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 Administrator, BIG-IP (F5-CA, BIG-IP)
The F5 BIG-IP Administration Data Plane Concepts certification validates your ability to perform day-to-day operations and basic deployment, management, and support of BIG-IP in various application environments. It is designed for administrators who understand the relationship between interfaces, trunks, VLANs, self-IPs, and routes, and can determine expected traffic behavior based on configuration. Earning this credential demonstrates your competence in BIG-IP administration for both data plane and control plane, a key step in the F5 Certified Administrator, BIG-IP (F5-CA) progressive certification path.
Exam formatMultiple choice
Duration30 minutes
DeliveryPearson VUE, Certiverse
Passing score245
Free questions347
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What F5CAB2 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.
5domains
18objectives
113concepts
US$50 Online; US$65 Test Centerexam 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 BIG-IP Administration Data Plane Concepts (F5CAB2) exam is a focused certification that validates your foundational knowledge and skills in administering BIG-IP systems. It is part of the F5 Certified Administrator, BIG-IP (F5-CA) certification, which is designed for professionals who perform day-to-day operations and basic deployment, management, security, and support of BIG-IP in various application environments after it has been installed, configured, and implemented.
This exam specifically tests your understanding of BIG-IP Administration for Data Plane and Control Plane. You will be assessed on your ability to explain the relationship between interfaces, trunks, VLANs, self-IPs, routes and their status/statistics, determine expected traffic behavior based on configuration, and define and explain ADC application objects, virtual server types, and high availability concepts. Passing this exam demonstrates that you have the practical knowledge to manage BIG-IP systems effectively in real-world scenarios.
Who it’s for
This certification is for network administrators, system administrators, and IT professionals who are responsible for the day-to-day operation, deployment, and support of F5 BIG-IP systems. It is ideal for those who have a basic understanding of how to install, configure, and upgrade BIG-IP and want to validate their skills in data plane and control plane administration. Candidates typically work in environments where BIG-IP is used for application delivery and traffic management, and they need to ensure that applications are available, secure, and performing optimally. The exam is also a stepping stone for those pursuing higher-level F5 certifications, such as the F5 Certified Technology Specialist (F5-CTS) or F5 Certified Solution Expert (F5-CSE).
Recommended experience
F5 recommends that candidates have a basic understanding of BIG-IP installation, configuration, and upgrade, as well as practical hands-on experience with BIG-IP systems. Basic understanding of how to install, configure, and upgrade BIG-IP; Experience with BIG-IP administration in a production environment; Familiarity with networking concepts such as VLANs, self-IPs, and routes; Knowledge of ADC application objects, virtual server types, and high availability concepts
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
Explain the relationship between interfaces, trunks, VLANs, self-IPs, routes and their status/statistics
- Illustrate the use of a trunk in a BIG-IP solution
- Demonstrate ability to assign VLAN to interface and/or trunk
- Identify, based on traffic, which VLAN/route/egress IP would be used
- Distinguish between tagged vs untagged VLAN
- Compare Interface status (Up/Down) Explain the dependencies of interfaces/trunks, VLANs, self-IPs
Define ADC application objects
- Define load balancing including intelligent load balancing and server selection
- Explain features of an application delivery controller
- Explain benefits of an application delivery controller
Determine expected traffic behavior based on configuration
- Identify traffic diverted due to persistence
- Consider the packet and/or virtual server processing order (wildcard vips)
- Identify traffic diverted due to status of traffic objects (vs, pool, pool member)
- Determine the egress source IP based on configuration
- Identify when connection/rate limits are reached
Identify the different virtual server types
- Standard, Forwarding, Stateless, Reject
- Performance (Layer 4) and Performance (HTTP)
Explain high availability (HA) concepts
- Explain methods of providing HA integrity
- Explain methods of providing HA
- Explain advantages of HA
On the day
The exam itself
Everything F5 publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
No mandatory prerequisites — this certification has no required predecessor exam or credential.
Exam codeF5CAB2
CertificationF5 Certified Administrator, BIG-IP (F5-CA, BIG-IP)
Exam formatMultiple choice
Duration30 minutes
Passing score245
DeliveryPearson VUE, Certiverse
LanguagesEnglish
PricingUS$50 Online; US$65 Test Center
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 Administrator, BIG-IP (F5-CA, BIG-IP)
Credential earnedF5 Certified Administrator, BIG-IP (F5-CA, BIG-IP) 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, Certiverse, 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
How does this exam relate to the other F5CAB exams?
F5CAB2 is one of five exams (F5CAB1-F5CAB5) required to earn the F5 Certified Administrator, BIG-IP (F5-CA) certification. Each exam covers a different domain of BIG-IP administration.
Do I need to pass a lower-level certification before taking F5CAB2?
No, there are no mandatory prerequisites for this exam. However, F5 recommends practical experience with BIG-IP systems.
What is the retake policy if I fail the exam?
After failing the exam, you must wait 15 days for the first retake, 30 days for the second, 45 days for the third, one year for the fourth, and 90 days for the fifth or subsequent attempts. Your retake count resets only when you pass.
Can I reschedule or cancel my exam appointment?
Yes, you can reschedule or cancel your exam, but you must do so at least 48 hours before your scheduled appointment. Rescheduling within 48 hours incurs a fee. You must modify the appointment yourself; F5 Support, Pearson VUE, or Certiverse cannot process these requests.
What are the identification requirements for the exam?
For test center exams, you must bring two forms of valid, signed ID, one of which must be government-issued and include a photo. For online proctored exams, you must have a valid, signed government-issued ID, and the name must match your F5 Certified account.
Is there a hands-on or lab component in this exam?
The official exam page does not mention a hands-on or lab component. The exam is likely multiple-choice, but the exact format is not specified.
What job roles does this certification map to?
This certification is designed for network administrators and IT professionals responsible for the day-to-day operation, deployment, and support of F5 BIG-IP systems.
Can I recertify by passing a different exam?
F5 does not publish a specific recertification policy for this certification. Please refer to the F5 Certification Policies for the most current information.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 347 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.
5domains
18objectives
113concepts
78free 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
1Explain the relationship between interfaces, trunks, VLANs, self-IPs, routes and their status/statistics80 questions
Illustrate the use of a trunk in a BIG-IP solution5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Demonstrate ability to assign VLAN to interface and/or trunk5 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →Identify, based on traffic, which VLAN/route/egress IP would be used6 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Distinguish between tagged vs untagged VLAN5 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Compare Interface status (Up/Down) Explain the dependencies of interfaces/trunks, VLANs, self-IPs10 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →
2Define ADC application objects93 questions
3Determine expected traffic behavior based on configuration90 questions
Identify traffic diverted due to persistence10 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Consider the packet and/or virtual server processing order (wildcard vips)6 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Identify traffic diverted due to status of traffic objects (vs, pool, pool member)5 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →Determine the egress source IP based on configuration8 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Identify when connection/rate limits are reached5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →
4Identify the different virtual server types18 questions
5Explain high availability (HA) concepts66 questions
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.
Illustrate the use of a trunk in a BIG-IP solution5 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
22 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
347 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.
347questions
78pages
18objectives
Freealways
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1Explain the relationship between interfaces, trunks, VLANs, self-IPs, routes and their status/statistics80 questions
2Define ADC application objects93 questions
3Determine expected traffic behavior based on configuration90 questions
4Identify the different virtual server types18 questions
5Explain high availability (HA) concepts66 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.
113concepts
347free 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
113concepts 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 — 18 objectives, 113 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When F5 changes the outline, this page changes with it.
18objectives on the outline→113concepts written→347free 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.