NexusSec deploys and configures F5 for load balancing, application delivery and web application security. If you run applications that must stay available under load — customer portals, transactional systems, internal platforms serving many users — F5 distributes traffic across servers, handles TLS termination, and can protect the application layer with WAF.
What an application delivery controller does
A load balancer distributes incoming requests across multiple servers so no single server becomes a bottleneck or a single point of failure. An application delivery controller such as F5 goes further:
- Health monitoring — removing failed servers from rotation automatically, before users notice
- Session persistence — keeping a user's session on the same backend where the application requires it
- SSL/TLS offload — terminating encryption centrally, reducing load on application servers
- Traffic steering — routing by URL, header, geography or other criteria
- Web application firewall — inspecting HTTP requests for injection, cross-site scripting and other application attacks
What our deployment includes
| Area | What we do |
|---|
| Architecture | Placement, HA pairing, network integration and failover design |
| Virtual servers & pools | Configuration matched to how your application actually behaves |
| Health monitors | Meaningful application-level checks, not just a TCP port test |
| Persistence | Session handling appropriate to the application's requirements |
| TLS | Certificate management, modern cipher policy, offload configuration |
| WAF | Policy tuned against your application in blocking mode, after a monitoring period |
| Hardening | Management access restriction, version currency, configuration backup |
Health monitors are where most load-balancer deployments fall short. A monitor that only checks whether a TCP port is open will keep sending users to a server whose application has crashed but whose port is still listening. We configure application-aware checks that verify the service is genuinely working, which is what makes failover actually protect users.
WAF: deploy it in stages
A web application firewall in blocking mode without tuning will block legitimate traffic and generate immediate business pressure to disable it. We deploy WAF policy in monitoring mode first, analyse what would have been blocked, tune against your real application behaviour, and only then enforce — the same staged discipline we apply to segmentation and DMARC.
Is F5 right for you?
F5 is a strong choice for organisations with demanding availability requirements and complex application delivery needs. For simpler requirements, load balancing built into your firewall or a lighter-weight solution may be sufficient and considerably cheaper. We assess against your actual needs.
Frequently asked questions
What does a load balancer do?
A load balancer distributes incoming requests across multiple servers so no single server becomes overloaded or a single point of failure. It monitors server health and removes failed servers from rotation automatically, so users are not sent to a broken system. Application delivery controllers such as F5 add TLS offload, traffic steering and web application firewall capability.
Do we need F5 or is a simpler load balancer enough?
It depends on complexity and availability requirements. F5 suits organisations with demanding uptime needs, complex traffic steering, or a requirement for integrated WAF. For simpler needs, load balancing built into your firewall or a lighter solution may be sufficient at much lower cost. We assess honestly rather than defaulting to the largest option.
What is SSL offload?
SSL or TLS offload means terminating encrypted connections at the load balancer rather than at each application server. This reduces cryptographic processing load on the servers, centralises certificate management, and allows traffic to be inspected before it reaches the application.
Should we enable WAF in blocking mode immediately?
No. A web application firewall enforcing untuned policy will block legitimate traffic and cause business disruption, usually leading to it being switched off entirely. We deploy in monitoring mode first, analyse what would have been blocked, tune against your application's real behaviour, and only then enforce.
Why do health monitors matter so much?
Because a poorly configured monitor undermines the entire purpose of load balancing. A check that only confirms a TCP port is open will keep directing users to a server whose application has crashed but whose port still responds. Application-level health checks verify the service actually works, which is what makes failover meaningful.
NexusSec.