F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) Reviews

Vendor: F5

4.2 out of 5

25 reviews
95% willing to recommend

What is F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)?

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is a high-performance, full-proxy network security solution designed to protect networks and data centers against incoming threats that enter the network. Built on F5’s industry-leading BIG-IP hardware and software platforms, BIG-IP AFM provides a scalable platform that delivers the flexible performance and control needed to mitigate aggressive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) and protocol attacks before they overwhelm and degrade applications and infrastructure availability.

Get the F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM), Cloudflare, Cloudflare One and more!

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is the #9 ranked solution in top Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection solutions. PeerSpot users give F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is most commonly compared to Cloudflare: F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Cloudflare. F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 54% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 19% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)

June 2025

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Featured F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) reviews

Pawel Augustyn

System Advisor at CRIF SpA

The most valuable features for me are stability, availability, and security, along with the ability to manage multiple features to secure my applications. The solution also monitors and blocks unconventional requests and maintains security efficiently. The scalability feature also allows me to manage and allocate resources dynamically without disrupting production traffic.

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AbdulSami

Network Security Engineer at IIPL

I provide F5 solutions to load balance application servers behind their network. I also work with API security, protecting their APIs with AFM and BIG-IP I provide load balancing features for managing incoming traffic. I use AFM's IP Intelligence to create custom feeds for enhancing firewall…

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Bonieber Orofeo

IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital

The web application firewall has been very helpful. We purchased F5 when we were migrating our applications to the cloud. So it has the capability to move to the cloud, providing us with that opportunity in the future. BIG-IP utilize AI and it is very helpful in gathering reports and collaborating all the reports for reporting to our executives.

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F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) mindshare

As of June 2025, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) in the Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection category stands at 1.3%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection

PeerResearch reports based on F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection	Jun 13, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jun 13, 2025	Download
Comparison	F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Cloudflare	Jun 13, 2025	Download
Comparison	F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Radware DDoS	Jun 13, 2025	Download
Comparison	F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Arbor DDoS	Jun 13, 2025	Download

Valuable Features

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is valued for its network protection capabilities, including web traffic monitoring, effective deployment, ease of use, iRules customization, DDoS defense, and the integration of LTM, WAF, and CGNAT features. Users appreciate its load balancing, security, stability, performance, scalability, IP blocking, AI-driven behavioral analysis, and comprehensive monitoring. AFM excels in application security, uptime maintenance, and resource management without disrupting traffic.

"The most valuable features for me are stability, availability, and security, along with the ability to manage multiple features to secure my applications."
"The customer service is excellent, and I rate it ten out of ten."
"The solution provides behavioral analysis via AI to detect malicious traffic."

Room for Improvement

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager requires interface enhancements as it is complex with unclear feature descriptions affecting usability. There is a need for improved automation, geolocation updates, and management software. Enhancements are needed in integration with BIG-IQ, reporting, and graphical representations during attacks. Users find it costly with the need for better technical support, setup simplification, and feature enhancements like deep packet inspection, zero-day attack prevention, and pricing adjustments. Better modularity and reduced hardware dependency are also recommended.

"The appliance and features could be enhanced further, especially in terms of security. Some features like the WAF firewall may seem expensive compared to the standard license, so there could be room for adjusting the pricing."
"F5 should increase its capability to prevent zero-day attacks. Having advanced technology similar to other vendors like Palo Alto for zero-day attack prevention would be valuable."
"F5 should increase its capability to prevent zero-day attacks."

ROI

Many users report a positive return on investment with F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager. When combined with other F5 offerings, numerous organizations highlight discounts and affordability. As a standalone tool, the perceived ROI might be lower when compared to competitors, often rated four out of ten. Cost reductions are mentioned, though ongoing expenses are noted. Users emphasize the practical value and security benefits, suggesting it's a worthwhile investment in terms of on-premises reliability.

Pricing

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) pricing leans towards the higher side, offering various licensing options including perpetual and subscription models. Users appreciate its unified solution benefits, aligning costs with its stability and features. While support incurs extra expenses, the standard licensing is reasonable. Additional features and technical support may increase the cost. It's considered a value-for-money investment compared to other solutions, and customers find it worthwhile despite higher initial expenses.

"As per pricing, I would not say cheap, but little higher than cheap, but not very expensive. So you can say kind of value for money solutions."
"We have purchased a five-year licensing package for the product."
"We need to pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution."

Popular Use Cases

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is primarily deployed as a firewall for protection and traffic management. Organizations utilize it for web and mobile application security, load balancing, IP geolocation, and as a data center firewall. It provides DDoS protection, blocks malicious IPs through IP intelligence features, manages client connections, and enhances security in financial services and government offices, often integrated with the LTM module for comprehensive network security.

Service and Support

Customer service and support for F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) are generally responsive and effective, though experiences vary. Users report needing to seek separate support for deployment, with technical assistance being sometimes inconsistent in expertise. Most find support satisfactory, providing timely responses, though issues can occasionally take longer to resolve. Support is praised for being resourceful and straightforward, especially regarding traffic or platform bugs, but some desire more accurate guidance.

Deployment

Setup experiences with F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vary. Some found it straightforward and user-friendly, requiring minimal steps and easy navigation when guidelines are followed. Others experienced moderate complexity, needing significant configuration time, especially in complex environments. Deployment times range from quick installations to longer processes involving traffic monitoring and policy adjustments. Typically, a small team manages configuration and maintenance, with some integrations facing initial challenges before successful operation.

Scalability

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is highly scalable, supporting both physical and virtual environments. Users can easily upgrade hardware or licenses to enhance capacity. It efficiently supports enterprises with thousands of users, offering options for cluster expansion and hybrid setups. Although scaling sometimes requires additional resources, it generally meets requirements with flexible architecture and seamless synchronization. Feedback typically rates scalability as favorable, with occasional cost considerations.

Stability

Users consistently praise the stability of F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM), highlighting its reliability, absence of major issues, and support for older machines. Many appreciate its transparency in addressing bugs through patches and online listings. Users frequently rate its performance between eight and nine out of ten, emphasizing its reliability during operation without crashes or glitches. They commend it for straightforward logging, enhancing security insights and integration capabilities.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

19%

Computer Software Company

18%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Insurance Company

Performing Arts

Healthcare Company

Media Company

Educational Organization

Venture Capital & Private Equity Firm

Engineering Company

Legal Firm

Logistics Company

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Cloud Solution Provider

Transportation Company

Aerospace/Defense Firm

University

Hospitality Company

Retailer

Security Firm

Construction Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Non Profit

Compare F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) with alternative products

Learn more about F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)

For service providers, BIG-IP AFM IPS does even more, protecting the network edge and performing traffic inspection and protocol adherence for prevalent service provider protocols such as SS7, Diameter, HTTP/2, GTP, SCTP and SIP traffic coming into the network over UDP, TCP, and SCTP.

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) was previously known as F5 AFM, F5 Advanced Firewall Manager.