Campus WLAN design
Plan coverage, channels and power for a multi-floor site, then build and validate it.
Aruba Certified Associate (ACA)
Campus switching and wireless on Aruba: WLAN design, controllers, access points and the security that runs across a campus fabric.
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- Section
- Wireless & Campus
- Trained
- 3,000+
Course overview
Aruba Certified Associate (ACA) is a intermediate-level course from Tungabadra Networks. It covers 10 modules, is delivered classroom, online (live), corporate (on-site), and includes 3 applied projects. It prepares for Aruba Certified Associate (ACA).
The Aruba Certified Associate course covers campus networking on Aruba hardware: switching, wireless LAN design, controller and access point configuration, and campus security.
Wireless is where most campus faults actually live, so a significant part of the course is spent on RF behaviour, coverage, roaming and the diagnostics that separate an RF problem from a wired one.
It follows the topic areas Aruba publishes for the ACA credential.
Who this course is for
- Network engineers supporting campus or wireless estates
- Engineers working in organisations running Aruba hardware
- CCNA holders adding a wireless and campus specialisation
- Anyone preparing for the Aruba ACA exam
What you will be able to do
By the end of Aruba Certified Associate (ACA), you will be able to:
- Configure Aruba switching for a campus access and aggregation layer
- Design WLAN coverage and plan channel and power settings
- Configure controllers, access points and SSID policy
- Apply role-based access and campus security controls
- Diagnose roaming, coverage and interference problems
- Separate an RF fault from a wired or authentication fault
Skills covered
- Aruba switching
- WLAN design
- Controllers and APs
- SSID and role policy
- RF fundamentals
- Roaming
- Campus security
- 802.1X concepts
- Wireless troubleshooting
- Site survey basics
Curriculum
10 modules of instruction and lab work.
Networking Fundamentals
4 topics
- OSI and TCP/IP models
- IPv4 subnetting
- ARP, ICMP, DHCP and DNS
- Unicast, broadcast and multicast
Aruba Networking Fundamentals
4 topics
- Aruba product portfolio
- CX 6200, 6300 and 6400
- Access points and Aruba Central
- Introduction to ClearPass
Layer 2 Switching
3 topics
- MAC address table
- Access and trunk ports, 802.1Q
- LACP
Spanning Tree
3 topics
- STP and RSTP
- Root election, port roles and states
- Loop prevention
Layer 3 Basics
3 topics
- SVI inter-VLAN routing
- Static and default routes
- Introduction to OSPF
Wireless Fundamentals
4 topics
- SSID and BSSID
- 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
- dBm and SNR
- AP modes, association and roaming
Aruba Central
4 topics
- Zero-touch provisioning onboarding
- Dashboards
- GUI configuration and firmware
- Alerts and logs
Security Fundamentals
3 topics
- Authentication and authorization
- WPA2 and WPA3
- Captive portal and AAA
Network Services
3 topics
- DHCP server and relay
- DNS
- NTP and SNMP
Monitoring & Troubleshooting
3 topics
- CLI and logs
- ping, traceroute and interface checks
- VLAN and STP issues
Projects you will complete
Roaming investigation
Diagnose a sticky-client and roaming problem across a multi-AP deployment.
Guest access build
Deploy segmented guest access with role-based policy and verify isolation.
Prerequisites
- Working knowledge of switching and VLANs
- CCNA Advanced Training or equivalent
- No prior wireless experience required
Certification
Course completion certificate
Issued on completion. The certificate lists the modules completed and the skills applied. Tungabadra Networks is not an authorized training partner of this vendor and does not administer or issue the exam. Exams are booked and paid for directly with the vendor.
This course also covers the topic areas assessed by the following third-party exams:
- Aruba Certified Associate (ACA)
Career opportunities
Roles this course is designed to prepare you for in the US job market:
Wireless Network Engineer
Designs and supports campus WLAN estates.
Campus Network Engineer
Owns access and aggregation across sites.
Network Engineer (Aruba)
Supports organisations standardised on Aruba.
Field Engineer
AP installation, survey and commissioning.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need wireless experience?
No. RF fundamentals are taught from first principles. Switching and VLAN knowledge is the real prerequisite.
Is there physical Aruba equipment?
Yes. The labs include Aruba hardware alongside the Cisco and Palo Alto racks.
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Questions about Aruba Certified Associate (ACA)?
Tell us your background and we will confirm whether this course is the right level, or point you to a better starting point.