Question 1

What happens when Big Ip reaches end of life?

Accepted Answer

When Big Ip reaches end of life, it stops receiving security patches, bug fixes, and new features. Currently, 4 Big Ip versions are already EOL. The latest supported version is Big Ip 21.1, maintained until May 5, 2029. Running an EOL version exposes your systems to unpatched security vulnerabilities with no official fix available.

Question 2

Is Big Ip 21.1 still supported?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Big Ip 21.1 is actively supported until May 5, 2029. It receives security patches and bug fixes. Check the version table above for the full list of supported Big Ip releases and their exact end-of-life dates.

Question 3

Is it safe to use Big Ip after end of life?

Accepted Answer

No. Running Big Ip after EOL is not safe for production systems. Once a version reaches end of life, newly discovered CVEs are published publicly but never patched — leaving your systems permanently exposed. The only safe path is upgrading to an actively supported Big Ip release.

Question 4

How to upgrade from Big Ip 15.1 to Big Ip 21.x?

Accepted Answer

To upgrade Big Ip from 15.1 to 21.1: (1) review the official migration guide for breaking changes, (2) test your application against the new version in a staging environment, (3) update dependencies that have version constraints, (4) run your full test suite, (5) deploy with a rollback plan. The earlier you start, the more time you have to resolve compatibility issues before EOL.

Question 5

When is the next Big Ip LTS version?

Accepted Answer

Big Ip 21.1 is the current Long Term Support release, maintained until May 5, 2029. LTS versions are recommended for production deployments that prioritize long-term stability over new features. Plan your upgrades to coincide with LTS releases whenever possible.

Question 6

How long does Big Ip support each version?

Accepted Answer

On average, Big Ip supports each release for approximately 36 months (~3 years). LTS releases like Big Ip 21.1 have extended support windows — maintained until May 5, 2029. The exact EOL date for each version is listed in the table above.

Version	Released	Active support	EOL date	Until EOL	Latest	CVEs	Status
21.1 LTS	May 5, 2026	May 5, 2029	May 5, 2029	in 1061d	21.1.0	—	Active
21.0	Nov 6, 2025	Aug 6, 2026	Aug 6, 2026	in 58d	21.0.0	—	EOL soon
17.5 LTS	Feb 27, 2025	Jan 1, 2029	Jan 1, 2029	in 937d	17.5.1	—	Active
17.1 LTS	Mar 14, 2023	Mar 31, 2027	Mar 31, 2027	in 295d	17.1.3	—	Active
17.0	Apr 26, 2022	Jul 31, 2023	Jul 31, 2023	1044d ago	17.0.0	—	EOL
16.1 LTS	Jul 7, 2021	Jul 1, 2026	Jul 1, 2026	in 22d	16.1.6	—	EOL soon
16.0	Jul 16, 2020	Oct 7, 2021	Oct 7, 2021	1706d ago	16.0.1.1	—	EOL
15.1 LTS	Dec 11, 2019	Dec 31, 2025	Dec 31, 2025	160d ago	15.1.10	—	EOL
15.0	May 23, 2019	Aug 23, 2020	Aug 23, 2020	2116d ago	15.0.1	—	EOL

Big Ip End of Life Dates

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