F5 & Red Hat expand AI partnership for secure cloud-native apps
The expanded partnership between F5 and Red Hat will facilitate integration of the F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform with Red Hat OpenShift AI. This approach aims to enable enterprises to more rapidly and securely implement AI, supporting use cases such as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), secure model serving, and robust data ingestion mechanisms.
"Enterprises are eager to harness the power of AI, but they face significant challenges in scaling and securing these applications," said Kunal Anand, Chief Innovation Officer at F5. "Our collaboration with Red Hat aims to simplify this journey by providing integrated solutions that address performance, security, and observability needs, enabling organisations to realise tangible AI outcomes."
An F5 survey presented in its 2025 State of Application Strategy Report underlines the accelerating pace of AI adoption: 96 per cent of organisations are now deploying AI models, a marked rise from 25 per cent in 2023. The same report reveals that 72 per cent of respondents are targeting AI for optimising application performance, while 59 per cent are using it to improve cost efficiency and security.
The collaboration between F5 and Red Hat will address various operational building blocks necessary for enterprise AI deployment, which include securing data pipelines and optimising inference performance. The focus is on ensuring that organisations have the confidence, speed, and control needed for AI adoption.
Specific areas of this collaboration include RAG and model serving at scale, where F5 provides support for AI-powered applications on Red Hat OpenShift AI, facilitating secure data flows, optimal GPU utilisation, and quick response times. Joint efforts also address the acceleration of big data ingestion, through the combined capabilities of MinIO and F5 on Red Hat OpenShift AI, supporting the training and inference process for large datasets. API-first AI security is highlighted, as F5 offers protection from threats such as prompt injection, model theft, and data leakage through its distributed cloud and BIG-IP solutions.
The alliance positions F5's API gateway and AI security features to integrate seamlessly with Red Hat's open platform, offering customers an open and flexible approach to AI infrastructure. Red Hat OpenShift AI allows for modular development and deployment of AI applications across hybrid environments.
"As AI becomes core to how businesses operate and compete, organisations need platforms that offer flexibility without compromising security," said Joe Fernandes, Vice President and General Manager, AI Business Unit, Red Hat. "We believe the future of AI is open source, and Red Hat OpenShift AI, when used in combination with F5's robust security and observability, gives organisations the necessary tools to build and scale AI applications with greater confidence, anywhere they choose to run them."
Alongside the Red Hat partnership, F5 introduced F5 BIG-IP Next CNF 2.0, a solution designed to meet the growing requirements of large-scale cloud-native applications in industries where AI and other high-bandwidth applications are prevalent. The solution enhances the F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform with new Kubernetes-native features.
F5 BIG-IP Next CNF 2.0 is tailored for telecommunications providers, ISPs, cloud service providers, and large enterprises, offering a consolidated method to handle security, resource allocation, and network operation scaling. Integrated services include DDoS protection, firewall, intrusion prevention, and carrier-grade network address translation, allowing organisations to manage infrastructure and traffic with increased efficiency.
Kunal Anand said, "Service providers and large enterprises are under pressure to scale faster, operate leaner, and stay secure—all in increasingly complex environments. With BIG-IP Next CNF 2.0, we're extending the F5 ADSP with a truly cloud-native solution built for modern, decentralised infrastructure. Unlike legacy virtualised approaches that burn resources, our Kubernetes-native architecture unlocks smarter scaling, stronger security, and more efficient delivery of high-bandwidth services—giving customers the flexibility to move faster without compromise."
The product introduces features such as horizontal scalability through disaggregation, accelerated DNS services for improved latency, advanced policy enforcement, and unified security management. F5 reports that the solution can lower CPU utilisation by 33 per cent and reduce infrastructure costs by over 60 per cent, while offering separate scaling for control and data planes for increased deployment flexibility.
F5 BIG-IP Next CNF 2.0 has been designed for effective integration with Red Hat OpenShift, leveraging Kubernetes to provide service providers with greater scalability, simplified usability, and enhanced security for modern cloud-native applications. These capabilities are intended to help organisations streamline management, ensure low-latency performance, and adapt to growing network demands associated with high-bandwidth services such as AI.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Techday NZ
7 days ago
- Techday NZ
Red Hat named leader in 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for containers
Red Hat has been named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Container Management for the third year in a row, following an evaluation of 15 vendors. This ongoing recognition highlights both the role of Red Hat OpenShift in enterprise container strategies and the company's approach to hybrid cloud environments. The Gartner Magic Quadrant recognised OpenShift for its Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute. Red Hat OpenShift provides a platform for container management that supports operational consistency and standardisation among organisations implementing cloud-native approaches. The platform is designed to standardise, automate, and scale container projects across various settings including data centres, multiple cloud environments, and edge deployments. Red Hat credits this acknowledgment to OpenShift's integrated security features, advanced management capabilities, and emphasis on developer productivity. These characteristics are seen as benefits for IT teams seeking to modernise applications and improve delivery of business value. The Gartner Magic Quadrant for Container Management is based on specific criteria that examine each vendor's completeness of vision and ability to execute. According to Gartner, Leaders are those who execute effectively against their current vision and are positioned well for future developments. Red Hat has previously received similar recognition, having been named a Leader in Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Cloud-Native Application Platforms. Company comments "We believe being recognised as a Leader for the third consecutive year in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Container Management validates Red Hat OpenShift's role as a cornerstone for modern IT strategies. Our platform empowers enterprises to standardise, automate and scale their container initiatives across any footprint, from the datacenter to multiple cloud environments, providing the flexibility and control needed to meet evolving business demands." This was stated by Mike Barrett, Vice President & General Manager, Hybrid Cloud Platforms at Red Hat. The company states that OpenShift is suitable for organisations that require deployment capabilities across different infrastructures, including both private data centres and public clouds, as well as edge locations. Security and operational management are integrated into the platform to help developers and IT operations teams manage their workloads efficiently. The report from Gartner provides analysis of multiple vendors offering container management solutions, with an emphasis on their strategic direction and capability to deliver support for modern container workloads. Gartner's methodology identifies Leaders as vendors who are successful in both the vision and execution aspects of the market. The Gartner Magic Quadrant is frequently referenced by IT professionals and procurement teams seeking independent assessments of technology vendors. The evaluation of Red Hat OpenShift considered its ability to help enterprises with complex IT requirements and support their migration to cloud-native architectures. Red Hat continues to position OpenShift as a platform for standardising container operations, both on-premises and in cloud environments. Its feature set includes automation, policy enforcement, and monitoring, all built on a foundation powered by Kubernetes. The recognition by Gartner further builds on Red Hat's presence in the enterprise IT market, where container management is seen as a key capability for organisations pursuing digital transformation and modernisation of software delivery practices. The ability to operate workload across multiple environments is monitored closely by businesses managing diverse infrastructure estates. Gartner's commentary on container management vendors does not constitute an endorsement, but serves as one of several independent reference points for organisations considering their options in the market.
Scoop
07-08-2025
- Scoop
F5 And Equinix Expand Partnership To Accelerate AI-Ready Infrastructure For Secure Global Application Delivery
F5 (NASDAQ: FFIV), the global leader in delivering and securing every app and API, today announced it has expanded its partnership with Equinix to simplify the deployment and security of modern, distributed applications and AI workloads across hybrid multicloud environments. The broadened solution brings together the F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP) with Equinix's Network Edge and Equinix Fabric. Together, they enable enterprises to quickly and securely scale digital infrastructure globally—without the complexities of physical hardware. As large enterprises face pressure to quickly deploy and secure applications, Equinix and F5 offer a streamlined way to deliver high-performance applications securely across locations while reducing infrastructure costs and management overhead. The solution helps joint customers tackle challenges like operational complexity, rising costs, cyber-risk, and regulatory compliance in hybrid multicloud environments. F5 Distributed Cloud Customer Edge, which is a critical component of the F5 ADSP, is now available as a virtual network function (VNF) on Equinix Network Edge, enabling near-instant provisioning of F5's app delivery and security services across Equinix's global footprint. By leveraging Equinix's extensive global infrastructure and interconnection, businesses can dynamically adapt to changing demands while maintaining seamless connectivity. This includes support for low-latency, high-performance environments for AI inference and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), while also addressing regulatory requirements for data sovereignty and privacy. 'AI is putting massive new demands on infrastructure, especially at the edge, where latency, security, and control are critical,' said John Maddison, Chief Product and Corporate Marketing Officer at F5. 'Enterprises need faster, more secure ways to deploy and connect applications and AI workloads globally—without the complexity of managing physical infrastructure. Our expanded partnership with Equinix gives customers exactly that: a flexible, high-performance foundation to support AI-driven use cases and deliver exceptional digital experiences across any environment.' Key benefits of the expanded solution for customers include: AI Infrastructure Readiness – Support high-speed, secure connections for distributed AI workloads like inference and RAG, protecting sensitive data from leakage or compromise. Global Reach, No Hardware Required – Instantly deploy application services in new markets via virtual functions, significantly reducing time to market and capital expenditures. Increased Agility – Quickly adapt to changing demands without being constrained by infrastructure limitations, enabling businesses to stay competitive in dynamic markets. Unified Management and Compliance – Centrally enforce security policies across regions while meeting data sovereignty and industry-specific compliance requirements, simplifying management and improving efficiency. Equinix customers can now deploy F5 app delivery and security services directly through Equinix's Network Edge, while F5 customers gain simplified access to Equinix's global interconnection infrastructure—including private, low-latency connections to major cloud providers. Equinix and F5 customers interested in taking advantage of this new integrated offering have the flexibility to leverage their existing purchasing vehicles. 'Organisations are racing to adopt AI, but legacy infrastructure can slow them down or expose them to unnecessary risk,' said Maryam Zand, Vice President of Partnerships and Ecosystem Development at Equinix. 'By partnering with F5, we're giving our customers a seamless way to scale their AI applications and modern distributed workloads with built-in security, compliance, and performance. This solution can help businesses innovate faster, safeguard their operations, and maintain a competitive edge.' F5 Unity+ partners also benefit from expanded go-to-market opportunities, able to deliver secure, scalable solutions for complex hybrid environments without the burden of physical infrastructure management. About F5 F5, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) is the global leader that delivers and secures every app. Backed by three decades of expertise, F5 has built the industry's premier platform—F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP)—to deliver and secure every app, every API, anywhere: on-premises, in the cloud, at the edge, and across hybrid, multicloud environments. F5 is committed to innovating and partnering with the world's largest and most advanced organizations to deliver fast, available, and secure digital experiences. Together, we help each other thrive and bring a better digital world to life. For more information visit F5 is a trademark, service mark, or tradename of F5, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. The use of the terms 'partner,' 'partners,' 'partnership,' or 'partnering' in this press release does not imply that a joint venture exists between F5 and any other company.
Techday NZ
06-08-2025
- Techday NZ
F5 & Equinix expand partnership for secure global AI workloads
F5 and Equinix have expanded their partnership to provide organisations with enhanced capabilities for deploying and securing AI workloads and modern applications across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. The collaboration brings together the F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP) and Equinix's Network Edge and Equinix Fabric, combining digital infrastructure delivery and security services to meet the increasing demands posed by the mainstream adoption of AI within enterprise IT environments. Addressing new infrastructure challenges Organisations navigating the transition to AI and advanced applications often face limitations with legacy infrastructure, such as increased security risks, compliance requirements, and operational costs. The strengthened partnership is positioned to address these concerns by enabling customers to deploy, scale, and secure digital resources globally without the challenges typically associated with physical hardware management. A key aspect of the expanded integration is the availability of F5 Distributed Cloud Customer Edge as a virtual network function (VNF) on Equinix Network Edge. This development allows for swift provisioning of F5's application delivery and security services, leveraging Equinix's global infrastructure and private interconnection options for a wide range of cloud providers. According to F5, the offering is particularly suited for environments demanding low latency and high performance, such as those for AI inference and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), while ensuring compliance with data sovereignty and privacy regulations. Industry perspectives "AI is putting massive new demands on infrastructure, especially at the edge, where latency, security, and control are critical," said John Maddison, Chief Product and Corporate Marketing Officer at F5. "Enterprises need faster, more secure ways to deploy and connect applications and AI workloads globally - without the complexity of managing physical infrastructure. Our expanded partnership with Equinix gives customers exactly that: a flexible, high-performance foundation to support AI-driven use cases and deliver exceptional digital experiences across any environment." Through the virtualised nature of the joint solution, enterprises can avoid long lead times and capital investments required by traditional infrastructure deployments, with instant availability of application security and connectivity services in new geographic markets. Maryam Zand, Vice President of Partnerships and Ecosystem Development at Equinix, drew attention to the pace of AI adoption and the associated risks. She said, "Organisations are racing to adopt AI, but legacy infrastructure can slow them down or expose them to unnecessary risk. By partnering with F5, we're giving our customers a seamless way to scale their AI applications and modern distributed workloads with built-in security, compliance, and performance. This solution can help businesses innovate faster, safeguard their operations, and maintain a competitive edge." Customer and partner benefits F5 and Equinix have outlined a number of benefits that their joint customers can expect. These include support for secure, high-speed connections for distributed AI workloads, the ability to deploy application services in new markets through virtual functions instead of physical hardware, and increased agility to react to changing demands. In addition, unified management tools allow security policies to be centrally enforced across multiple regions, assisting customers with regulatory compliance and streamlining operational efficiency. Customers of Equinix can now deploy F5's application delivery and security services directly using the Equinix Network Edge interface. Meanwhile, F5 customers gain simplified access to Equinix's global network and low-latency private connections to major cloud platforms. The companies emphasise that existing purchasing models can be used to access the new integrated solution, which could facilitate adoption among current clients. The companies have also highlighted new opportunities for F5 Unity+ partners, who can now deliver secure and scalable solutions for customers operating in complex hybrid environments, without the need to manage physical infrastructure themselves.
