In the latest State of Application Strategy (SOAS) Report by F5, it was revealed that 88% of enterprises are utilizing applications and APIs across a combination of on-premises, cloud, or edge environments. This data highlights the challenges faced by businesses managing applications across various infrastructure settings. The report showed that 38% of respondents are operating apps across six or more different environments, a significant increase from the previous year.
To address these challenges, F5 is offering a comprehensive AI-ready app and API security suite, positioning the company to assist organizations in adapting to evolving trends. Some of the latest solutions include F5 Distributed Cloud Services Web Application Scanning, BIG-IP Next Web Application Firewall (WAF), and NGINX App Protect for open source deployments.
During the GITEX Global event, Mohammed Abukhater, RVP for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa at F5, emphasized the importance of streamlined operations across distributed environments. He highlighted the focus on simplifying the management and security of numerous applications and APIs that drive modern AI-driven digital businesses.
APIs have become a prime target for cyberattacks, necessitating comprehensive API security solutions to complement web app security measures. F5’s portfolio offers leading security capabilities for both traditional and modern applications, enabling customers to maintain consistent security policies across data center, cloud, and edge deployments.
F5 Distributed Cloud Services Web Application Scanning provides continuous identification of all apps and APIs within an organization’s digital domains. By automating the scanning process and analyzing potential vulnerabilities, this solution minimizes the attack surface and enhances the security of sensitive data, protecting against cyber threats and ensuring business integrity.
Additionally, F5 BIG-IP Next WAF enhances enterprise security posture by safeguarding APIs and web apps from evolving threats, both human and bot-driven. The solution can facilitate “security as code,” integrating app and API protections early in the development pipeline for seamless transitions to production environments.
F5 NGINX App Protect WAF on OSS extends F5’s app security engine to Kubernetes-based applications in public clouds and on-premises setups. With advanced security features and a reduced attack surface, this solution enhances security while maintaining performance efficiency.
At GITEX Global 2024, F5 has introduced the general availability of F5 NGINX One, a solution that combines load balancing, web and application server capabilities, API gateway functionalities, and security features in one package. This offering simplifies the management and security of NGINX instances and NGINX Open Source from a single cloud interface, enabling faster app deployment and efficient AI integration.
Furthermore, F5 has collaborated with Intel to deliver robust application security and delivery capabilities for AI deployments. The joint solution combines F5’s NGINX Plus with Intel’s Distribution of OpenVINO toolkit and Infrastructure Processing Units (IPUs) to provide enhanced protection, scalability, and performance for advanced AI inference. This integrated solution is particularly beneficial for edge applications like video analytics and IoT, ensuring low latency and high performance.
In conclusion, F5’s innovative solutions showcased at GITEX Global 2024 demonstrate the company’s commitment to enhancing API security, multicloud capabilities, and AI credentials. Through strategic partnerships and cutting-edge technologies, F5 aims to empower enterprises to securely deliver AI services with superior performance and scalability.