BIG-IP DNS Specialist (302)

Part of F5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP DNS

Targets: Product version not specified in the blueprint
Format: 80 questions (70 items that are scored, 10 pilot/beta items)
Time limit: 90 minutes
Pass mark: 245 (scaled range 100-350)
Exam fee: US$180 per attempt (not including local taxes and fees)
Blueprint source: Exam blueprint 302.72017 (official PDF, relayed by PRIME 2026-07-21). Catalog Key Info (fetched 2026-07-21): US$180, English, test-center proctored, passing score 245, 90 minutes, Technology Specialist level ↗

Computer-based, multiple-choice; delivered at Pearson VUE test centers (English). Credential awarded: F5 Certified Technology Specialist, BIG-IP DNS. Prerequisite: F5 Certified BIG-IP Administrator (F5-CA).

Independent study aid built from the public exam blueprint. Not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by F5. Objectives are transcribed and mapped by hand, so this page may contain mistakes or may have fallen behind the vendor's current material: exam objectives, versions, numbering and availability all change without notice. Treat F5's own certification portal as the source of truth and verify against it before you book anything.

Section 1: DESIGN AND ARCHITECT

1.01 Identify customer requirements, constraints, and challenges related to DNS
What to know:
- Recognize the functionality and limitations of the DNS protocol (e.g., hierarchy, roles)
- Determine relevant information to gather regarding a customer's need for high availability, security, and management
On this site: The DNS Header: Opcode, Status, and Flags, Reading the Records in a dig Answer, One Query, Six Answering Machines: the BIG-IP DNS Processing Order
Tools: dig-output-explainer
1.02 Evaluate existing DNS environment for BIG-IP DNS solutions
What to know:
- Ascertain specific scope and scale of DNS requirements
- Recognize limitations imposed by the existing DNS service provider
- Identify change control procedure related the integration of BIG-IP DNS into an existing environment
On this site: One Query, Six Answering Machines: the BIG-IP DNS Processing Order
1.03 Determine appropriate deployment and integration strategy for a BIG-IP DNS solution
What to know:
- Given a customer environment, requirements, and constraints, select an appropriate deployment model
- Given a customer environment, requirements, and constraints, recognize the use case for DNS Express, Zone Runner, DNS 64, DNSSEC, DNS Cache, various load balancing algorithms, persistence, and/or health monitor
On this site: BIG-IP DNS Load Balancing: the Wide IP, the Pool, and the Three-Step Chain, One Query, Six Answering Machines: the BIG-IP DNS Processing Order, DNSSEC Records in dig Output, How LTM Health Monitors Decide Up or Down
Tools: f5-gslb-decision-flow, f5-lb-method-chooser
1.04 Determine performance requirements for a BIG-IP DNS solution
What to know:
- Relate the performance characteristics of virtual edition and physical hardware to a specific use case
- Employ topology load balancing to optimize user experience
- Predict the performance implications pertaining to key DNS features (e.g., DNSSEC, topology LB)
On this site: GTM Topology Records: Longest Match Is a Sort, Not the Pick, DNSSEC Records in dig Output
Tools: f5-topology-longest-match

Section 2: IMPLEMENT

2.01 Identify configuration options for TMOS and sync groups
What to know:
- Create the proper self-IP configuration, routes, and settings for iQuery communications
- Ensure proper NTP operation of all sync group members
- Create logging profiles for DNS request and/or response
On this site: How iQuery Connects BIG-IP DNS to the Rest of the Network, From Interface to Self-IP: BIG-IP Layer 2 and 3 Dependencies, Config Sync on BIG-IP: When to Sync, and Why It Fails
Tools: iquery-protocol-explainer
2.02 Identify configure options for GSLB
What to know:
- Differentiate between, and determine when to use, the two tiers of GSLB pool selection and the three tiers of virtual server selection
- Recognize the functionality of various load balancing methods (e.g., static, dynamic, and fallback)
- Recognize topology load balancing configuration parameters
On this site: GSLB in Two Tiers: The Wide IP Picks a Pool, the Pool Picks a Server, BIG-IP DNS Load Balancing: the Wide IP, the Pool, and the Three-Step Chain, GTM Topology Records: Longest Match Is a Sort, Not the Pick
Tools: bigip-dns-gslb-simulator, f5-gslb-decision-flow, f5-topology-longest-match
2.03 Identify configuration options for non-GSLB DNS components
What to know:
- Determine the listener IP and protocol
- Configure DNS Express and DNS Cache
On this site: One Query, Six Answering Machines: the BIG-IP DNS Processing Order, DNS as a Policy Engine: Multi-RPZ in BIG-IP 21.1
2.04 Identify the necessary network environment for GSLB operations
What to know:
- Recognize the significance of source and destination ports for communication between BIG-IP DNS devices
- Identify missing/non-functional network configurations when enabling GSLB operation (e.g., iQuery, generic host probing)
On this site: How iQuery Connects BIG-IP DNS to the Rest of the Network
Tools: iquery-protocol-explainer

Section 3: TEST AND TROUBLESHOOT

3.01 Determine when and how to employ the appropriate network and DNS troubleshooting tools
What to know:
- Use openssl to review trusted cert information
- Use tcpdump to capture and analyze DNS and iQuery traffic on appropriate VLAN and IP
- Use dig/nslookup to verify DNS configuration and operation
On this site: BIG-IP tcpdump: How It Differs from Standard tcpdump, Capturing Safely on a Production BIG-IP, Reverse DNS Lookups with nslookup
Tools: dig-output-explainer, nslookup-output-explainer, f5-bigip-tcpdump-builder, packet-capture-plan-builder
3.02 Diagnose BIG-IP DNS issues
What to know:
- Investigate root cause for virtual server flapping issue
- Analyze DNS request/response pattern to confirm BIG-IP DNS configuration, health monitor an iQuery operation
On this site: How iQuery Connects BIG-IP DNS to the Rest of the Network, How LTM Health Monitors Decide Up or Down
Tools: bigip-dns-gslb-simulator, fault-hypothesis-builder
3.03 Analyze system log data and statistics for problem analysis
What to know:
- Verify the status of pools based on relevant log entries
- Analyze statistical data to pinpoint any issues regarding query response times
- Analyze appropriate log for proper zone transfer operation
On this site: The BIG-IP Log Files: a Map of /var/log, AVR: Application Visibility and Reporting on BIG-IP
Tools: syslog-pri-decoder
3.04 Address DNS-related issues based on troubleshooting and log analysis
What to know:
- Apply config change (e.g., monitor or prober) to remedy flapping of server objects
- Address proper IP address choice(s) for iQuery communication between devices
On this site: How iQuery Connects BIG-IP DNS to the Rest of the Network

Section 4: OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT

4.01 Identify process to perform BIG-IP DNS configuration backup
What to know:
- Perform the steps in the GUI to create system archive files
- Issue TMSH commands to create system archive files.
- Verify file creation and move to remote storage
On this site: UCS Archives: the BIG-IP Backup That Contains Everything
Tools: f5-tmsh-config-explainer
4.02 Identify the prerequisites and procedure for BIG-IP DNS configuration restoration
What to know:
- Recognize the special requirements for restoring configuration data to a BIG-IP DNS RMA unit
- Compare configuration objects between a new BIG-IP DNS and existing sync group member
- Determine when and how to restore the master encryption keys for TSIG and DNSSEC
On this site: UCS Archives: the BIG-IP Backup That Contains Everything, DNSSEC Records in dig Output
4.03 Identify various BIG-IP DNS monitoring strategies
What to know:
- Configure SNMP polling
- Describe and use DNS statistics and DNS analytics
On this site: AVR: Application Visibility and Reporting on BIG-IP, Custom Alerting on BIG-IP: SNMP Traps, Email, and Remote Syslog, Telemetry Streaming: The Automation Toolchain Extension That Observes Instead of Configures
Tools: telemetry-streaming-explainer
4.04 Recognize appropriate procedures for performing BIG-IP DNS software upgrades
What to know:
- Recognize the significance of the requirement for license reactivation prior to upgrade
- Given a GSLB configuration, predict the potential end-user impact when upgrading a DNS sync group member while it is offline
- Validate BIG-IP DNS operation status, post-upgrade
On this site: Recovering a BIG-IP That Won't Load Its Config After an Upgrade, The BIG-IP Service Check Date, and Why an Upgrade Can Refuse to Load, BIG-IP Upgrade vs Update: Why the Distinction Decides Whether the License Date Is Checked, The BIG-IP 21.x Ops Story: In-Place Upgrades, a 64-Bit Control Plane, and BigD at Scale
Tools: f5-service-check-date

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