AirGroup

AirGroup The application that allows the end users to register their personal mobile devices on a local network and define a group of friends or associates who are allowed to share them. AirGroup is primarily designed for colleges and other institutions. AirGroup uses zero configuration networking to allow Apple mobile devices, such as the AirPrint wireless printer service and the AirPlay mirroring service, to communicate over a complex access network topology. is a unique enterprise-class capability that leverages zero configuration networking to allow mobile device technologies, like the AirPrint wireless printer service or the AirPlay mirroring service, to communicate over a complex access network topology.

AirGroup The application that allows the end users to register their personal mobile devices on a local network and define a group of friends or associates who are allowed to share them. AirGroup is primarily designed for colleges and other institutions. AirGroup uses zero configuration networking to allow Apple mobile devices, such as the AirPrint wireless printer service and the AirPlay mirroring service, to communicate over a complex access network topology. supports profile-based hierarchical configuration. AirGroup The application that allows the end users to register their personal mobile devices on a local network and define a group of friends or associates who are allowed to share them. AirGroup is primarily designed for colleges and other institutions. AirGroup uses zero configuration networking to allow Apple mobile devices, such as the AirPrint wireless printer service and the AirPlay mirroring service, to communicate over a complex access network topology. runs on Mobility Conductor, managed devices, or stand-alone controllers. While the Mobility Conductor-Managed Device deployment model supports centralized mode, distributed mode, or both, the stand-alone controller model supports only the distributed mode.

This section describes the following AirGroup The application that allows the end users to register their personal mobile devices on a local network and define a group of friends or associates who are allowed to share them. AirGroup is primarily designed for colleges and other institutions. AirGroup uses zero configuration networking to allow Apple mobile devices, such as the AirPrint wireless printer service and the AirPlay mirroring service, to communicate over a complex access network topology. topics:

AirGroup Enhancements

AirGroup is redesigned to meet the scaling and serviceability requirements of networks with large number of devices. Starting with ArubaOS 8.10.0.0, AirGroup version 2 is enabled by default and AirGroup version 1 is not available. AirGroup version 2 introduces the following changes:

  • Auto-associate AP name is enabled by default. Any configuration related to auto-associate AP name that was done before the upgrade to ArubaOS 8.10.0.0 will be retained. But, if auto-associate is not configured before the upgrade to ArubaOS 8.10.0.0, then auto-associate AP name will be enabled automatically after the upgrade to ArubaOS 8.10.0.0. An AirGroup user will see AirGroup servers only in the vicinity of the AP name.
  • Wired servers are added to managed device-tagged, cluster-tagged, or untagged list. Wired servers in the untagged list cannot be discovered. Wired servers in the untagged list do not have a unique managed device or cluster location and:
    • If a ClearPass Policy Manager policy is present, it will be applied.
    • A managed device-tagged wired server will be visible to AirGroup users connected the same managed device.
    • A cluster-tagged wired server will be visible to AirGroup users connected to the same cluster.

The AirGroup enhancements include:

Making AirGroup multi-threaded and lock-less. This reduces packet corruption and process crashes.

Handling increased frequency of server advertisements. This increases scaling in networks with large number of devices.

Handling increased frequency of client queries. This increases scaling in networks with large number of devices.

Flushing wireless devices that are unresponsive or disconnected from the network. This improves the performance of AirGroup process.

Allowing users to see only servers that are near them. This improves user experience in multiple island scenario.

Enabling auto-associate AP name by default. This improves user experience in multiple island scenario.

Processing larger number of packets per second. This increases scaling in networks with large number of devices.

Improving serviceability with commands. The following AirGroup commands are updated:

airgroup network profile configures the MAC Media Access Control. A MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on a network. address or MAC Media Access Control. A MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on a network.  OUI Organizationally Unique Identifier. Synonymous with company ID or vendor ID, an OUI is a 24-bit, globally unique assigned number, referenced by various standards. The first half of a MAC address is OUI. to be denylisted, maximum allowed IP address per device, maximum number of servers per query (default value is 30 in version 2 mode), maximum number of servers per location (default value is 100 in version 2 mode), maximum allowed tokens or cache per device, expiry time for wired servers (default value is 10 minutes in version 2 mode), and expiry time for wireless servers (default value is 120 minutes in version 2 mode).

show airgroup servers <mdns> displays all mDNS Multicast Domain Name System. mDNS provides the ability to perform DNS-like operations on the local link in the absence of any conventional unicast DNS server. The mDNS protocol uses IP multicast User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets, and is implemented by the Apple Bonjour and Linux NSS-mDNS services. mDNS works in conjunction with DNS Service Discovery (DNS-SD), a companion zero-configuration technique specified. See RFC 6763. servers.

show airgroup servers <dlna> displays all DLNA Digital Living Network Alliance. DLNA is a set of interoperability guidelines for sharing digital media among multimedia devices.  servers.

show airgroup servers <service-name> displays all servers which published a service.

show airgroup servers untagged displays untagged (or wired) servers.

show airgroup servers <cluster-name> displays all servers that are part of a cluster.

show airgroup servers <node-path> displays all servers that are part of a node-path.

show airgroup servers debug displays the debug log.

show airgroup servers cache-entries debug displays the cache entries

show airgroup server <mac> displays details of a single server.

show airgroup packet-capture displays the packet capture.

show airgroup multi-controller table displays the details of the multi-controller.

show airgroup users <mdns> displays all mDNS Multicast Domain Name System. mDNS provides the ability to perform DNS-like operations on the local link in the absence of any conventional unicast DNS server. The mDNS protocol uses IP multicast User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets, and is implemented by the Apple Bonjour and Linux NSS-mDNS services. mDNS works in conjunction with DNS Service Discovery (DNS-SD), a companion zero-configuration technique specified. See RFC 6763. users.

show airgroup users <dlna> displays all DLNA Digital Living Network Alliance. DLNA is a set of interoperability guidelines for sharing digital media among multimedia devices.  users.

show airgroup users mac displays the details of a single user.

show airgroup vlan displays all VLAN Virtual Local Area Network. In computer networking, a single Layer 2 network may be partitioned to create multiple distinct broadcast domains, which are mutually isolated so that packets can only pass between them through one or more routers; such a domain is referred to as a Virtual Local Area Network, Virtual LAN, or VLAN. related information including server count per VLAN Virtual Local Area Network. In computer networking, a single Layer 2 network may be partitioned to create multiple distinct broadcast domains, which are mutually isolated so that packets can only pass between them through one or more routers; such a domain is referred to as a Virtual Local Area Network, Virtual LAN, or VLAN. to identify the VLAN-level distribution.

show airgroup switches displays all managed devices that are of AirGroup.

show airgroup switches <device-mac> displays all details of the traffic generated by the managed devices and its flow details.

show airgroup flow-table displays all the flows.

show airgroup tracebuf displays the error trace events.

show airgroup thread-statistics displays all thread-level statistics.

show airgroup status displays the active AirGroup version.

show airgroup status <nodepath> displays the basic status of AirGroup service.

show airgroup aps displays the details of the APs running AirGroup.

show airgroup cppm entries displays information for devices registered in ClearPass Policy Manager ClearPass Policy Manager is a baseline platform for policy management, AAA, profiling, network access control, and reporting. With ClearPass Policy Manager, the network administrators can configure and manage secure network access that accommodates requirements across multiple locations and multivendor networks, regardless of device ownership and connection method..

show airgroup internal-state statistics displays the statistics of the packets sent and received.

show airgroup internal-state statistics dlna displays the DLNA Digital Living Network Alliance. DLNA is a set of interoperability guidelines for sharing digital media among multimedia devices.  statistics.

show airgroup internal-state statistics mdns displays the mDNS Multicast Domain Name System. mDNS provides the ability to perform DNS-like operations on the local link in the absence of any conventional unicast DNS server. The mDNS protocol uses IP multicast User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets, and is implemented by the Apple Bonjour and Linux NSS-mDNS services. mDNS works in conjunction with DNS Service Discovery (DNS-SD), a companion zero-configuration technique specified. See RFC 6763. statistics.

show airgroup internal-state statistics ppm displays the packet per minute statistics.

show airgroup internal-state statistics verbose displays the detailed statistics of the packets sent and received.

show airgroupservice [mdns|dlna] <node_path> [internal] displays the status of the AirGroup services.

show airgroupservice [mdns|dlna] [verbose] <node_path> displays details of the AirGroup services.

AirGroup Servers and Flags

In the redesigned architecture, every wired server has a location context. New location flags are introduced to tag wired servers. Use the show airgroup servers command to see the flags. The following flags are available for wired servers:

M—Managed Device location

U—Unknown location

R—Cluster location

C—CPPM policy

A—AP location

S—AP MCast server

D—Username based policy is enabled

Wired servers with shared VLAN Virtual Local Area Network. In computer networking, a single Layer 2 network may be partitioned to create multiple distinct broadcast domains, which are mutually isolated so that packets can only pass between them through one or more routers; such a domain is referred to as a Virtual Local Area Network, Virtual LAN, or VLAN. across non-clustered managed devices have the U flag. Servers with U flag cannot be discovered by users until the location policy is added for the servers. To discover servers with U flag, users can either sort the shared VLAN Virtual Local Area Network. In computer networking, a single Layer 2 network may be partitioned to create multiple distinct broadcast domains, which are mutually isolated so that packets can only pass between them through one or more routers; such a domain is referred to as a Virtual Local Area Network, Virtual LAN, or VLAN. in the network or add the location of the server using a CPPM policy. Users can also add other sharing policies, but it is mandatory to add location policy to discover the servers with U flag.

The show airgroup multi-controller table command displays the managed devices with shared VLAN Virtual Local Area Network. In computer networking, a single Layer 2 network may be partitioned to create multiple distinct broadcast domains, which are mutually isolated so that packets can only pass between them through one or more routers; such a domain is referred to as a Virtual Local Area Network, Virtual LAN, or VLAN..

The flags, A, C, and D are also displayed for wireless servers.

CPPM State

Wired servers with U flag can be tagged to a location using a CPPM policy. Wired servers with a CPPM policy have the C flag. The CPPM states are:

  • NR—Not required

  • Req 1/2/3—Request Attempt number

  • Fail—CPPM Request failed

  • Done—CPPM request done

  • No policy—No Policy in Clearpass Global CPPM State - Req 1

Scalability

The redesigned AirGroup offers the following scalability performance:

Table 1: AirGroup Performance
Performance Number

Number of supported queries

800 pps

Number of unsupported queries

2400 pps

Total number of queries

3200 pps

Total count of servers

12000

* Average Servers Count/Query is 15.

Limitations

AirGroup does not support the following features:

  • Domain configuration is not supported for AirGroup running in distributed mode.
  • Distributed mode can be used only if there is no requirement for domain configuration.
  • Distributed mode cannot be used if the network has a cluster of managed devices.