Getting Started with Console

Objective

This guide provides instructions on how to get started with the F5® Distributed Cloud Console (Console) and setup user preferences based on the various work domain options available. The Console provides a customized view of services that you will be using based on your work domains selection during the onboarding process. You can also update the settings at any point of time based on your requirements.

Using this guide, you can learn how to setup preferences while getting started, navigate the Console, access various services, and update the preferences at any point of time.

Note: This guide assumes that you have administrator role and provides instructions accordingly. All services are visible for all roles. Access to services is defined based on the user roles. For information on various roles, see Roles.


Prerequisites

SaaS account in Console is required.

Note: If you do not have an account, see Create SaaS Account.


Console and Services

The Console is a portal that acts as frontend to the SaaS services and offers various configurable objects grouped into a number of services. Using the Console, you can manage all configurations such as software, infrastructure, applications, users, etc. You can choose which services to expose in the Console user interface during the initial log in by selecting your work domains.

Although the user interface presents various services, every configurable object is supported with the fundamental isolation of a tenant and then has further isolation in terms of namespaces. For more information, see Core Concepts.


Initial Login and Setup

The following video tutorial shows how to perform the initial setup and shows how to navigate between various views:

Step 1: Log into Console and accept the terms and conditions.
  • Go to the Console portal. Enter your tenant name when asked.
  • Enter your SaaS account credentials. In case of first time login, accept the terms and conditions and click to proceed.

Note: Depending on the tenant setup, you may require to login using SSO credentials. In case your role is insufficient, system automatically sends a request to your admin to grant you access. In addition, you can resend the request using the Resend Access Request option on the home page. The home page displays services after the access is granted.

Step 2: Choose your work domains.
  • In the next screen, select your work domains. Work domains are mappings of the functions that you perform and they are tied to corresponding services. You can also select Super User to define that you are super user.
WorkDomains
Figure: Choose the Work Domains
  • Click Next.
Step 3: Choose your skill level.

Select whether you are Intermediate User or Advanced User and click Next.

Skills
Figure: Choose the Skill Levels

Note: Intermediate users do not have access to advanced features within the services. This can be changed at any point of time within the service pages or in user account settings.

Step 4: View the various services on the Home page.
  • At this point, the Console Home page loads with Common Services populated. The services are presented as tiles and reflect the work domains and skill levels you selected in the previous steps.
CommonServices
Figure: Home Page Common Services
  • Beneath the common services, a collapsible panel named All Services is placed. Click on the panel to view all the available services.
  • Beneath the all services drop-down, located are SaaS configuration tutorials you can go through to learn more about the Console and how to create different solutions.
AllServices
Figure: All Services and Tutorials

Do the following to navigate through the various services in the Console:

Step 1: Navigate to a service.

You can navigate to a service in any one of the following ways:

  • Click on the service from the Common Services tiles if that service is visible in the common services.

  • Click on the All Services collapsible and select your service from the available list of services.

  • Use the search option located on the top of the home page and enter search text. Select one of the results from the dropdown.

HomeSearch
Figure: Search on the Home Page
  • From within a service page, click the Select service drop-down located on the top left side of the service page.
SelectService
Figure: Select Service
  • You can either select a service from the displayed list or search for it using the Quick search option. Search is automatically focused, and you can start typing right after you open the drop-down.
QuickSearch
Figure: Quick Search Option for a Service
Step 2: View the common functions for all service.

Every service page has the following 3 areas:

  • Navigation blocks located in a primary navigation on the left-side of the service page. They group one or more page links. Click to expand and collapse each block and hover the pointer over each page group to display pages under that group. Beneath the blocks, if service contains advanced option links, you will find an option to Hide or Show the Advanced nav options. This selection you make is applied at the account level and if enabled, access to advanced pages is enabled in all service pages. Vice versa is also true.
Advanced
Figure: Hide or Show Advanced Navigation Options
  • Page area on the right side displaying the page content/configuration object. This area contains options to work with presented data or a configuration if the page is a configuration page. If the page is a monitoring page, it displays the dashboards or associated tabs. Each page area contains one or more of the following common options:

    • Search input field with which you can search for a specific object on that page.
    • Refresh option to refresh the page and content in it.
    • If page contains a table, a settings option to select or deselect the fields you want to view. It shows all fields in the All tab by default so that you can select the fields you want to display. Accordingly, properties of each created object are displayed in different columns. You can also use the search option within the settings to search for a field. Use the Restore Defaults option to display the default set of fields and reset all other table customizations made (column order, size, etc.). Use the Selected tab to view and verify the selected fields.
PageSettings
Figure: Page Settings
  • Top area above the configuration page is a secondary navigation and it shows the navigation path in breadcrumbs. This area also contains the following general options located on the left side:

    • Support - Click on the support option to view the drop-down displaying various support options and resources. For more information on how to use support, see Support.

      Support
      Figure: Support Menu
    • Account - Click on the account option to view the drop-down displaying information about your profile, plan, work domains, and skill levels. The account also includes Account Settings and Log out options.

Note: From any page, you can navigate to home page using the Home option located on the breadcrumbs located on the top area. In addition, the Select service drop-down located on the top left side of the service page also includes the Home and Support options. Clicking on the logo located on the top left of the service page also takes to home page.

Step 3: Update your preferences.

You can update preferences such as services to be included in common services on the home page. Do the following to update preferences at any time.

  • Click on the account option located on the top right (next to the support option) on any page. This displays your account information, option to update settings, and option to log out.
Profile
Figure: Account Settings
  • Click on the Account Settings. This loads the My Account page located in the Personal Management section of the Administration service.

Note: You can also search for My Account using the search option in the Select Service drop-down or the search bar located on the home page.

  • Click Edit work domains & skills in the Work domains and skill level section.
Support
Figure: Update Work Domains and Skill Level
  • In the work domains and skills edit form, select or deselect the options as per your preference and click Save changes. The home page will show the updated services as per your preferences.

Reset Password for your Console Login

If you forgot your password or just want to change it, use the Forgot Password? link on your login screen and follow the instructions.

Password
Figure: Password Page

Note: You can have access to multiple tenants using the same email account, and each tenant can have a different password. Therefore, make sure you are changing your password for the appropriate tenant.

Note: This only works if you use email/password for your login credentials, not Single Sign-On (SSO).

Detailed steps to reset your password
  1. Go to the F5® Distributed Cloud Services website.
  2. If you're not at the login screen, click on Login button on the right side of the top navigation bar.
  3. Select your account type.
Password
Figure: Select Account Type
For free or Individual accounts:
  • Click on the For Free or Individual accounts square to expand it.
  • Click Forgot Password?
Password
Figure: Password Page
For Team and Organization accounts:
  • Click on the I'm a member of a Team account square to expand it.

  • Enter your tenant/account name in the textbox.

  • Click Next.

    Password
    Figure: Tenant Selection
  • Click the Forgot Password? link.

    Password
    Figure: Password Page
  1. Enter your email in the textbox and click Submit.
  2. In the email you receive, click Reset credentials. The email will come from F5 Distributed Cloud with the subject Reset password. If you don't see the email, check your spam folder or try again making sure you are entering the correct email.
  3. Enter your new password and then enter the same password in the Confirm Password field. Then click Submit.

If you are still having difficulties, please visit our support page.


Concepts