F5 unveils AI-adapted solutions for app delivery demands

F5 has announced a transformation in its Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs) to address the demands of modern and AI-powered applications.

Kunal Anand, Chief Innovation Officer of F5, highlighted the necessity of rethinking application security and delivery due to the rise of AI and modern applications. "The rise of AI and modern applications demands a fundamental rethinking of application security and delivery. Traditional approaches fall short in managing today's complex, distributed systems. Organisations need solutions that provide consistency, flexibility, and complete visibility across their IT landscape."

"F5 has transformed our technology portfolio to meet these challenges head-on, enabling our customers to confidently secure and deliver advanced digital experiences," Anand stated.

The company's initiative follows the findings from F5's State of Application Strategy Report, which indicates that 75 per cent of enterprises are already deploying AI applications.

Despite this growing implementation, enterprises face challenges in securing these AI applications due to their complex data handling and sophisticated security threats.

F5's new approach involves a convergence of capabilities to support hybrid and multicloud infrastructures, addressing needs such as high-performance load balancing, web app and API security, and AI gateway capabilities.

F5 is also introducing a series of architectures to help enterprises with AI planning and deployment, aiming to handle the complexities of delivering modern applications effectively.

The evolution from traditional ADCs to more modern solutions has been significant over the past 25 years. The shift from on-premises data centres to public cloud-based microservices has required more comprehensive security measures. The now widespread use of AI demands security capabilities that protect against complicated threats.

This transition is critical for organisations adapting to the changing technological landscape. Zeus Kerravala, Founder and Principal Analyst of ZK Research, commented on this evolution: "Apps have become more dynamic and more distributed. This trend is expected to continue as AI becomes more ubiquitous throughout the enterprise. As the nature of applications has changed, the ADC naturally needs to evolve as well. The need for robust load balancing and application delivery techniques combined with robust security features that protect data at the application and API level is critical as we enter the era of AI. F5 has been a proven leader in this space, and the company's vision appears to meet the stringent delivery and security requirements that will be ever present in the AI era."

To address these challenges, F5 has also introduced a new AI reference architecture. This framework is aimed at guiding enterprises on security, application traffic management, and platform optimisation amidst AI complexities.

The company has also expanded its partnerships to enhance support for AI projects across different domains, including collaborations with NVIDIA, Intel, NetApp, MinIO, OVHcloud, and others.

F5's vision for ADC technology is geared towards building secure and scalable IT infrastructure, reducing risks and costs for enterprises deploying AI applications. This initiative is part of F5's broader objective to lead in application security and delivery solutions in the AI era.