For decades, F5 BIG-IP has been one of the most recognized names in application delivery controllers (ADCs) and load balancing. It’s been the backbone of many enterprise application infrastructures, trusted for traffic management, security and scalability.
But the market has changed and so have the needs of modern IT organizations. At the same time that F5’s legacy hardware platforms such as the BIG-IP iSeries are approaching end of software support (i.e., no new maintenance releases, patches or development after January 1, 2027) many organizations are re-evaluating whether continuing with that platform makes sense especially when there are alternatives such as Progress Kemp LoadMaster load balancer that deliver strong performance, simplicity and a lower total cost of ownership.
In this post, we’ll explore usability, total cost, security, support and real-world customer experience.
The F5 BIG-IP Support is Ending Sooner Than You Think
F5 has announced that, effective January 1, 2027, its BIG-IP iSeries appliances will reach end of software support. That means:
- No new maintenance releases
- No new hotfixes
- No continued software development
While hardware may still operate after that date, the devices will no longer receive ongoing updates, security patches or vulnerability mitigations.
For customers with iSeries deployments, this creates a date-certain obligation: you must replace that infrastructure long before 2027. After all, running critical infrastructure without regular security updates is a risk most organizations cannot afford.
Transitioning from a legacy platform at the last minute often costs organizations more in emergency upgrades, rushed planning and operational headaches. Now is the ideal time to evaluate modern alternatives.
Why the LoadMaster Solution Is Worth Considering
While BIG-IP will remain a capable and feature-rich platform for many organizations, the LoadMaster provides specific advantages that make it compelling for both existing F5 customers and those evaluating load balancers for the first time.
Below, we break down the seven primary reasons customers are choosing LoadMaster load balancing.
1. Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
One of the biggest differentiators between LoadMaster and F5 BIG-IP is cost.
- F5 BIG-IP has a premium price point that includes complex licensing tiers and higher per-unit costs.
- LoadMaster offers a more cost-effective pricing model with predictable licensing that suits a wide range of businesses, from mid-size to enterprise.
With many organizations looking to stretch IT budgets further, LoadMaster pricing model allows customers to invest in the exact capabilities they need and to scale without paying for unused modules or features.
Lower cost doesn’t just mean lower license fees; it affects the entire lifecycle:
- Lower training costs because fewer specialists are needed
- Faster deployment and onboarding
- Simplified support billing
- Predictable renewals
For many organizations, the result is a significantly lower TCO.
2. Ease of Deployment and Use
The LoadMaster load balancer is built around a core principle: simplicity with power.
Reviewers consistently note:
- Fast, intuitive setup
- A user-friendly web interface
- Clear visibility into traffic and configuration settings
Compared to F5’s BIG-IP where the learning curve can be steep, especially for smaller teams the LoadMaster solution is easier to deploy and manage.
For example, setting up a LoadMaster instance can take hours instead of days and managing policies, traffic distribution and monitoring is much more approachable for teams without deep F5 expertise.
This matters because easier tools reduce operational friction, allowing teams to focus on business results rather than wrestling with product intricacies.
3. Simplicity Without Sacrificing Capability
Some alternatives in the ADC space trade simplicity for limited functionality; LoadMaster does not.
Out of the box, the LoadMaster solution includes multiple capabilities such as:
- Load balancing (layer 4–7)
- SSL/TLS offloading
- Rule-Based Content Switching
- Header Modification
- URL Rewriting
- Rate Limiting
- Web application firewall (WAF)
- Pre-Authentication/SSO
- Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB)
- Templates for common applications
Because these capabilities are integrated and don’t require complex modules or scripting, organizations can adopt them without months of specialized training.
4. Operational Efficiency and Productivity
Operational complexity drives up costs. Many organizations running F5 BIG-IP find that:
- Management requires dedicated engineers
- Configuration changes are slow
- Maintenance cycles take longer than expected
By contrast, the streamlined LoadMaster interface and predictable configuration model improve operational efficiency. Teams spend less time on routine tasks and more time on strategic initiatives.
According to peer-based reviews, many teams find LoadMaster easier to automate and integrate into DevOps toolchains through REST APIs or scripts—helping to support modern workflows.
5. Support That Helps You Get Ahead — Not Wait in Line
Support experiences matter. In front-line IT operations, being able to resolve issues quickly can make or break uptime objectives.
The LoadMaster team is known for its direct support —rated higher than alternatives in customer feedback.
Many customers who migrated from F5 claim:
- Faster response times
- More personalized support
- Less hand-off between tiers or escalation queues
In an emergency situation, such as degraded application performance or security patching, knowledgeable and responsive support can significantly reduce downtime.
6. Flexible Deployment Across Environments
The LoadMaster solution supports a wide range of deployment models:
- Hardware appliances
- Virtual machines (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM, Nutanix)
- Cloud instances (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Hybrid and Kubernetes environments
This flexibility allows organizations to standardize load balancing across on-premises and cloud infrastructures, reducing operational fragmentation and simplifying management.
By contrast, migrating legacy BIG-IP appliances into cloud environments can be costly and cumbersome — especially as workloads shift to hybrid or cloud-native models.
7. Scalability Without Complexity
The LoadMaster load balancer scales elegantly across a range of workloads. Whether balancing a handful of web servers or managing traffic for a complex microservices architecture, the LoadMaster licensing and performance profile can be tailored without unnecessary overhead.
While BIG-IP scales well in large enterprise contexts, that scalability is intertwined with complexity, optional modules and higher licensing costs — making it less economical for many organizations.
LoadMaster provides scaling options that grow with you — from mid-market to enterprise-level workloads.
Addressing Common Concerns
“Isn’t F5 More Feature-Rich?”
Sure, there are some F5 capabilities not found in other ADCs especially for extremely large, complex global deployments and niche use cases, F5’s broad set of modules and ecosystem capabilities may offer advantages. For some large enterprises, especially those with highly customized routing requirements, the breadth of F5 features can matter.
However, feature richness isn’t always the same as value delivered. Many organizations realize that they don’t use most of those advanced features. Yet still pay for them.
The LoadMaster solution provides a focused feature set aligned with real-world requirements with more than enough functionality for most deployments without unnecessary overhead.
“Can LoadMaster Handle Large Deployments?”
Yes. LoadMaster scales across a wide range of environments. While unique use cases may still lean toward more complex appliances in some scenarios, LoadMaster performance and licensing models have been proven in production across thousands of customers around the world.
Critical applications, high-throughput requirements, and secure traffic management scenarios are well within LoadMaster capabilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional alternatives.
“Is Migration from F5 Difficult?”
Migration often seems daunting, especially for infrastructure as central as load balancers.
But because LoadMaster’s architecture is simpler and templates are available for common applications, migration can be less disruptive than expected. Organizations can:
- Run LoadMaster in parallel with existing BIG-IP systems
- Gradually transition workloads to minimize risk
Professional services teams from Progress assist with iRules migration and automation translation, allowing existing configuration logic to be carried over.
Conclusion
The LoadMaster solution isn’t just “another load balancer.” It’s a modern, flexible and cost-effective solution that aligns with the real needs of today’s IT organizations without over-complexity or premium pricing.
As F5 continues its transition away from legacy hardware platforms like the BIG-IP iSeries, organizations face crucial decisions about where to invest in their infrastructure. LoadMaster provides a compelling alternative:
- Lower total cost
- Simplified deployment and management
- Strong customer support
- Flexible licensing and deployment models
- Scalability for diverse application landscapes
Whether you’re planning ahead of the BIG-IP support cutoff or reevaluating your application delivery strategy, the LoadMaster solution deserves serious consideration.
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