During the prestigious AppWorld conference, F5 (NASDAQ: FFIV) unveiled new features aimed at simplifying the protection and empowerment of the rapidly growing number of applications and APIs central to contemporary digital experiences.
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to drive the expansion of applications and their connecting APIs, F5 is integrating API code testing and telemetry analysis into its Distributed Cloud Services, establishing what is hailed as the most comprehensive API security solution in the industry, ready for AI integration. Furthermore, F5 announced its commitment to infuse AI capabilities throughout its entire range of solutions, aiding customers in defending against sophisticated AI-driven threats and streamlining the security and management of multi-cloud application environments.
François Locoh-Donou, President and CEO of F5, emphasized the mounting complexity faced by companies amid a rapidly evolving threat landscape, asserting F5’s dedication to providing solutions that alleviate this complexity, allowing customers to concentrate on their core business objectives.
According to F5’s forthcoming 2024 State of Application Strategy report, 88% of enterprises deploy apps and APIs across multiple locations, recognizing the necessity of hybrid and multi-cloud architectures to deliver modern digital experiences and meet heightened user demands. However, this multi-faceted approach has led to significant complexity within enterprise application environments, with the number of organizations hosting their applications in six different environments doubling in the past year to 38%.
F5’s Distributed Cloud Services now offer the most comprehensive, AI-ready API security solution in the industry. As AI-driven digital experiences become increasingly distributed, with various data sources, models, and services spanning on-premises, cloud, and edge environments, the protection of API connections and the data they transmit emerges as a paramount security challenge. Through recent acquisitions, F5 has integrated vulnerability detection and observability into its platform, ensuring risks are identified and policies implemented before APIs enter production. This consolidation eliminates the need for customers to manage separate API security solutions, offering API discovery, testing, posture management, and runtime protection within a unified platform.
Chris Steffen, Vice President of Research at EMA, emphasized the importance of consolidating tools into a single end-to-end API security solution, particularly in today’s interconnected world where safeguarding connections vital to business processes is paramount.
Additionally, F5 unveiled plans to embed AI capabilities throughout its portfolio, leveraging its position in the data path of nearly half of the world’s applications. The F5 AI Data Fabric will enable the development of innovative solutions, leveraging telemetry from various F5 services to provide insights, automate actions, and power AI agents. Later this year, F5 will introduce an AI assistant to revolutionize customer interaction and management of F5 solutions, offering a natural language interface and serving as an intelligent partner to stretched IT and security teams.
Lastly, AppWorld is set to arrive in Mumbai on April 19, offering a dynamic experience featuring keynotes, panel discussions, and breakout sessions focused on exploring the latest developments and possibilities in the realm of applications and APIs.
For more information on F5’s Distributed Cloud API Security and AI Data Fabric, please refer to the accompanying blogs and resources.