Case Study: Bournemouth University achieves cost savings, improved application performance and stronger security with F5 Networks' BIG-IP platform

Bournemouth University Increases Capability with a Consolidated Solution from F5

Bournemouth University, a UK higher-education institution serving over 19,000 students, needed to modernize its IT during its BU 2018 strategic programme. The university faced several challenges: replace multiple software-based load balancers, install a high-capacity firewall, and add application-layer security to improve performance and resilience for critical services like the VLE and VMware. After a competitive tender, Bournemouth University selected F5 Networks and its F5 BIG-IP platform (deploying BIG-IP 4200 ADCs and BIG-IP modules such as LTM, AFM, APM, and ASM).

F5 Networks implemented two BIG-IP 4200 ADCs in active‑passive mode across the university’s two data centres and enabled load balancing, firewalling, access policy and application security features. The consolidated F5 solution reduced capital and operational costs (fewer servers, lower power/cooling and simpler management), offloaded SSL and caching to boost application response times, and added DDoS filtering and layer‑7 protection to tighten security. As a result, Bournemouth University reports ongoing cost savings, improved application availability and performance, and stronger IT security thanks to F5 Networks.

Bournemouth University

Richard Brickell

Technical Specialist