diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigip.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigip.py
index 344523179da..75e4e72a145 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigip.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigip.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
 __metaclass__ = type
 
 
-import time
+import re
 
 try:
     from f5.bigip import ManagementRoot
@@ -33,72 +33,123 @@ class F5Client(F5BaseClient):
 
     @property
     def api(self):
-        exc = None
         if self._client:
             return self._client
 
-        for x in range(0, 10):
-            try:
-                result = ManagementRoot(
-                    self.provider['server'],
-                    self.provider['user'],
-                    self.provider['password'],
-                    port=self.provider['server_port'],
-                    verify=self.provider['validate_certs'],
-                    token='tmos'
-                )
-                self._client = result
-                return self._client
-            except Exception as ex:
-                exc = ex
-                time.sleep(1)
-        error = 'Unable to connect to {0} on port {1}.'.format(
-            self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port']
-        )
-
-        if exc is not None:
-            error += ' The reported error was "{0}".'.format(str(exc))
-        raise F5ModuleError(error)
+        try:
+            result = ManagementRoot(
+                self.provider['server'],
+                self.provider['user'],
+                self.provider['password'],
+                port=self.provider['server_port'],
+                verify=self.provider['validate_certs'],
+                token='tmos'
+            )
+            self._client = result
+            return self._client
+        except Exception as ex:
+            error = 'Unable to connect to {0} on port {1}. The reported error was "{2}".'.format(
+                self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port'], str(ex)
+            )
+            raise F5ModuleError(error)
 
 
 class F5RestClient(F5BaseClient):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(F5RestClient, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self.provider = self.merge_provider_params()
+        self.headers = {
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
+        }
 
     @property
     def api(self):
-        exc = None
         if self._client:
             return self._client
-        for x in range(0, 10):
-            try:
-                url = "https://{0}:{1}/mgmt/shared/authn/login".format(
-                    self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port']
-                )
-                payload = {
-                    'username': self.provider['user'],
-                    'password': self.provider['password'],
-                    'loginProviderName': self.provider['auth_provider'] or 'tmos'
-                }
-                session = iControlRestSession()
-                session.verify = self.provider['validate_certs']
-                response = session.post(url, json=payload)
-
-                if response.status not in [200]:
-                    raise F5ModuleError('Status code: {0}. Unexpected Error: {1} for uri: {2}\nText: {3}'.format(
-                        response.status, response.reason, response.url, response.content
-                    ))
-
-                session.headers['X-F5-Auth-Token'] = response.json()['token']['token']
-                self._client = session
-                return self._client
-            except Exception as ex:
-                exc = ex
-                time.sleep(1)
-        error = 'Unable to connect to {0} on port {1}.'.format(
+        session, err = self.connect_via_token_auth()
+        if err or session is None:
+            session, err = self.connect_via_basic_auth()
+            if err or session is None:
+                raise F5ModuleError(err)
+        self._client = session
+        return session
+
+    def connect_via_token_auth(self):
+        url = "https://{0}:{1}/mgmt/shared/authn/login".format(
+            self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port']
+        )
+        payload = {
+            'username': self.provider['user'],
+            'password': self.provider['password'],
+            'loginProviderName': self.provider['auth_provider'] or 'tmos'
+        }
+        session = iControlRestSession(
+            validate_certs=self.provider['validate_certs']
+        )
+
+        response = session.post(
+            url,
+            json=payload,
+            headers=self.headers
+        )
+
+        if response.status not in [200]:
+            return None, response.content
+
+        session.request.headers['X-F5-Auth-Token'] = response.json()['token']['token']
+        return session, None
+
+    def connect_via_basic_auth(self):
+        url = "https://{0}:{1}/mgmt/tm/sys".format(
             self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port']
         )
-        if exc is not None:
-            error += ' The reported error was "{0}".'.format(str(exc))
-        raise F5ModuleError(error)
+        session = iControlRestSession(
+            url_username=self.provider['user'],
+            url_password=self.provider['password'],
+            validate_certs=self.provider['validate_certs'],
+        )
+
+        response = session.get(
+            url,
+            headers=self.headers
+        )
+
+        if response.status not in [200]:
+            return None, response.content
+        return session, None
+
+    # TODO(This section of code should be developed to support proxy_to)
+    #
+    # def get_identifier(self, proxy_to):
+    #     if re.search(r'([0-9-a-z]+\-){4}[0-9-a-z]+', proxy_to, re.I):
+    #         return proxy_to
+    #     return self.get_device_uuid(proxy_to)
+    #
+    # def get_device_uuid(self, proxy_to):
+    #     uri = "https://{0}:{1}/mgmt/shared/resolver/device-groups/cm-cloud-managed-devices/devices/?$filter=hostname+eq+'{2}'&$select=uuid".format(
+    #         self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port'], proxy_to
+    #     )
+    #     resp = self.client.api.get(uri)
+    #     try:
+    #         response = resp.json()
+    #     except ValueError as ex:
+    #         raise F5ModuleError(str(ex))
+    #
+    #     if 'code' in response and response['code'] == 400:
+    #         if 'message' in response:
+    #             raise F5ModuleError(response['message'])
+    #         else:
+    #             raise F5ModuleError(resp.content)
+    #
+    #     if len(collection) > 1:
+    #         raise F5ModuleError(
+    #             "More that one managed device was found with this hostname. "
+    #             "'proxy_to' devices must be unique. Consider specifying the UUID of the device."
+    #         )
+    #     elif len(collection) == 0:
+    #         raise F5ModuleError(
+    #             "No device was found with that hostname"
+    #         )
+    #     else:
+    #         resource = collection.pop()
+    #         return resource.pop('uuid', None)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py
index 6ac024987c6..f994ed6f43b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py
@@ -10,12 +10,6 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 import os
 import time
 
-try:
-    from f5.bigiq import ManagementRoot
-    from icontrol.exceptions import iControlUnexpectedHTTPError
-    HAS_F5SDK = True
-except ImportError:
-    HAS_F5SDK = False
 
 try:
     from library.module_utils.network.f5.common import F5BaseClient
@@ -29,87 +23,56 @@ except ImportError:
     from ansible.module_utils.network.f5.icontrol import iControlRestSession
 
 
-class F5Client(F5BaseClient):
+class F5RestClient(F5BaseClient):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        super(F5Client, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        super(F5RestClient, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self.provider = self.merge_provider_params()
+        self.headers = {
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
+        }
 
     @property
     def api(self):
-        exc = None
         if self._client:
             return self._client
-        for x in range(0, 10):
-            try:
-                result = ManagementRoot(
-                    self.provider['server'],
-                    self.provider['user'],
-                    self.provider['password'],
-                    port=self.provider['server_port'],
-                    verify=self.provider['validate_certs']
-                )
-                self._client = result
-                return self._client
-            except Exception as ex:
-                exc = ex
-                time.sleep(1)
-        error = 'Unable to connect to {0} on port {1}.'.format(
+        session, err = self.connect_via_token_auth()
+        if err:
+            raise F5ModuleError(err)
+        self._client = session
+        return session
+
+    def connect_via_token_auth(self):
+        provider = self.provider['auth_provider'] or 'local'
+
+        url = "https://{0}:{1}/mgmt/shared/authn/login".format(
             self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port']
         )
+        payload = {
+            'username': self.provider['user'],
+            'password': self.provider['password'],
+        }
+
+        # - local is a special provider that is baked into the system and
+        #   has no loginReference
+        if provider != 'local':
+            login_ref = self.get_login_ref(provider)
+            payload.update(login_ref)
+
+        session = iControlRestSession(
+            validate_certs=self.provider['validate_certs']
+        )
 
-        if exc is not None:
-            error += ' The reported error was "{0}".'.format(str(exc))
-        raise F5ModuleError(error)
+        response = session.post(
+            url,
+            json=payload,
+            headers=self.headers
+        )
 
+        if response.status not in [200]:
+            return None, response.content
 
-class F5RestClient(F5BaseClient):
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        super(F5RestClient, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.provider = self.merge_provider_params()
-
-    @property
-    def api(self):
-        exc = None
-        if self._client:
-            return self._client
-        for x in range(0, 10):
-            try:
-                provider = self.provider['auth_provider'] or 'local'
-                url = "https://{0}:{1}/mgmt/shared/authn/login".format(
-                    self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port']
-                )
-                payload = {
-                    'username': self.provider['user'],
-                    'password': self.provider['password'],
-                }
-
-                # - local is a special provider that is baked into the system and
-                #   has no loginReference
-                if provider != 'local':
-                    login_ref = self.get_login_ref(provider)
-                    payload.update(login_ref)
-
-                session = iControlRestSession()
-                session.verify = self.provider['validate_certs']
-                response = session.post(url, json=payload)
-
-                if response.status not in [200]:
-                    raise F5ModuleError('Status code: {0}. Unexpected Error: {1} for uri: {2}\nText: {3}'.format(
-                        response.status, response.reason, response.url, response.content
-                    ))
-
-                session.headers['X-F5-Auth-Token'] = response.json()['token']['token']
-                self._client = session
-                return self._client
-            except Exception as ex:
-                exc = ex
-                time.sleep(1)
-        error = 'Unable to connect to {0} on port {1}.'.format(
-            self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port']
-        )
-        if exc is not None:
-            error += ' The reported error was "{0}".'.format(str(exc))
-        raise F5ModuleError(error)
+        session.request.headers['X-F5-Auth-Token'] = response.json()['token']['token']
+        return session, None
 
     def get_login_ref(self, provider):
         info = self.read_provider_info_from_device()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/ipaddress.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/ipaddress.py
index 22c8f8d2c37..495b0b90e65 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/ipaddress.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/ipaddress.py
@@ -91,3 +91,15 @@ def is_valid_ip_interface(address):
         return True
     except ValueError:
         return False
+
+
+def get_netmask(address):
+    addr = ip_network(address)
+    netmask = addr.netmask.compressed
+    return netmask
+
+
+def compress_address(address):
+    addr = ip_network(address)
+    result = addr.compressed.split('/')[0]
+    return result
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/urls.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/urls.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c3fc857117f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/urls.py
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2017, F5 Networks Inc.
+# GNU General Public License v3.0 (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+import re
+
+try:
+    from library.module_utils.network.f5.common import F5ModuleError
+except ImportError:
+    from ansible.module_utils.network.f5.common import F5ModuleError
+
+_CLEAN_HEADER_REGEX_BYTE = re.compile(b'^\\S[^\\r\\n]*$|^$')
+_CLEAN_HEADER_REGEX_STR = re.compile(r'^\S[^\r\n]*$|^$')
+
+
+def check_header_validity(header):
+    """Verifies that header value is a string which doesn't contain
+    leading whitespace or return characters.
+
+    NOTE: This is a slightly modified version of the original function
+          taken from the requests library:
+          http://docs.python-requests.org/en/master/_modules/requests/utils/
+
+    :param header: string containing ':'.
+    """
+    try:
+        name, value = header.split(':')
+    except ValueError:
+        raise F5ModuleError('Invalid header format: {0}'.format(header))
+    if name == '':
+        raise F5ModuleError('Invalid header format: {0}'.format(header))
+
+    if isinstance(value, bytes):
+        pat = _CLEAN_HEADER_REGEX_BYTE
+    else:
+        pat = _CLEAN_HEADER_REGEX_STR
+    try:
+        if not pat.match(value):
+            raise F5ModuleError("Invalid return character or leading space in header: %s" % name)
+    except TypeError:
+        raise F5ModuleError("Value for header {%s: %s} must be of type str or "
+                            "bytes, not %s" % (name, value, type(value)))
+
+
+def build_service_uri(base_uri, partition, name):
+    """Build the proper uri for a service resource.
+    This follows the scheme:
+        <base_uri>/~<partition>~<<name>.app>~<name>
+    :param base_uri: str -- base uri of the REST endpoint
+    :param partition: str -- partition for the service
+    :param name: str -- name of the service
+    :returns: str -- uri to access the service
+    """
+    name = name.replace('/', '~')
+    return '%s~%s~%s.app~%s' % (base_uri, partition, name, name)
+
+
+def parseStats(entry):
+    if 'description' in entry:
+        return entry['description']
+    elif 'value' in entry:
+        return entry['value']
+    elif 'entries' in entry or 'nestedStats' in entry and 'entries' in entry['nestedStats']:
+        if 'entries' in entry:
+            entries = entry['entries']
+        else:
+            entries = entry['nestedStats']['entries']
+        result = None
+
+        for name in entries:
+            entry = entries[name]
+            if 'https://localhost' in name:
+                name = name.split('/')
+                name = name[-1]
+                if result and isinstance(result, list):
+                    result.append(parseStats(entry))
+                elif result and isinstance(result, dict):
+                    result[name] = parseStats(entry)
+                else:
+                    try:
+                        int(name)
+                        result = list()
+                        result.append(parseStats(entry))
+                    except ValueError:
+                        result = dict()
+                        result[name] = parseStats(entry)
+            else:
+                if '.' in name:
+                    names = name.split('.')
+                    key = names[0]
+                    value = names[1]
+                    if result is None:
+                        # result can be None if this branch is reached first
+                        #
+                        # For example, the mgmt/tm/net/trunk/NAME/stats API
+                        # returns counters.bitsIn before anything else.
+                        result = dict()
+                        result[key] = dict()
+                    elif key not in result:
+                        result[key] = dict()
+                    elif result[key] is None:
+                        result[key] = dict()
+                    result[key][value] = parseStats(entry)
+                else:
+                    if result and isinstance(result, list):
+                        result.append(parseStats(entry))
+                    elif result and isinstance(result, dict):
+                        result[name] = parseStats(entry)
+                    else:
+                        try:
+                            int(name)
+                            result = list()
+                            result.append(parseStats(entry))
+                        except ValueError:
+                            result = dict()
+                            result[name] = parseStats(entry)
+        return result