HPE6-A47 Practice Exam Questions with Answers Designing Aruba Solutions Certification

An active site survey is a method of measuring and validating the wireless coverage, capacity, and performance of a network in a specific environment. It involves deploying temporary APs in the proposed locations, collecting data using a survey tool, and analyzing the results to optimize the network design. A heat map is a graphical representation of the wireless signal strength, interference, noise, or other metrics in different areas of the site. A heat map with proposed AP locations and actual tested coverage is a deliverable that shows the customer the expected performance of the new 802.11ac-based solution, and allows the architect to fine-tune the AP placement, channel selection, transmit power, and antenna orientation. This deliverable also helps the customer to verify that the network meets their requirements for coverage, capacity, and quality of service. References:

• Aruba Certified Design Professional Official Certification Study Guide (HPE6-A47) - Chapter 5)
• Aruba Validated Reference Design: Wireless LAN Site Surveys - Chapter 3)
• Aruba Validated Reference Design: 802.11ac Networks - Chapter 4)

 References:https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/ds/DS_7200Series.pdf

• Aruba Mobility Controller Data Sheet (Aruba Networks)
• Designing Aruba Solutions Study Guide (HPE Press)

The customer needs to upgrade their wireless network, which has a single large building with four floors. The customer requires 30 APs on each floor, totaling 120 APs for the whole building. The customer also wants to use a MM-based architecture, and deployone Aruba 7030 MC on each floor, with the MCs combined in a cluster for seamless client failover and roaming. However, the proposed solution does not meet the customer’s requirements, because the Aruba 7030 MC does not support enough APs for the customer’s needs. Each Aruba 7030 MC can only support up to 64 APs, which means that deploying one on each floor would not be enough to support all the required APs. The architect should explain this limitation to the customer, and suggest a different solution that can support more APs, such as using a higher-capacity MC model, or deploying more MCs per floor.

References:

• Aruba 7000 Series Mobility Controllers Data Sheet)
• ArubaOS 8.5 User Guide)
• Aruba Certified Design Professional Official Certification Study Guide (HPE6-A47))

One Aruba best practice for this design is to ensure that optimization and suppression of unnecessary multicast is enabled on the MCs. This is because multicast traffic can consume a lot of bandwidth and degrade the wireless performance, especially in a large building with many devices. By enabling optimization and suppression of unnecessary multicast, the MCs can reduce the amount of multicast traffic that is sent to the APs and the wireless clients, and improve the network efficiency and user experience.

Option A is incorrect because extending VLAN 10 to the edge and deploying Aruba APs on it is not a best practice for this design. This is because it creates a large broadcast domain that can increase the network congestion and complexity. It also exposes the VLAN 10 to potential security risks from the edge devices. Option B is incorrect because ensuring that each user role on the MCs is associated with a different VLAN ID is not a best practice for this design. This is because it creates a large number of VLANs that can increase the network overhead and management difficulty. It also limits the flexibility and scalability of the network design. Option C is incorrect because ensuring that the RADIUS server assigns users to different VLANs dynamically is not a best practice for this design. This is because it adds an extra layer of complexity and dependency to the network design. It also requires the RADIUS server to be configured and synchronized with the MCs and the VLANs, which can introduce potential errors and delays. References: Aruba Validated Design: Campus Wireless LAN), ArubaOS 8.7 User Guide)

To plan a wireless solution upgrade for printers, the architect needs to know whether the printers support 802.1X and the 802.11 standards supported by the printer. These two factors are important for ensuring the compatibility, security, and performance of the wireless network.

• 802.1X is a standard for network access control that provides authentication, authorization, and encryption for devices that connect to a wireless network1. It prevents unauthorized devices from accessing the network resources and protects the data transmission from eavesdropping or tampering. If the printers support 802.1X, the architect can design a wireless solution that leverages this feature to enhance the security and compliance of the network. If the printers do not support 802.1X, the architect may need to consider alternative methods of securing the wireless access, such as MAC address filtering, VPN, or WPA2-PSK2.
• 802.11 is a set of standards that define the specifications and protocols for wireless communication3. Different 802.11 standards have different characteristics, such as frequency, bandwidth, data rate, range, and compatibility. For example, 802.11a operates at 5 GHz and offers up to 54 Mbps, while 802.11b operates at 2.4 GHz and offers up to 11 Mbps3. If the printers support the same or higher 802.11 standards as the wireless network, the architect can design a wireless solution that ensures the optimal performance and reliability of the wireless communication. If the printers support lower or different 802.11 standards than the wireless network, the architect may need to consider the impact of the compatibility issues, such as interference, congestion, or degradation4.

The other options are not as relevant for planning a wireless solution upgrade for printers. Whether the printers are physically locked down or not does not affect the wireless connectivity, unless the lock interferes with the antenna or signal reception. The identity of users who need to access printers is more related to the access control and user management policies, rather than the wireless solution design. Whether the printers support PoE or not does not affect the wireless connectivity, unless the power source is unreliable or insufficient.

References:

• 1: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_86_Web_Help/Content/arubaos-solutions/1-overview/802.1x.htm
• 2: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_86_Web_Help/Content/arubaos-solutions/1-overview/securing-wireless-access.htm
• 3: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_86_Web_Help/Content/arubaos-solutions/1-overview/802.11-standards.htm
• 4: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_86_Web_Help/Content/arubaos-solutions/1-overview/compatibility-issues.htm

 Aruba Instant APs are a simple, easy to deploy, and cost-effective solution for small office buildings that need wireless access. Aruba Instant APs can form a self-organizing and self-healing mesh network that supports basic rogue AP detection and provides a stateful firewall with role-based policies. Aruba Instant APs do not require a separate controller or license, and can be managed from the cloud or a mobile app. Aruba remote APs are designed for branch or home offices that need to connect to a central controller over a WAN link. Aruba campus APs and a Virtual Mobility Controller are suitable for larger or more complex deployments that need more scalability and flexibility. Aruba campus APs and an Aruba 7005 Mobility Controller are also more expensive and require additional hardware and licensing. References: Aruba Instant Access Points), Aruba Validated Design: Campus Wireless LAN)

 To ensure that wireless voice traffic is properly prioritized for Microsoft Skype for Business, the architect should set up firewall policies and SDN to mark voice on the MCs or MM. Firewall policies are used to classify and prioritize traffic based on the application, user role, device type, and location. SDN is used to integrate with the Skype for Business SDN API, which provides real-time information about voice and video sessions, such as source and destination IP addresses, ports, codecs, and quality metrics. By using firewall policies and SDN, the MCs or MM can dynamically mark voice traffic with the appropriate DSCP values and queue them in the highest priority queue on the wireless and wired network12.

The other options are not sufficient or relevant for ensuring wireless voice traffic prioritization for Skype for Business. Broadcast suppression combined with AirGroup is used to reduce the network overhead and improve the user experience for wireless devices that use multicast or broadcast protocols, such as Apple Bonjour or Microsoft UPnP3. Airtime Fairness set to fair-access is used to balance the airtime usage among clients with different capabilities and data rates, such as 802.11ac and 802.11n4. Voice-aware Layer 3 roaming is used to enable seamless handoff of voice sessions across different subnets without dropping the call5. While these features may enhance the overall wireless performance and reliability, they do not directly prioritize voice traffic for Skype for Business.

References:

• Aruba Validated Reference Design: 802.11ac Networks
• Aruba Validated Reference Design: Skype for Business
• Aruba Validated Reference Design: AirGroup
• Aruba Validated Reference Design: Adaptive Radio Management
• Aruba Validated Reference Design: Voice over Wireless LAN

it meets the customer’s requirements for wired network upgrade. By combining the switches in each Building 2 closet as a Virtual Switching Framework (VSF) fabric, the architect can reduce the number of logical devices within the network, simplifying management and reducing complexity, aligning with the goal of flattening architecture. Establishing two 10 GbE connections to the core per fabric ensures redundancy and resilience, maintaining connectivity even if one link fails, without necessitating additional cabling. This also provides sufficient bandwidth and scalability for the network traffic.

The other options are incorrect because:

• A. Using two additional 2930F switches to act as an aggregation layer for Building 2 adds another layer of devices and complexity to the network, contradicting the goal of flattening architecture. It also requires additional cabling and ports to connect the switches to the core and the access layer.
• B. Connecting each Building 2 switch directly to the core on a single fiber strand through the use of SFP±SR transceivers does not provide redundancy and resilience, as one link failure would disconnect the switch from the core. It also limits the bandwidth and scalability of the network, as each switch would have only one 10 GbE connection to the core.
• D. Extending additional fiber between the buildings so that each Building 2 switch can have a direct 10 GbE connection to the core requires recabling, which the customer wants to avoid. It also increases the cost and complexity of the network, as more fiber strands and ports would be needed.

References:

• Aruba 2930M Switch Series - Data sheet)
• Aruba Validated Reference Design: Campus Wired LAN - Chapter 3)
• ArubaOS-Switch Virtual Switching Framework - Configuration guide)

whether the MC needs to support advanced 8.x features. This is because the Aruba 7000 Series MCs are based on the older hardware platform and can only run up to ArubaOS 6.5.x, while the Aruba 7200 Series MCs are based on the newer hardware platform and can run ArubaOS 8.x and above. ArubaOS 8.x introduces many advanced features, such as clustering, MultiZone, AirMatch, and dynamic segmentation, that are not supported by the Aruba 7000 Series MCs. Therefore, if the architect needs to design a solution that leverages these features, the Aruba 7200 Series MCs are the better choice.

Option A is incorrect because the number of wireless devices that the MC needs to support is not a key criteria to choose between the Aruba 7000 Series or 7200 Series MCs.Both series can support a similar number of devices, depending on the model and license.

Option B is incorrect because whether the MC needs to terminate VPN tunnels is not a key criteria to choose between the Aruba 7000 Series or 7200 Series MCs. Both series can terminate VPN tunnels, such as IPSec, GRE, and RAP, depending on the model and license.

Option C is incorrect because the need to deploy controllers in a cluster is not a key criteria to choose between the Aruba 7000 Series or 7200 Series MCs. Both series can participate in a cluster, as long as they run the same ArubaOS version and have the same license.

References: The information can be referenced from the official HPE documents and learning materials available on HPE Press and Aruba Networks. Specifically, it aligns with the objectives outlined in Chapter 6: Wireless Network Design, where the MC selection and ArubaOS 8.x features are discussed. Designing Aruba Solutions Official Certification Study Guide Aruba Mobility Controller Data Sheet ArubaOS 8.7 User Guide

The guideline for defining another VLAN for wireless devices should be based on the employee roles, with a different VLAN for each role or department. This approach allows for better control and management of network resources. It also enhances security by segregating network traffic based on roles or departments. This is particularly useful in large organizations where different departments may have different network requirements and security levels12.

References:

• Configuring VLANs - Aruba
• TECH BRIEF SINGLE VLAN DESIGN FOR WIRELESS LAN - Aruba

Air Monitors (AMs) are Aruba access points (APs) that are configured to operate in a dedicated mode for scanning the RF spectrum and detecting rogue APs, clients, and intrusion attacks. AMs do not serve any wireless clients and can scan all channels in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. AMs provide better visibility and coverage of the RF environment than APs that serve clients, as they can scan more frequently and thoroughly. However, AMs also consume more power and network resources than APs, and require additional hardware and licensing costs. Therefore, the optimal number of AMs per floor depends on several factors, such as the size and shape of the floor, the density and distribution of APs and clients, the security and compliance requirements, and the budget and availability of the organization.

According to the Aruba Wireless Intrusion Protection (WIP) Technology Guide1, a general rule of thumb is to deploy one AM for every four to six APs. This ratio can provide adequate coverage and detection for most environments, while balancing the trade-offs between performance and cost. However, this ratio is not fixed and can vary depending on the specific needs and characteristics of each deployment. For example, if the floor has a high density of APs and clients, or a high risk of rogue or malicious activity, more AMs may be needed to provide better security and visibility. Conversely, if the floor has a low density of APs and clients, or a low risk of rogue or malicious activity, fewer AMs may be sufficient to provide adequate security and visibility.

In this case, the floor has 20 APs, which implies a moderate to high density of APs and clients. Assuming that the floor has a rectangular shape and a uniform distribution of APs and clients, a reasonable estimate of the number of AMs per floor would be about 3 to 5, based on the general rule of thumb. This would provide enough coverage and detection for most scenarios, while minimizing the additional costs and resources. However, this estimate may need to be adjusted if the floor has a different shape or a non-uniform distribution of APs and clients, or if the organization has specific security and compliance requirements that demand more or less AMs per floor. References:

• Wireless Intrusion Protection (WIP) Technology Guide
• Installing Air Monitors | Wireless Access - Airheads Community
• Aruba Certified Design Professional Official Certification Study Guide (HPE6-A47)

The maximum bandwidth possible between the aggregation and core layers using 8 strands of OM4 Multi-Mode fiber can be up to 200 Gbps1. This is because each strand of OM4 fiber can support up to 25 Gbps of bandwidth, and with 8 strands, the total bandwidth can reach up to 200 Gbps1. However, the actual bandwidth can be influenced by various factors such as the quality of the fiber, the type of transceivers used, and the distance between the aggregation and core layers1.

References:

• What is IP and Ethernet aggregation? - Ciena
• Aruba 5400R zl2 Switch Series Data Sheet
• Aruba 5400R zl2 Switch Series Installation and Getting Started Guide
• ArubaOS-Switch and ArubaOS-CX Transceiver Guide

The IRIS BOM is missing stacking modules and cables for the Aruba 2930M switches. The customer wants to flatten the architecture and avoid recabling, but also maintain connectivity to the core if one link fails. To achieve this, the architect proposed to combine the switches in each Building 2 closet as a VSF fabric and establish two 10 GbE connections to the core per fabric. However, to create a VSF fabric, the switches need to have stacking modules and cables to interconnect them. The IRIS BOM does not include these items, which are required for the VSF configuration. The part numbers for the stacking modules and cables are JL325A and J9735A, respectively.

The other options are not missing from the IRIS BOM because they are either not required or already included. Stacking licenses are not required for the Aruba 2930M switches, as they support VSF natively. 10 GbE direct attach cables are already included in the IRIS BOM as part number J9283D. An uplink module for one of the switches is not required, as the customer already has enough fiber strands to connect each switch to the core. References:

• Aruba 2930M Switch Series Data Sheet (Aruba Networks)
• Designing Aruba Solutions Study Guide (HPE Press)

The customer needs a solution that can terminate VPN tunnels for Aruba RAPs, which are remote access points that connect to the corporate network over the Internet. The customer has only one public IP address, which means that they need to use NAT to forward the IPsec traffic to the device that will terminate the VPN tunnel. The customer also wants N+1 redundancy, which means that they need at least two devices that can act as backup for each other in case of failure.

The solution that meets the customer requirements is to use two Aruba MCs on the same subnet that use VRRP without clustering. VRRP stands for Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol, and it is a protocol that allows multiple devices to share a virtual IP address and act as a single gateway for the network. This way, the customer can use the virtual IP address as the public IP address for the NAT, and the IPsec traffic will be forwarded to the device that is the VRRP master. If the master device fails, the backup device will take over the role of the master and continue to terminate the VPN tunnels. This provides N+1 redundancy for the customer.

The other options are not suitable for the customer requirements:

• Option B is not suitable because a Layer 3 cluster requires two public IP addresses, one for each MC. The customer only has one public IP address, so they cannot use this option.
• Option C is not suitable because VRRP does not work across different subnets. The customer needs to have the MCs on the same subnet to use VRRP.
• Option D is not suitable because a Layer 2 cluster does not support NAT. The customer needs to use NAT to forward the IPsec traffic to the MCs.

References:

• Aruba Remote Access Point (RAP) Networks Validated Reference Design)
• Aruba Mobility Controller Virtual IP Configuration Guide)
• ArubaOS 8.5 User Guide)