F5 BIG-LTM 8950 vs F5 BIG-BT-I5800: A Technical Showdown for Advanced Traffic Management

Jun 27 , 2025 2

F5 BIG-LTM 8950 vs F5 BIG-BT-I5800: A Technical Showdown for Advanced Traffic Management

Enterprises today face escalating demands for scalable, secure, and high-performance network traffic management. F5 Networks’ BIG-IP series offers a range of solutions tailored to diverse environments, but selecting between the BIG-LTM 8950 and BIG-BT-I5800 requires a nuanced understanding of their capabilities. Here’s a breakdown to guide your decision.

1. Core Functionalities

Both platforms excel in traffic optimization and security, but their strengths diverge based on use cases:

• BIG-LTM 8950:

• Carrier-Grade Scalability: Engineered for service providers and hyperscalers managing petabyte-scale traffic (e.g., 5G backhaul, global CDN networks).

• Advanced Compression: Real-time LZ77/LZ4 compression reduces WAN bandwidth usage by up to 80%.

• Multi-Tenant Segmentation: Isolated partitions for secure service delivery across thousands of tenants.

• BIG-BT-I5800:

• Broadband Traffic Optimization: Optimized for large enterprises deploying IoT, video streaming, and edge computing.

• Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): Classify and prioritize traffic with 99.9% accuracy using behavioral analytics.

• Edge AI Integration: Native support for F5’s Distributed Cloud AI/ML models for anomaly detection.

2. Performance Benchmarks

3. Design & Aesthetics

• BIG-LTM 8950:

• Rack-Mountable 4U Form Factor: Built for data center or carrier-grade environments with redundant power supplies and hot-swappable components.

• Modular Expansion Slots: Supports up to 32 100GbE ports for future-proofing.

• Active-Active Clustering: Scales horizontally with up to 8 chassis in a cluster.

• BIG-BT-I5800:

• Rack-Mountable 2U Form Factor: Ideal for edge deployments or consolidated server racks.

• Fanless Operation: Reduces noise and maintenance overhead in quiet environments.

• Fixed Configuration: Simplifies setup with pre-integrated 40GbE ports.

4. User Experience

• Management Interface:

• Both offer intuitive GUI (F5 BIG-IP Configuration Utility) and CLI.

• BIG-LTM 8950 Adds: Dedicated DPI policy wizards and multi-tenant dashboards.

• Automation:

• BIG-BT-I5800: Tighter integration with Ansible/Terraform for DevOps workflows.

• BIG-LTM 8950: Advanced scripting tools for custom traffic shaping rules.

5. Pricing Structure

• BIG-LTM 8950:

• List Price: 150,000–200,000.

• ROI: Best for enterprises prioritizing long-term scalability and carrier-grade redundancy.

• BIG-BT-I5800:

• List Price: 25,000–35,000.

• Ideal For: Mid-sized data centers seeking a balance of performance and cost-effectiveness.

6. Battery Consumption

• BIG-LTM 8950:

• Higher power draw (~3,000W) due to redundant components and modular design.

• BIG-BT-I5800:

• Lower power consumption (~800W) thanks to fixed configurations and fanless operation.

7. Compatibility & Scalability

• BIG-LTM 8950:

• Supports up to 128x 100GbE ports and 512GB RAM, scalable via expansion modules.

• Works with F5’s Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT) and SD-WAN solutions.

• BIG-BT-I5800:

• Limited to 16x 40GbE ports and 64GB RAM, though expandable with inline acceleration cards.

• Optimized for VMware NSX and AWS Outposts deployments.

8. Software Ecosystem

• BIG-LTM 8950:

• Runs TMOS 17.x with advanced DPI and multi-tenancy features.

• Annual updates focused on carrier-grade enhancements.

• BIG-BT-I5800:

• TMOS 16.x with streamlined app delivery and security profiles.

• Priority access to F5’s Distributed Cloud integrations (e.g., SaaS security).

Final Verdict

• Choose BIG-LTM 8950 If:
  You manage high-bandwidth, multi-tenant environments (e.g., ISPs, cloud providers) requiring advanced DPI and future scalability.

• Choose BIG-BT-I5800 If:
  Your focus is on optimizing broadband traffic for IoT, video streaming, or edge computing with a balance of speed and cost efficiency.

Pro Tip: For organizations transitioning to edge AI/ML workloads, the BT-I5800’s DPI capabilities could justify the investment.