless authentication options in APM and how they affect SSO (e.g., SAML, Client certificate, NTLM-end-user)
- Objective 2.08 Explain how to configure AAA profiles (e.g., HTTP Basic, AD, LDAP, Radius, TACACS, KERBEROS, RSA, SAML, OCSP, CRLDP)
- Objective 2.09 Explain techniques to simultaneously configure multiple AAA profiles ( e.g., two-factor)
- Objective 2.10 Explain how to configure SSO profiles (e.g., HTTP Basic, NTLM, KERBEROS, SAML, Forms)
- Objective 2.11 Explain how to configure SAML use cases (e.g., IDP, SP, IDP-initiated, SP-initiated)
- Objective 2.12 Describe how to add and remove client and machine certificates
- Objective 2.13 Determine appropriate deployment option(s) to meet network access requirements (e.g., standalone edge client, browser components, mobile apps)
- Objective 2.14 Explain how to configure access methods (e.g., network [SNAT vs. Routed Mode], portal [rewrite options], application, app tunnel, LTM+APM)
- Objective 2.15 Determine appropriate access methods (e.g., network, portal, application, LTM+APM) to meet requirements
- Objective 2.16 Explain how to configure and assign ACLs (e.g., L4, L7, static, dynamic, default action, iRule events, logging options)
- Objective 2.17 Identify resource types for which associated ACLs are automatically created (e.g., remote desktop, portal access, application tunnels)
- Objective 2.18 Describe the ACL action types and their functions (e.g., allow, continue, discard, reject)
- Objective 2.19 Describe methods to map Microsoft Active Directory groups to assigned resources
- Objective 2.20 Explain the use of APM session variables (e.g., session flow, use in iRules, variable assign policy item)
- Objective 2.21 Explain access policy flow and logic (i.e., branching, loops, macros [when and how to use them])
- Objective 2.22 Describe the use and configuration of endpoint checks (e.g., registry check, process check, Windows info, machine cert auth)
- Objective 2.23 Describe customization options for an access policy (logon page, webtop, network access, language)
Section 3: Maintain APM access profiles
- Objective 3.01 Interpret device performance information (e.g., dashboard, statistics tab, ACL denied report)
- Objective 3.02 Identify necessary software maintenance procedures to address a given condition
- Objective 3.03 Determine how upgrades on production systems affect end users (e.g., client components and high availability failover)
Section 4: Identify and resolve APM issues
- Objective 4.01 Explain the purpose and function of client side components (e.g., DNS Proxy Relay service, Component Installer service for Windows, User Logon Credentials Access Service for Windows)
- Objective 4.02 Interpret client and machine certificates (e.g., subject, issuer)
- Objective 4.03 Interpret an HTTP protocol trace collected with a client side tool (e.g., HTTPWatch, Fiddler, Paros, Live Headers)
- Objective 4.04 Explain how to use capture utilities (e.g., SSLDump and TCPDump)
- Objective 4.05 Analyze and interpret APM-specific log files (e.g., APM, SSO, rewrite)
- Objective 4.06 Describe the use of built-in trouble-shooting tools (e.g., web engine trace, F5 Troubleshooting Utility, SessionDump, ADTest tool, LDAP search)
- Objective 4.07 Diagnose and resolve authentication issues (e.g., client>APM, APM>AAA, APM>SSO)
- Objective 4.08 Diagnose and resolve client side issues related to connections, performance, and endpoint inspection
On the day
The exam itself
Everything F5 publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
Valid F5-CA, BIG-IP certification
Exam code304
CertificationF5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP APM
Exam formatProctored exam
Duration90 minutes
Passing score245
DeliveryPearson VUE
LanguagesEnglish
PricingUS $180
After you pass
Where this credential goes next
The path F5 lays out, how the credential is kept, and where to book.
Step-by-step path to F5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP APM
PrerequisiteValid F5-CA, BIG-IP certification
Credential earnedF5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP APM Certification Lifecycle status
This certification is currently active and available. F5 maintains this certification to validate current skills and industry relevance.
Exam status: ActiveMaintained by F5
Exam registration
Register for the exam through Pearson VUE, F5’s authorized testing partner.
Schedule your examVisit the official F5 certification page for exam policies and requirements.
View the official pageYour coach
And when you are serious, your coach Pip takes over
Your coach in the app reads what you have answered with the book closed and tells you one thing to do tonight. It will not count an answer you gave with the page open, and it will tell you when you are not ready.
See how the coach worksBefore you book
Questions people ask
Is the F5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP APM certification a prerequisite for any other F5 certification?
Yes. Receiving the BIG-IP APM Specialist certification is a prerequisite for the Security Solutions Expert certification track.
What is the retake policy for Exam 304 if I fail?
After the first failed attempt, you must wait 15 days. The second failure requires a 30-day wait, the third a 45-day wait, the fourth a one-year wait, and the fifth or more a 90-day wait. Your retake count resets only when you pass the exam.
Can I reschedule or cancel my exam appointment?
Yes, but you must do so at least 48 hours before your scheduled exam time. Rescheduling within 48 hours incurs a fee. You must modify your appointment yourself; F5 Support, Pearson VUE, and Certiverse cannot process rescheduling or cancellation requests.
What identification do I need to bring to the test center?
You must bring two forms of valid, signed ID. One must be government-issued and include a photo. The name on your ID must match the name on your F5 Certified account.
Is there a practice test available for Exam 304?
Yes. F5 offers a practice test developed from the same blueprint as the live exam. It costs US $20 and can be viewed through the F5 Education Services Portal.
What job roles does the F5-CTS BIG-IP APM certification map to?
This certification is designed for professionals who manage application delivery networks and are responsible for implementing, troubleshooting, and maintaining BIG-IP APM, including security and access management for applications.
Are there any hands-on labs or performance-based questions in Exam 304?
The official exam page does not specify a hands-on lab component. The exam is proctored and delivered at Pearson VUE testing centers.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 760 questions, free, no account needed.
The curriculum
The whole exam, mapped and written
Every domain, every objective, and every concept F5 measures — each one written out.
4domains
42objectives
224concepts
171free pages
The domains, and what sits inside them
Every objective below is a page you can open and practise now, without an account.
The official F5 exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
1Section 1: Assess security needs and requirements to create an APM policy131 questions
Objective 1.01 Explain how APM mitigates common attack vectors and methodologies (e.g., cookie hijacking [front and back], DoS attack)4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 1.02 Identify which APM tool(s) should be used to mitigate a specific authentication attack4 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Objective 1.03 Explain how APM uses and manages session cookies (domain, host, multi-domain)5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Objective 1.04 Explain the differences among access methods (e.g., network, portal, access management)4 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →Objective 1.05 Determine the appropriate access method for a use case or set of requirements7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Objective 1.06 Explain how APM interacts with commonly used applications (e.g., Microsoft Exchange, Citrix, VMware View, SharePoint)3 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →Objective 1.07 Explain the differences among logging levels (e.g., performance implications, security implications, information provided)6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 1.08 Determine appropriate logging methods and verbosity levels to meet specified requirements4 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →
2Section 2: Configure and deploy an access profile425 questions
Objective 2.01 Determine the circumstances under which it is appropriate to use an APM specific profile (i.e., access, connectivity, rewrite, VDI and Java support)8 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 2.02 Determine the circumstances under which it is appropriate to use a non-APM specific profile (e.g., ServerSSL, Web Acceleration, Compression)4 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Objective 2.03 Explain how to create and assign an SSL profile3 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Objective 2.04 Determine appropriate SNAT settings to meet access requirements for Network Access (e.g., VoIP, Active mode FTP, Remote Desktop to Network Access Clients)7 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Objective 2.05 Explain the characteristics (e.g., pros and cons, restrictions, security implications, HA setup) of available AAA profiles7 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 2.06 Explain the characteristics (e.g., pros and cons, restrictions, security implications) of available SSO profiles10 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →Objective 2.07 Explain the implications of passwordless authentication options in APM and how they affect SSO (e.g., SAML, Client certificate, NTLM-end-user)4 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Objective 2.08 Explain how to configure AAA profiles (e.g., HTTP Basic, AD, LDAP, Radius, TACACS, KERBEROS, RSA, SAML, OCSP, CRLDP)11 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Objective 2.09 Explain techniques to simultaneously configure multiple AAA profiles ( e.g., two-factor)3 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 2.10 Explain how to configure SSO profiles (e.g., HTTP Basic, NTLM, KERBEROS, SAML, Forms)8 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →Objective 2.11 Explain how to configure SAML use cases (e.g., IDP, SP, IDP-initiated, SP-initiated)2 concepts · 1 pagesOpen →Objective 2.12 Describe how to add and remove client and machine certificates4 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →Objective 2.13 Determine appropriate deployment option(s) to meet network access requirements (e.g., standalone edge client, browser components, mobile apps)6 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Objective 2.14 Explain how to configure access methods (e.g., network [SNAT vs. Routed Mode], portal [rewrite options], application, app tunnel, LTM+APM)6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 2.15 Determine appropriate access methods (e.g., network, portal, application, LTM+APM) to meet requirements6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 2.16 Explain how to configure and assign ACLs (e.g., L4, L7, static, dynamic, default action, iRule events, logging options)5 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Objective 2.17 Identify resource types for which associated ACLs are automatically created (e.g., remote desktop, portal access, application tunnels)1 concepts · 1 pagesOpen →Objective 2.18 Describe the ACL action types and their functions (e.g., allow, continue, discard, reject)5 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Objective 2.19 Describe methods to map Microsoft Active Directory groups to assigned resources5 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Objective 2.20 Explain the use of APM session variables (e.g., session flow, use in iRules, variable assign policy item)7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Objective 2.21 Explain access policy flow and logic (i.e., branching, loops, macros [when and how to use them])6 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Objective 2.22 Describe the use and configuration of endpoint checks (e.g., registry check, process check, Windows info, machine cert auth)9 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 2.23 Describe customization options for an access policy (logon page, webtop, network access, language)3 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →
3Section 3: Maintain APM access profiles65 questions
Objective 3.01 Interpret device performance information (e.g., dashboard, statistics tab, ACL denied report)4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 3.02 Identify necessary software maintenance procedures to address a given condition5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 3.03 Determine how upgrades on production systems affect end users (e.g., client components and high availability failover)5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →
4Section 4: Identify and resolve APM issues139 questions
Objective 4.01 Explain the purpose and function of client side components (e.g., DNS Proxy Relay service, Component Installer service for Windows, User Logon Credentials Access Service for Windows)3 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Objective 4.02 Interpret client and machine certificates (e.g., subject, issuer)4 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Objective 4.03 Interpret an HTTP protocol trace collected with a client side tool (e.g., HTTPWatch, Fiddler, Paros, Live Headers)4 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Objective 4.04 Explain how to use capture utilities (e.g., SSLDump and TCPDump)8 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Objective 4.05 Analyze and interpret APM-specific log files (e.g., APM, SSO, rewrite)6 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Objective 4.06 Describe the use of built-in trouble-shooting tools (e.g., web engine trace, F5 Troubleshooting Utility, SessionDump, ADTest tool, LDAP search)9 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Objective 4.07 Diagnose and resolve authentication issues (e.g., client>APM, APM>AAA, APM>SSO)4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Objective 4.08 Diagnose and resolve client side issues related to connections, performance, and endpoint inspection5 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →
Not a table of contents
Every line on this map already opens
In front of every objective the practice pages are already there, free and without an account. This is one objective, opened.
Objective 1.01 Explain how APM mitigates common attack vectors and methodologies (e.g., cookie hijacking [front and back], DoS attack)5 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
21 questions on this objective, five to a page. Every range above is a real page, open now, with no account.
Reading the map is not the same as knowing the ground
The curriculum tells you what is on the exam. Proving you know it is a different job — and it is the one the closed-book run does.
Free questions
760 questions. No account, no card.
The whole bank is open. 5 questions to a page, every answer explained, and a discussion thread on each one.
760questions
171pages
42objectives
Freealways
Start anywhereObjective 1.01 Explain how APM mitigates common attack vectors and methodologies (e.g., cookie hijacking [front and back], DoS attack) 21 questions · 5 pages
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1Section 1: Assess security needs and requirements to create an APM policy131 questions
2Section 2: Configure and deploy an access profile425 questions
3Section 3: Maintain APM access profiles65 questions
4Section 4: Identify and resolve APM issues139 questions
What a practice page gives you
1Five to a page
Short enough to finish, long enough to matter.
2Every answer explained
Not only which one is right — why the others are wrong.
3A discussion on each
Ask, answer, and vote. Every question has its own thread.
A question, and the idea behind it
Every question comes from a concept
These are not trivia. Each one is written against a concept in the book, so when you get one wrong there is somewhere to go and find out why.
The visual book
See it once. Carry it into the exam.
The pages shown here come from our AI-900 book — an example of how each concept is written in plain language and, where the idea needs one, drawn as a full page you can take in at a glance.
224concepts
760free questions
Why a picture, and not another paragraph
Three reasons, and each one is a real finding rather than a slogan.
You can see it againThe whole idea at onceWhere it starts, what happens in the middle, what comes out, and the mistake to avoid.
Multimedia principle · MayerThe look-alikes sit togetherThe pairs the exam tests are drawn side by side, so the difference is seen, not told.
Dual coding · PaivioWhat one page is made of
You are never asked to read a poster here — only to see how one is built. After that, every other page is legible at a glance.
1A numbered strip on top
The idea as a sequence, followed with a finger before a word is read.
2Panels for the parts
What it is, how the machine learns it, when it is the right tool.
3The trap, framed
The distinction the exam tests, given its own box instead of buried in prose.
4One line at the bottom
The sentence to carry into the exam room.
Open book, on purpose
Answer it with the picture beside you
This is the part that teaches. The illustration and the written explanation stay where they are while you work, so a scenario stops being a memory test and becomes something you can simply look at.
It teaches · it does not count
A smartphone uses AI to unlock when the owner looks at the camera. Which AI capability is being used?
AImage classification
BFacial recognition
COptical character recognition
DObject detection
Look at the five steps. Detect finds a face, align straightens it, encode turns it into numbers, search compares it with a stored face, and decide answers one question: is this the same person? Classification would only say “a face”. Detection would only draw a box. Neither decides whose.
Then the page shuts, and it starts counting
The same questions come back with the book closed — that run is the one that counts. After it, your coach picks one thing for tonight, sized to the time you have, and brings pages back before you lose them.
Testing effect · Roediger & Karpicke 2006 · spacing effect · Cepeda et al. 2006
Official resources
Straight from F5
Where the exam is defined, scheduled and scored.
3official links
224concepts mapped
The source
F5’s own pages
We link to them rather than repeat them, so nothing here goes stale behind them.
Checked against the source
Every objective on the official F5 outline already has questions here
We build from the official skills outline, not from a summary of it — 42 objectives, 224 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When F5 changes the outline, this page changes with it.
42objectives on the outline→224concepts written→760free questions
An official page tells you what will be asked. It cannot tell you what you will get right.
That is the only question worth answering the night before, and no link answers it. You answer it by taking the questions with the book closed, and seeing what comes back.