IMC and Aruba IAPs managed by Aruba Central

[1cpal]

Hi All,

I have IMC 7.2 with the Wireless Services Module deployed. I have about 10 Aruba IAP 225 deployed in the network that are managed by Aruba Central in the cloud.

The IAP's (and the Virtual Controllers) get discovered by IMC fine however they dont come across in to the WSM. I am suspecting this is becuase they are managed by Aruba Central?

Is there any way I can get my Aruba wireless infrastructure to appear in WSM correclty?

Cheers 

Chris 

[NeilR]

IMC support for Aruba is a bit behind the curve. Even though HP has made Aruba the primary prdouct line, the MSM and comware devices are still better supported. But even for those, support is only about 60-70%. I still create and manage WLAN setups in the MSM gui, not IMC/WSM

I'm running the IAP-205 models with a virtual controller not managed by the cloud. You will need to enable the snmp configuration on the virtual controller before IMC will do much of anything:

1. Click System link at the top right corner of the Instant main window.The system window is displayed. Click advanced options at the bottom
2. Click the Monitoring tab. The following figure shows the SNMP configuration parameters displayed in the Monitoring tab.

This will enable some functionality in WSM but not a lot. You will still do all management tasks in the Aruba gui. But you will get some stats and can use some of the features, like RF modeling on the topos - see atttached

Also if you change the device category from router to wireless, the icons will change

[RPapaux]

I also have some IAP205 in my smal lab.

As NeilR mentionned there is NOT a lot you can do with it, but al least you get get some views in WSM.

(AC list, Fit list, SSID list and Radio list). HPE officially support external aruba controllers with true fit AP's, but in view only (No config change or quick setup)..

From my experience, WSM get confused with the integrated controller role that each AP can have (see my attached AC view).

As another pity, you cannot enable the IAP SNMP agent in "Write" mode. Aruba only support "Read" mode, even for the simple traditionnal MIB-II objects (systemName, systemContact, etc), so you cannot change them with IMC (a shame !).

I have open a case for this, and the support suggested me to place an "Enhancement Request" in the aruba community.

I have done it, it has been acknowleged, and now I'm waiting for the implementation, if it will ever come...

[ebilcari]

Hello Neil,

I've tried to add the IAPs as described but now I'm facing the license problem. The new devices are seen by the iMC as normal devices not Wifi AP and are consuming the platform licences not WSM licenses. Do you know any workaround for this problem?

Thank you.

[NeilR]

If you use the add device option under the resource tab, each IP you add will consume a node license.

To avoid that you should only add the IP of the virtual controller. IMC will track the WAPs under WSM as fit APs, but you won't have them under the Resource tab as managed devices. 

So if you had 5 WAPs, you would end up with 5 IPs plus 1 more for the virtual controller. You will need only 1 license for the controller, so you can delete the 5 for the individual WAPs (under the Resource tab).

It will require one node license. Can't get around that.

This will also remove the extras from the AC list that RPapaux showed in his attached previous message.

However you will loose the ability to track them for up/down status and show them on any topologies other than the Wireless Topolgy. 

You need to decide if you need the extra visibility for the physical devices as nodes, not just WAPs.

For me its worth the license to know if an individual WAP is down, where it is on a map etc.

[RPapaux]

In IMC, any discovered IP address eats a node license count.

This includes PC's, non-SNMP devices and unmanaged devices. Maybe you can do some cleaup in your system if their are not all mandatory.

Otherwise as NeilR stated, it might be worth to purchase an extra node license pack.