Network operations

• 1: DHCP for APs
• 1.1: DHCP for APs
• 1.2: Option implementation
• 1.2.1: Option implementation
• 1.2.2: AOS-10
• 1.2.3: AOS-8 unified
• 1.2.4: AOS-8 campus
• 1.2.5: AOS-8 instant
• 1.3: Server configuration
• 1.4: Reference

1 - DHCP for APs

1.1 - DHCP for APs

All HPE Aruba Networking Access Points implement a DHCP client as a means of dynamically obtaining IPv4 addressing along with other network configuration parameters. The information provided by a DHCP server is used by the APs to provide the necessary information required to communicate over an IPv4 network and influence the AP mode through standard and vendor specific options.

Comprehensive guidance on using these options, example configurations for multiple devices, and packet captures reference is provided.

1.2 - Option implementation

1.2.1 - Option implementation

Vendor class identifier

All HPE Aruba Networking Access Points implement DHCP option 60 vendor class identifier (RFC 2132) to sends a specific identifying string to the DHCP server in discovery and request packets. The string value that is forwarded to the DHCP server is dependent on the AP mode.

Vendor-specific options

HPE Aruba Networking access points support vendor-specific options that can be provided in offer and acknowledgement packets. The type of vendor-specific option that is supported by an AP is dependent on the AP mode. For example an AOS-8 instant Mode AP or an AOS-10 AP can be supplied with HTTP Proxy server information (option 148) while an AOS-8 campus mode AP or an AOS-8 unified AP can be supplied mobility controller information (option 43).

1.2.2 - AOS-10

Standard forwarded options

The standard options that are supplied by AOS-10 based APs to a DHCP server in discovery and request packets can be used by the DHCP server to supply specific return options.

The standard and vendor-specific DHCP options that are requested by AOS-10 based APs in discovery and request packets tell the DHCP server which options are supported and can be returned to the APs.

Standard return options

The standard DHCP options that can be returned to AOS10-based APs from a DHCP server in offer and acknowledgement packets:

Vendor-specific return options

The Vendor-Specific DHCP option 148 can be returned to AOS10-based APs for Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) via an HTTP proxy server when Activate or Central are accessible through the proxy.

HTTP Proxy

1.2.3 - AOS-8 unified

Vendor-specific options are supported by HPE Aruba Networking Unified Access Points using the factory defaulted configuration.Unified Access Points are shipped with a special manufacturing image (reduced functionality) and follow a specific discovery process to connect to a controller-based or controller-less network.

When a unified AP first initializes, it behaves in the same way as an AP operating in instant mode. The standard and vendor-specific DHCP options that are supported mirror what has been captured in the AOS-8 Instant section. Likewise if a Unified AP has been converted into campus mode, the standard and vendor-specific DHCP options that are supported mirror what has been captured in the AOS-8 Campus section. The operating mode determining the DHCP options that are supported.

Campus mode conversion

The vendor-specific DHCP options can be leveraged to convert AOS-8 unified APs into AOS-8 campus mode. When a unified AP boots up, it sends Option 60 as ArubaInstantAP to the DHCP server for identification. The server can modify the AP’s operating mode to campus by returning option 60 as ArubaAP along with Option 43, which points to a mobility controller.

1.2.4 - AOS-8 campus

Standard forwarded options

The standard options that are supplied by AOS-8 campus-based APs to a DHCP server in discovery and request packets can be used by the DHCP server to supply specific return options.

The standard and vendor-specific DHCP options that are requested by AOS-8 campus-based APs in discovery and request packets tells the DHCP server which options are supported and can be returned to the APs.

Standard return options

The standard DHCP options that can be returned to AOS-8 campus-based APs from a DHCP server in offer and acknowledgement packets:

Vendor-specific return options

The Vendor-Specific DHCP option 43 can be returned to AOS-8 campus-based APs to discovery a mobility controller.

Mobility controller discovery

1.2.5 - AOS-8 instant

Standard forwarded options

The standard options that are supplied by AOS-8 instant-based APs to a DHCP server in discovery and request packets can be used by the DHCP server to supply specific return options.

The standard and vendor-specific DHCP options that are requested by AOS-8 instant-based APs in discovery and request packets tells the DHCP server which options are supported and can be returned to the APs.

Standard return options

The standard DHCP options that can be returned to AOS-8 instant-based APs from a DHCP server in offer and acknowledgement packets:

Vendor-specific return options

The vendor-specific DHCP option 148 can be returned to AOS-8 instant-based APs for Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) via an HTTP proxy server when Activate or Central are accessible through the proxy.

HTTP Proxy

1.3 - Server configuration

AOS-10 mobility/branch gateways

AOS-10 access points

HTTP Proxy

AOS-8 mobility controllers

AOS-8 Unified/Campus mode access points

Mobility controller discovery

    ip dhcp pool vlan77
        domain-name hpe.com
        dns-server 192.168.10.5 192.168.10.6
        default-router 192.168.77.1
        network 192.168.77.0 255.255.255.0
        option 60 text ArubaAP
        option 43 ip 192.168.72.15

AOS-CX switches

AOS-10 access points

HTTP Proxy

    dhcp-server vrf default
      pool vlan77
        default-router 192.168.77.1
        dns-server 192.168.10.5 192.168.10.6
        domain-name hpe.com
        option 42 ip 192.168.77.15
        option 148 ascii "server=192.168.66.30,port=8080,username=ap1,password=aruba123"
        option 60 ascii "ArubaAP"
        range 192.168.77.100 192.168.77.200 prefix-len 24
        exit
      enable

AOS-8 instant mode access points

HTTP Proxy

    dhcp-server vrf default
      pool vlan77
        default-router 192.168.77.1
        dns-server 192.168.10.5 192.168.10.6
        domain-name hpe.com
        option 42 ip 192.168.77.15
        option 148 ascii "server=192.168.66.30,port=8080,username=ap1,password=aruba123"
        option 60 ascii "ArubaInstantAP"
        range 192.168.77.100 192.168.77.200 prefix-len 24
        exit
      enable

AOS-8 unified/campus mode access points

Mobility controller discovery

    dhcp-server vrf default
      pool vlan77
        default-router 192.168.77.1
        dns-server 192.168.10.5 192.168.10.6
        domain-name hpe.com
        option 43 ip 192.168.72.15
        option 60 ascii “ArubaAP”
        range 192.168.77.100 192.168.77.200 prefix-len 24
        exit
      enable

ISC DHCP server

AOS-10 access points

HTTP Proxy

    # Global Options
    option iap-proxy code 148 = text;
    
    # Scope Example
    subnet 192.168.77.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
            range 192.168.77.100 192.168.77.250;
            option routers 192.168.77.1;
            option domain-name "hpe.com";
            option ntp-servers 192.168.77.15;
            option vendor-class-identifier "ArubaAP";
            option iap-proxy "server=192.168.66.30,port=8080,username=ap1,password=aruba123";
    }

AOS-8 instant mode access points

HTTP Proxy

    # Global Options
    option iap-proxy code 148 = text;
    
    # Scope Example
    subnet 192.168.77.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
            range 192.168.77.100 192.168.77.250;
            option routers 192.168.77.1;
            option domain-name "hpe.com";
            option ntp-servers 192.168.77.15;
            option vendor-class-identifier "ArubaInstantAP";
            option iap-proxy "server=192.168.66.30,port=8080,username=ap1,password=aruba123";
    }

AOS-8 unified/campus mode access points

Mobility controller discovery

     # Global Options
    option controllerip code 43 = ip-address;
    
     # Scope Example
    subnet 192.168.77.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
            range 192.168.77.100 192.168.77.250;
            option routers 192.168.77.1;
            option domain-name "hpe.com";
            option vendor-class-identifier "ArubaAP";
            option controllerip 192.168.72.15;   
    }

Microsoft DHCP server

AOS-10 access points

HTTP Proxy

AOS-8 instant mode access points

HTTP Proxy

AOS-8 unified/campus mode access points

Mobility controller discovery

1.4 - Reference

DHCP discover packet decodes

AOS-10 access points

AOS-8 instant mode access points

AOS-8 campus mode access points

DHCP offer packet decodes

AOS-10 access points

AOS-8 instat mode access points

AOS-8 campus mode access points