Understanding ArubaOS: Version 8.x

Understanding ArubaOS: Version 8.x goes beyond documenting and describing the ArubaOS 8 operating system. It focuses on explaining the hierarchical environment and architecture. ArubaOS 8 is extremely powerful and capable, providing many different features. This book attempts to increase the reader’s understanding of how this powerful tool can improve the security and quality of any size wireless network.

Written by Aruba’s senior trainer with over 15 years of Aruba experience, Understanding ArubaOS: Version 8.x will help you understand the different pieces of the Aruba Mobility Master–based wireless platform, the functions of these pieces, and how they fit together. This book does not just focus on the commands and configuration screens, but gives functional knowledge about the entire Aruba Networks wireless system.

The book takes a very matter-of-fact, straightforward approach to understanding the Aruba Networks architecture and its components. Stories and analogies are used to make it easier to understand complex topics. The book is not intended to be an A through Z, step-by-step user’s guide to configuring ArubaOS 8; however, it does provide hundreds of graphics and CLI commands, along with the output displayed, describing and showing the steps to perform most of the tasks in the book.

Numerous logic diagrams are provided, along with pages of explanations, describing what occurs at each step in the process. These diagrams include:

§ Mobility Master(MM)/Mobility Controller(MC) architecture

§ Clustering

§ Node Hierarchy

§ AP forwarding modes

§ Role/VLAN derivation flowchart

§ Virtual AP (VAP) profile components

§ 802.1X/EAP VAP

§ Captive portal VAP

§ PSK VAP

§ Captive portal logical flow

§ Remote AP (RAP) configuration

If you are new to Aruba Networks Mobility Master platform, this book will provide a good foundation that will make it easier for you to further learn and understand the product through formal Aruba training classes, hands-on experience, conversations with your peers, and through the many other available Aruba resources.

If you are already familiar with Aruba Networks, this book will help you understand concepts that you may not be familiar with, and help you better understand the more advanced features of ArubaOS 8 by reinforcing the foundation that those advanced subjects are built on. Understanding ArubaOS 8 is truly a resource for an Aruba network administrator at any level.