---
title: Preparing to deploy the PingIntelligence policy
description: Before deploying the PingIntelligence policy, complete the following steps.
component: pingintelligence
version: 5.2
page_id: pingintelligence:pingintelligence_integrations:pingintelligence_f5_big_ip_prepare
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingintelligence/5.2/pingintelligence_integrations/pingintelligence_f5_big_ip_prepare.html
revdate: April 3, 2024
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  result: Result:
  troubleshooting: Troubleshooting:
---

# Preparing to deploy the PingIntelligence policy

Before deploying the PingIntelligence policy, complete the following steps.

## About this task

The F5 BIG-IP and PingIntelligence sideband integration was tested with F5 BIG-IP TMOS with Node.js v6.9.1. If you are using any other version of F5, contact Ping Identity support for help.

Before deploying the PingIntelligence policy:

## Steps

1. Install and configure the following:

   1. F5 BIG-IP with v13.1.0.8 software.

   2. Knowledge of iRules LX in F5. Refer to the F5 documentation for information on iRules.

   3. A virtual server to front-end the incoming traffic. Make sure to applythe HTTP profile to the virtual server.

   4. A valid F5 BIG-IP license and iRules LX enabled in your setup.

2. Install and configure the PingIntelligence software.

   For more information, see [PingIntelligence automated deployment for virtual machines and servers](../installing_pingintelligence_for_apis/pingintelligence_automated_deployment.html) or [PingIntelligence manual deployment](../installing_pingintelligence_for_apis/pingintelligence_manual_deployment.html).

3. Download the PingIntelligence policy from the [Ping Identity Downloads](https://www.pingidentity.com/en/resources/downloads/pingintelligence.html) site.

4. Sign on to your ASE machine and verify that ASE is in `sideband` mode by running the following `status` command:

   ```
   /opt/pingidentity/ase/bin/cli.sh status
   ```

   ### Result:

   ```
   API Security Enforcer
   status                  : started
    mode : sideband
   http/ws                 : port 80
   https/wss               : port 443
   firewall                : enabled
   abs                     : enabled, ssl: enabled
   abs attack              : disabled
   audit                   : enabled
   sideband authentication : disabled
   ase detected attack     : disabled
   attack list memory      : configured 128.00 MB, used 25.60 MB, free 102.40 MB
   ```

   ### Troubleshooting:

   If ASE is not in `sideband` mode, then stop ASE and change the mode by editing the `/opt/pingidentity/ase/config/ase.conf` file. Set `mode` as `sideband` and start ASE.

5. For secure communication between F5 BIG-IP and ASE, enable sideband authentication by entering the following ASE command:

   ```
   # ./bin/cli.sh enable_sideband_authentication -u admin –p admin
   ```

6. To generate the token in ASE, enter the following command in the ASE command line and save the generated authentication token for further use in [Importing and configuring the PingIntelligence policy](pingintelligence_f5_big_ip_import_policy.html).

   A token is required for BIG-IP to authenticate with ASE.

   ```
   # ./bin/cli.sh -u admin -p admin create_sideband_token
   ```