HPE7-A01 Questions and Answers

This is the correct solution to the problem of devices behind unmanaged switches causing network outages due to loops. Loop protection is a feature that allows an Aruba CX switch to detect and prevent loops by sending loop protection packets on each port, LAG, or VLAN on which loop protection is enabled. If a loop protection packet is received by the same switch that sent it, it indicates a loop exists and an action is taken based on the configuration. Loop protection should be configured on all edge ports of the Aruba CX 6200 and CX 6300 switches, which are the ports that connect to end devices or unmanaged switches. The trap-option should be set up to send a warning to the helpdesk when a loop is detected. The other options are incorrect because they either do not configure loop protection or do not set up the trap-option. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.05/HTML/5200-7540/GUID-99A8B276-0DA3-4458-AFD8-42BFEC29D4F5.html https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.05/HTML/5200-7540/GUID-D8613BDE-CD21-4B83-8561-17DB0311ED8F.html

802.11mc is a standard that uses Round Trip Time (RTT) and Fine Time Measurements (FTM) to calculate the distance a client is from an AP. 802.11mc defines a protocol for exchanging FTM frames between an AP and a client, which contain timestamps that indicate when the frames were transmitted and received. By measuring the RTT of these frames, the AP or the client can estimate their distance based on the speed of light. The other options are incorrect because they either do not use RTT or FTM or do not exist as standards. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/wp/WP_WiFi6.pdf https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/ds/DS_AP510Series.pdf

These are two correct statements regarding OSPFv2 route redistribution for Aruba OS CX switches. Route redistribution is a process that allows routes from one routing protocol or source to be injected into another routing protocol or destination. OSPFv2 is a link-state routing protocol that supports route redistribution from various sources, such as connected, static, BGP, etc. The “redistribute connected” command will redistribute all connected routes for the switch, including local loopback addresses, into OSPFv2. The “redistribute static route-map connected-routes” command will redistribute all static routes that have a matching permit statement in the route map named “connected-routes” into OSPFv2. The other statements are incorrect because they either do not reflect the correct behavior of route redistribution commands or do not exist as valid commands. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.04/HTML/5200-6728/bk01-ch02.html https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.04/HTML/5200-6728/bk01-ch03.html

Multi-Domain Authentication is the feature that should be enabled to support the requirement that the switch must be able to authenticate a single computer connected through a VoIP phone. Multi-Domain Authentication is a feature that allows an Aruba CX switch to apply different authentication methods and policies to different devices connected to the same port. For example, a VoIP phone and a computer can be connected to the same port using a single cable, but they can be authenticated separately using different credentials and assigned to different VLANs. The other options are incorrect because they either do not support multiple devices on the same port or do not provide authentication. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.05/HTML/5200-7540/GUID-7D9E9F6E-5C2A-4F7E-BE6D-A2C3A6C7B9F9.html https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/tg/TB_ArubaCX_Switching.pdf

This is an Aruba-recommended best practice for hardening that only applies to Aruba CX 6300 series switches with dedicated management ports. A dedicated management port is a physical port that is used exclusively for out-of-band management access to the switch. A dedicated management VRF is a virtual routing and forwarding instance that isolates the management traffic from other traffic on the switch. By creating a dedicated management VRF and assigning the management port to it, the administrator can enhance the security and performance of the management access to the switch. The other options are incorrect because they either do not apply to switches with dedicated management ports or do not follow Aruba-recommended best practices. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/ds/DS_AOS-CX.pdf https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/tg/TB_ArubaCX_Switching.pdf

configures DHCP snooping on the switch and enables it for VLANs 100, 110, and 120. It also specifies the IP address of the authorized DHCP server and sets the ports connected to the server as trusted. This prevents any unauthorized DHCP server from providing invalid configuration data to the clients on those VLANs. Option B also enables DHCP option-82, which adds information about the switch port and VLAN to the DHCP packets, allowing for more granular control and logging of DHCP transactions.

The persona role option that should be selected to deploy a Gateway and take advantage of all the SD-WAN features is A. ArubaOS 10 Branch.

ArubaOS 10 Branch is a persona that enables the Gateway to provide both LAN and WAN functionality for branch networks. The Gateway can act as a wireless controller, a router, a firewall, and an SD-WAN device. The SD-WAN features include route and tunnel orchestration, dynamic path steering, forward error correction, SaaS traffic optimization, SASE orchestration, and more1.

The other options are incorrect because:

B. ArubaOS 10 VPN Concentrator: This is a persona that enables the Gateway to act as a VPN concentrator for remote access or site-to-site VPN connections. It does not provide SD-WAN features2.

C. ArubaOS 10 Wireless: This is a persona that enables the Gateway to act as a wireless controller for campus networks. It does not provide SD-WAN features3.

D. ArubaOS 10 Mobility: This is a persona that enables the Gateway to act as a mobility controller for campus networks. It does not provide SD-WAN features.

VSX clustering is a feature that allows two Aruba CX switches to operate as a single logical device, providing high availability, scalability, and simplified management. VSX clustering has several benefits over spanning tree configuration, such as:

Dual control plane provides better resiliency. Unlike stacking, where switches share a single control plane, VSX switches have independent control planes that synchronize their states over an inter-switch link (ISL). This means that if one switch fails or reboots, the other switch can continue to operate without affecting traffic flows or network services.

Active-active forwarding provides better performance. Unlike spanning tree, where some links are blocked to prevent loops, VSX switches use all available links for forwarding traffic, providing load balancing and increased bandwidth utilization.

Multichassis LAG provides better redundancy. Unlike single-chassis LAG, where all member ports belong to one switch, VSX switches can form multichassis LAGs with downstream or upstream devices, where member ports are distributed across both switches. This provides link redundancy and seamless failover in case of switch or port failure.

OCSP is a protocol that allows clients to query the CA or a trusted responder for the status of a specific certificate. OCSP requests and responses are smaller and faster than CRLs, and they can provide real-time information about the revocation status of a certificate12. CRLs are lists of all revoked certificates that are downloaded from the CA. CRLs can present issues, as they can become outdated and have to be downloaded frequently13. Therefore, OCSP reduces latency between the time a certificate is revoked and validation reflects this status. References: 1 https://sectigostore.com/blog/ocsp-vs-crl-whats-the-difference/  2 https://www.keyfactor.com/blog/what-is-a-certificate-revocation-list-crl-vs-ocsp/  3 https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/ocsp

802.11k is a standard that provides mechanisms for APs and clients to dynamically measure the available radio resources in a wireless network. 802.11k defines radio resource management (RRM) functions, such as neighbor reports, link measurement, beacon reports, etc., that allow APs and clients to exchange information about the RF environment and make better roaming decisions. The other options are incorrect because they describe other standards, such as 802.11r, 802.11v, or 802.11ax. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/wp/WP_WiFi6.pdf https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/ds/DS_AP510Series.pdf

Option C is the correct configuration to ensure that APs will work properly. It uses the ap command to configure a port profile for APs with VLAN 100 as the native VLAN and VLAN 200 and 300 as tagged VLANs. It also enables LLDP on the ports to discover the APs and assign them to the port profile automatically. The other options are incorrect because they either do not use the ap command, do not enable LLDP, or do not configure the VLANs correctly. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX_10_08/UG/bk01-ch02.html https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX_10_08/UG/bk01-ch03.html

BSS coloring is a mechanism that helps identify the BSS Basic Service Set. A BSS is a set of interconnected stations that can communicate with each other. BSS can be an independent BSS or infrastructure BSS. An independent BSS is an ad hoc network that does not include APs, whereas the infrastructure BSS consists of an AP and all its associated clients. on the same channel and differentiate them from other BSS on the same channel12. Each BSS is assigned a color code, which is a 6-bit value that is carried in the PHY header of the Wi-Fi frames12. By using BSS coloring, the APs and clients can reduce the threshold for interference detection and avoid unnecessary backoff or retransmissions when they detect frames from other BSS with different colors12. This can improve the spectral efficiency and throughput of the network12. The other options are incorrect because they do not describe the primary benefit of BSS coloring.

Wi-Fi 6 is an industry certification for products that support the new wireless standard 802.11ax, also known as “high-efficiency wireless”. Wi-Fi 6 offers increased capacities, improved resource utilization and higher throughput speeds than previous standards.

Option B: ClientMatch

This is because option B shows how to use ClientMatch to optimize the wireless performance of Wi-Fi 6 clients on a UniFi network. ClientMatch is a feature that uses machine learning to analyze the traffic patterns of each client and assign them to the best available AP based on their location, device type, and network conditions2.

Therefore, option B is the best technology to implement for your customer’s issue.

1: https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/221029967-UniFi-Network-Optimizing-Wireless-Connectivity  2: https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012947634-UniFi-Network-Optimizing-Wireless-Speeds

The correct answers are C and D.

MPSK (Multi Pre-Shared Key) is a feature that allows multiple PSKs to be used on a single SSID, providing device-specific or group-specific passphrases for enhanced security and deployment flexibility for headless IoT devices1. MPSK requires MAC authentication against a ClearPass Policy Manager server, which returns the encrypted passphrase for the device in a RADIUS VSA2. ClearPass Policy Manager is a platform that provides role- and device-based network access control for any user across any wired, wireless and VPN infrastructure3. ClearPass Policy Manager can also use device profiling and posture assessment to assign roles based on device fingerprint information4.

MPSK Local is a variant of MPSK that allows the user to configure up to 24 PSKs per SSID locally on the device, without requiring ClearPass Policy Manager5. MPSK Local can be combined with EAP-TLS (Extensible Authentication Protocol-Transport Layer Security), which is a secure authentication method that uses certificates to encrypt the wireless traffic between the IoT devices and the access points6. EAP-TLS can also use device certificates to perform role-based access control6.

Therefore, both ClearPass Policy Manager and MPSK Local with EAP-TLS can meet the customer’s requirements for wireless authentication, encryption, unique passphrase, and role-based access for their IoT devices.

MPSK and an internal RADIUS server is not a valid solution, because MPSK does not support internal RADIUS servers and requires ClearPass Policy Manager789. MPSK Local with MAC Authentication is not a valid solution, because MAC Authentication does not encrypt the wireless traffic or use fingerprint information for role-based access2. Local User Derivation Rules are not a valid solution, because they do not provide unique passphrase per device or use fingerprint information for role-based access101112.

MPSK Local is a feature that can be used to set up 15 headless IoT devices that do not support 802.1X authentication. MPSK Local allows the switch to automatically generate and assign unique pre-shared keys for devices based on their MAC addresses, without requiring any configuration on the devices or an external authentication server. The other options are incorrect because they either require 802.1X authentication, which is not supported by the IoT devices, or WPA3 encryption, which is not supported by Aruba CX switches. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.04/HTML/5200-6728/bk01-ch05.html https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.04/HTML/5200-6728/bk01-ch06.html

The component that is used by the Aruba Network Analytics Engine (NAE) is D. Current State Database.

The Current State Database is a database that stores the configuration and state information of the switch, such as interfaces, VLANs, routing protocols, statistics, and more. The NAE can access this database through the AOS-CX REST API and monitor the values of any data point using monitors. The NAE can also track the history of the values in a time-series database and correlate them with network events or configuration changes1. The Current State Database provides NAE with direct visibility into the entire current state of the device, which enables intelligent troubleshooting and automation of network tasks1.

The other options are incorrect because:

A. JSON-based scripts: JSON is a data format that is used to exchange information between applications. It is not a scripting language that can be used by NAE. NAE scripts are written in Python, which is a popular and powerful programming language1.

B. Lisp-based agents: Lisp is a family of programming languages that are mainly used for artificial intelligence and functional programming. It is not a language that can be used by NAE. NAE agents are instances of scripts that run on the switch and collect relevant network information and trigger alerts or actions1.

C. Ruby-based scripts: Ruby is a general-purpose programming language that is known for its expressiveness and elegance. It is not a language that can be used by NAE. NAE scripts are written in Python, which is a popular and powerful programming language1.

This is the appropriate solution for this scenario where wireless 802.1X authentication will be against a RADIUS server in the cloud and the security team is concerned that the traffic between the AP and the RADIUS server will be exposed. RadSec, also known as RADIUS over TLS, is a protocol that provides encryption and authentication for RADIUS traffic over TCP and TLS. RadSec can be configured on both the AP and the RADIUS server to establish a secure tunnel for exchanging RADIUS packets. The other options are incorrect because they either do not provide encryption or authentication for RADIUS traffic or do not involve RadSec. References: https://www.securew2.com/blog/what-is-radsec/ https://www.cloudradius.com/radsec-vs-radius/

The Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) is the measured radiated power of an antenna in a specific direction. It is also called Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power. It is the output power when a signal is concentrated into a smaller area by the Antenna. The EIRP can take into account the losses in transmission line, connectors and includes the gain of the antenna. It is represented in dB2. The formula for EIRP is:

EIRP=PT−Lc+Ga

where PT is the output power of the transmitter in dBm, Lc is the cable and connector loss in dB, and Ga is the antenna gain in dBi.

For AP1, the EIRP can be calculated as:

EIRP=16−4+8=20 dBm

Therefore, the answer B is correct.

The standard that is supported by some Aruba APs and can enable a customer to accurately locate wireless client devices within a few meters is A. 802.11mc.

802.11mc is an IEEE standard that enables computing devices to measure the distance to nearby Wi-Fi access points using a technique called Fine Timing Measurement (FTM). FTM uses precise timestamps to calculate the round-trip time of Wi-Fi frames between the device and the access point, and then converts it to a distance estimate. By using multiple access points and triangulation methods, the device can determine its location with high accuracy1.

According to the Aruba document 802.11mc Support, this feature is supported on 500 Series, 510 Series, 530 Series, 550 Series, 560 Series and 570 Series access points. These APs act as FTM responders to time measurement queries sent from a client. To configure the AP to send FTM responses, you need to enable the ftm-responder-enable parameter in the WLAN SSID profile1.

QoS concept: Class of Service Definition: 3) A method for classifying network traffic using access categories based on the IEEE 802.11e QoS standards

QoS concept: Differentiated services Definition: 2) A method for classifying network traffic at layer-3 or marking packets with one of 64 different service classes

QoS concept: WMM Definition: 4) A method for classifying network traffic using access categories based on the IEEE 802.11e QoS standards

The correct answer is C. Create a new SVI and use attach command.

To create a new SVI for a separate routing table, you need to use the attach command to associate the SVI with a VRF (Virtual Routing and Forwarding) instance. A VRF is a logical entity that allows multiple routing tables to coexist on the same switch. Each VRF has its own set of interfaces, routing protocols, and routes that are isolated from other VRFs.

According to the AOS-CX Virtual Switching Framework (VSF) Guide1, one of the steps to configure VRF-aware VSF is:

Configure the VRFs on each member switch and assign the SVIs to the respective VRFs using the attach command. For example:

switch(config)# vrf red

switch(config-vrf)# exit

switch(config)# interface vlan 10

switch(config-if-vlan)# ip address 10.1.1.1/24

switch(config-if-vlan)# attach vrf red

The above commands create a VRF named red and assign VLAN 10 SVI to it. The SVI has an IP address of 10.1.1.1/24.

The other options are incorrect because:

A. You cannot attach a VRF to a VLAN directly. You need to create an SVI for the VLAN and then attach the VRF to the SVI.

B. You cannot create a new routing table manually. You need to create a VRF and then use routing protocols or static routes to populate the routing table for the VRF.

D. You cannot attach a routing table to a VLAN directly. You need to create an SVI for the VLAN and then attach a VRF that has a routing table associated with it.

Spectrum Monitor is an Aruba AP mode that is sending captured RF data to Aruba Central for waterfall plot. Spectrum Monitor is a mode that allows an AP to scan all channels in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands and collect information about the RF environment, such as interference sources, noise floor, channel utilization, etc. The AP then sends this data to Aruba Central, which is a cloud-based network management platform that can display the data in various formats, including waterfall plot. Waterfall plot is a graphical representation of the RF spectrum over time, showing the frequency, amplitude, and duration of RF signals. The other options are incorrect because they are either not AP modes or not sending RF data to Aruba Central. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_86_Web_Help/Content/arubaos-solutions/1-overview/spectrum_monitor.htm https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_86_Web_Help/Content/arubaos-solutions/1-overview/waterfall_plot.htm https://www.arubanetworks.com/products/network-management-operations/aruba-central/

The reason is that AOS 10.x does not support clustering gateways with different versions in the same cluster profile. A cluster profile defines the configuration settings for a group of gateways that are managed by Aruba Central.

According to the Aruba documentation2, “You can combine 7200 Series and 7000 Series gateways in the same cluster with a maximum size of four devices with reduced AP client capacity on 7000 Series gateways.”

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According to the Aruba Documentation Portal1, the firewall role derivation flow in the correct order is:

Server derived role

User derived role

Authentication default role

Initiation role assigned

To allow a new VLAN 100 between VSX pair inter-switch-link 256 for port 1/45 and 2/45, you need to use the command vlan trunk allowed 100 in LAG256. This will add VLAN 100 to the list of allowed VLANs on the trunk port LAG256, which is part of the inter-switch-link between VSX peers. The other options are incorrect because they either do not use the correct command or do not specify the correct port or VLAN. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.04/HTML/5200-6728/bk01-ch07.html https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.04/HTML/5200-6728/bk01-ch02.html

Aruba 9004 gateway supports ZTP on port G0/0/0 by default1. If the gateway is connected to a different port, such as G0/0/V1, it will not be able to communicate with Aruba Activate and Aruba Central, which are required for ZTP2. Moreover, port G0/0/V1 is configured as a DHCP server by default, which can cause IP address conflicts with the existing network3. Therefore, the technician should move the cable on the gateway to port G0/0/0, which will allow the gateway to obtain an IP address from the network DHCP server and start the ZTP process. The other options are not correct because they will not solve the issue or enable ZTP. For example, option D will not work because factory defaulting and rebooting the gateway will not change the port configuration or behavior3.

Encryption is a feature supported by SNMPv3 that provides an advantage over SNMPv2c. Encryption protects the confidentiality and integrity of SNMP messages by encrypting them with a secret key. SNMPv2c does not support encryption and relies on community strings for authentication and authorization, which are transmitted in clear text and can be easily intercepted or spoofed. Transport mapping, community strings, and GetBulk are features that are common to both SNMPv2c and SNMPv3. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_86_Web_Help/Content/arubaos-solutions/snmp/snmp.htm https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_86_Web_Help/Content/arubaos-solutions/snmp/snmpv3.htm

This is the correct explanation of how roles can help keep consistent policy enforcement in a distributed overlay fabric. Roles are used to assign group based policy IDs (GBPs) to devices after they authenticate with ClearPass or a local database. GBPs are then used to tag the traffic from the devices and send them to the ingress VTEP, which applies the GBP on the VXLAN header. The egress VTEP then enforces the policy based on the GBP and the destination device. The other options are incorrect because they either do not describe the correct sequence of events or do not use the correct terms. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.04/HTML/5200-6728/bk01-ch03.html https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/AOS-CX/10.04/HTML/5200-6728/bk01-ch05.html

Authentication survivability is a feature that allows the device to remain operational when a remote link failure occurs between a Gateway cluster and a RADIUS server that is either in the cloud or a datacenter. Authentication survivability enables the Gateway cluster to cache successful authentication requests from the RADIUS server and use them to authenticate clients when the RADIUS server is unreachable. Authentication survivability also allows clients to use MAC caching or MAC authentication bypass (MAB) methods to access the network when the RADIUS server is down. References: https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/tg/TG_AuthSurvivability.pdf