Reference Design Guides

The Aruba Validated Reference Design (VRD) series is a collection of technology deployment guides that include descriptions of Aruba technology, recommendations for product selections, network design decisions, configuration procedures, and best practices for deployment. Together these guides comprise a reference model for understanding Aruba technology and network designs for common customer deployment scenarios. Each Aruba VRD network design has been constructed in a lab environment and thoroughly tested by Aruba engineers. Our partners and customers use these proven designs to rapidly deploy Aruba solutions in production with the assurance that they will perform and scale as expected.

Outdoor MIMO Wireless Networks

This Solution Guide is designed to help customers understand the Aruba system architecture and the individual components that are needed to deliver reliable, high-capacity outdoor networks using 802.11n with multiple-in and multiple-out (MIMO) radios. Aruba has extensive experience designing complex outdoor WLAN solutions for applications like stadiums, outdoor transportation terminals, oil and gas facilities, municipalities, and large campus environments. This guide describes the lifecycle of an outdoor MIMO wireless network deployment; typical basic processes and tools that are used in outdoor wireless networking; MIMO antenna selection and placement for maximum capacity; design recommendations for common deployment scenarios; and much more.
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Apple Captive Network Assistant Bypass with Amigopod

This guide describes the process of bypassing the Captive Network Assistant that is displayed on iOS devices such as iPhones, iPad, and more recently, Mac OS X machines running Lion (10.7) when connecting to guest networks. While convenient, the assistant also blocks the user from seeing items such as terms of service or branding and advertising on the captive portal page.
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ArubaOS DHCP Fingerprinting

This guide focuses on configuration of DHCP fingerprinting, which is used in conjunction with user roles on the Aruba Mobility Controller. When a user authenticates, their device type is taken into account. Based on that device type, a new role can be assigned to the device, such as restricting access to certain protocols or completely blocking access.
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Amigopod and ArubaOS Integration

This guide details the advanced guest access features available to organizations through the combination of Aruba’s Amigopod and Mobility Controller solutions. This includes details of workflow management, RADIUS configuration, AAA configuration, and testing of the solution. This guide builds on the network defined in the Campus VRD.
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Guest Access with ArubaOS

The application note focuses on configuration and operation of guest access solutions on ArubaOS. The native guest access solution including configuration of the guest access and guest provisioning profiles, guest administration, and captive portal configuration.
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Application Note: Voice Support on Aruba Controllers and Remote Access Points for Fixed Telecommuter Deployments

This guide provides a brief description of the various bandwidth reservation and quality of service (QoS) options for supporting voice traffic in an Aruba remote access point (RAP) telecommuter deployment scenario. The Aruba remote access point (RAP) solution is a key component of the Aruba virtual branch network (VBN) architecture. The Aruba RAP deployment model meets the needs of fixed telecommuter and small branch office deployments while maintaining simplicity and ease of deployment. Aruba RAPs extend the corporate LAN to any remote location by enabling seamless wired or wireless data and voice wherever a user finds an Internet-enabled Ethernet port or 3G cellular connection. RAPs are ideally suited for small remote offices, home offices, telecommuters, mobile executives, and for business continuity applications.
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Outdoor Point-to-Point Deployment Application Note

Point-to-point (PTP) wireless connections have many use cases including linking buildings on university campus, creating connections between offshore oil rigs, and eliminating the need to pull fiber cable between buildings on opposite sides of a busy road. This guide will help you:
Select the right hardware platform (including both the AOS-based AP-175 and Aruba¹s new AirMesh products; Choose appropriate antennas and accessories; Identify and overcome some of the most common outdoor installation challenges; Set up and configure the Aruba solution.
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Aruba Mobility Controllers Version 8

This guide covers Aruba Mobility Controllers and is considered part of the foundation guides within the VRD core technologies series. This guide will help you understand the capabilities and options you have when deploying an Aruba Mobility Controller. This guide describes operating modes for the mobility controller, licensing, forwarding modes, logical and physical deployment, redundancy, and how to select the appropriate mobility controller based on scalability requirements.
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Aruba 802.11n Networks Validated Reference Design (Version 8)

This guide covers indoor 802.11n WLANs and is considered part of the foundation guides within the VRD core technologies series. This guide describes 802.11n, differences in 802.11n vs. 802.11a/b/g functionality, and Aruba-specific technologies and access points (APs) that make 802.11n-based WLANs a viable replacement for wired Ethernet in the majority of deployments.
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Aruba Campus Wireless Networks Validated Reference Design (Version 8)

This guide covers the deployment of Aruba WLAN in a typical campus network, and it is considered part of the base designs guides within the VRD core technologies series. This guide covers the design recommendations for a campus deployment and it explains the various configurations needed to implement the Aruba secure, high-performance, multimedia grade WLAN solution in large campuses.
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Base Designs Lab Setup for Validated Reference Design (Version 8)

The VRD example campus network emulates the recommended campus network discussed in the Aruba Campus Network Validated Reference Design.
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Solution Guide: Deploying MS Lync Server 2010

Best Practices to achieve optimal voice and video quality with Microsoft Lync Server 2010 on Aruba Wireless LAN infrastructure.
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High-Density Wireless Networks for Auditoriums Validated Reference Design

This guide explains how to implement an Aruba 802.11n wireless network that must provide high-speed access to an auditorium-style room with 500 or more seats. Aruba Networks refers to such networks as high-density wireless LANs (HD WLANs). Lecture halls, hotel ballrooms, and convention centers are common examples of spaces with this requirement. Because the number of concurrent users on an AP is limited, to serve such a large number of devices requires access point (AP) densities well in excess of the usual AP per 2,500 – 5,000 ft2 (225 – 450 m2). Such coverage areas therefore have many special technical design challenges. This validated reference design provides the design principles, capacity planning methods, and physical installation knowledge needed to successfully deploy HD WLANs.
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Aruba Mobility Controllers and Deployment Models Validated Reference Design

This VRD explains the recommendations that Aruba provides for deploying a scalable, mobility controller-based wireless LAN (WLAN) system. This guide covers the fundamentals of mobility controller deployments, forwarding modes, CPsec, redundancy, and AWMS management. This guide is recommended for users who are new to centralized WLAN architectures, or are looking for updated information regarding ArubaOS 5.0 and the mobility controller.
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Aruba Networks Product Line Visio Stencils

Aruba’s entire controller and access point product family is included in this package of Visio stencils for network engineers to create accurate diagrams of their wireless infrastructure.
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Aruba Validated Reference Design Visio Stencils

The complete line of network elements from the Aruba Validated Reference Designs is included in this package of Visio stencils, to enable customers to create customized reference designs for their own organizations.
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Optimizing Aruba WLANs for Roaming Devices v3.3

This Solution Guide describes best practices for implementing an Aruba 802.11 wireless network that supports thousands of highly mobile devices (HMDs) such as Wi-Fi phones, handheld scanning terminals, voice badges, and computers mounted to vehicles. It describes the design principles particular to keeping devices that are in constant motion connected to the network as well as best practices for configuring Aruba Networks controllers and the mobile devices. The comprehensive guide addresses six areas of network planning to ensure a high quality of service for roaming data and voice sessions: device configuration, airtime optimization, roaming optimization, IP mobility configuration, IP multicast configuration, and interference resistance. A detailed troubleshooting section covers common issues that arise with these types of WLANs.
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Retail Wireless Networks Validated Reference Design v3.3

This Design Guide provides a best practice architecture for retailers who want to deploy centrally managed and secure WLANs with wireless intrusion detection capability across the entire retail enterprise. It describes the underlying network design requirements and shows how Aruba WLAN products can help maintain PCI compliance, reduce costs, improve operations, and enhance the customer experience. This guide can help retailers plan for and successfully provide wireless coverage for retail facility types ranging from large footprint stores to small footprint stores, warehouses, distribution centers, and fulfillment centers.
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Virtual Branch Networks Validated Reference Design v3.0RN

The Aruba Virtual Branch Networks Validated Reference Design Guide provides best practices and step-by-step instructions for designing, deploying, and supporting the Aruba Virtual Branch Network (VBN) solution for fixed telecommuters and branch offices with up to 100 employees. The Aruba VBN is a remote networking architecture that dramatically reduces capital and operating costs by blending the simplicity of a centralized VPN with the flexibility of role-based access control for multi-user, multi-device remote sites. This guide describes defining requirements, developing a physical and a logical design, designing security architecture and policies, and provisioning and deploying the solution. Complete example configurations and an extensive troubleshooting guide are also included.
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Network Rightsizing Best Practices Guide

The Aruba Network Rightsizing Best Practices Guide provides an overview of network rightsizing. Network rightsizing is a network capacity planning and cost optimization strategy based on the principle that wired and wireless LANs should be sized and structured to meet current and future demand. After explaining the principles of network rightsizing and how it can benefit your organization, the methodology for analyzing and planning a rightsized network will be discussed. Finally, you will learn how to implement a rightsized yet scalable Aruba 802.11n network
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Aruba Networks Antenna Line Reference Matrix

Aruba offers a comprehensive line of indoor and outdoor antennas that have been certified for operation with Aruba access points. This document summarizes all of these antennas choices, and complements the data sheets for each individual antenna model.
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Indoor Access Points: Site Survey and Planning

The purpose of this Predeployment Guide is to provide systems engineers, technical support engineers, and site survey teams with the tools needed to conduct a successful site survey, select appropriate access points or antennas, and plan for the implementation of an Aruba wireless network.
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