Aruba ACSP study plan
Aruba ACSP · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
VLANs, trunking, and Layer 2 forwarding & Campus switching architecture and device deployment
Diagram a two-tier campus topology (core/distribution plus access) and label every Aruba AOS-CX and AOS-Switch platform by role, uplink type, and management-plane model
Configure 20+ access ports across multiple VLANs from the CLI, then verify membership with show vlan and show interface trunk output you generate yourself
Build 802.1Q trunks between three simulated switches, explicitly setting native VLAN, allowed VLAN lists, and voice VLAN, and predict the failure mode of each mismatch
Explain and configure inter-VLAN routing with SVIs, and compare against a routed-port design in a written trade-off table
Deploy a switch from zero: console in, set management IP, hostname, NTP, and firmware baseline, then document the exact command sequence
Your checkpoint
A personal lab workbook containing a topology diagram, the full running-config of three switches, and a 15-row VLAN/trunk verification table with captured show-command output
VLANs, trunking, and Layer 2 forwarding & Spanning Tree Protocol and loop prevention
Trace Layer 2 forwarding decisions frame by frame, predicting MAC table learning, flooding, and aging behavior for ten scripted scenarios
Configure RSTP and MSTP on the same lab topology and compare convergence time measured with show spanning-tree and log timestamps
Induce and diagnose a bridging loop using a temporary cable, then apply BPDU protection and root guard to prevent recurrence
Design and justify a root bridge placement and MSTP region plan for a four-switch topology in a short written rationale
Configure loop protection on edge ports and verify behavior against a simulated unmanaged switch connected by mistake
Your checkpoint
A one-page STP design decision record covering root placement, MSTP regions, and edge-port protections, plus a log excerpt proving convergence was measured, not assumed
IP routing and OSPF
Configure OSPFv2 in a three-area topology on AOS-CX, setting router IDs, passive interfaces, and per-interface cost deliberately rather than by default
Verify neighbor adjacency formation and troubleshoot three injected faults: MTU mismatch, area mismatch, and authentication mismatch
Explain and tune LSA types 1, 2, 3, and 5, confirming which LSAs appear in an ABR topology using show ip ospf database
Configure and compare static routes, floating static routes, and default-information originate, documenting when each belongs in a campus design
Analyze OSPF cost manipulation and ECMP outcomes with show ip route to control path selection across redundant uplinks
Your checkpoint
A routing table walkthrough document showing before-and-after route output for each tuning change, with a one-line justification for every non-default parameter chosen
IP routing and OSPF & Link aggregation and multi-chassis LAG
Configure LACP link aggregation between two switches and verify hashing distribution across member links using show commands
Troubleshoot three LAG failures: mismatched LACP mode, inconsistent allowed VLAN lists, and one member link flapping silently
Configure a multi-chassis LAG in a VSX pair and explain how the ISL and keepalive path differ from the data path
Integrate OSPF with the LAG topology so that redundant links converge correctly without suboptimal routing
Distinguish static, dynamic, and multi-chassis LAG use cases and select one per scenario with a written justification
Your checkpoint
A converged lab with OSPF plus MCLAG, evidenced by neighbor output, LAG member status, and a route table that proves per-destination traffic uses the intended uplink
Milestones
Week 2: Without notes, configure a working trunk carrying three VLANs and an RSTP domain, and correctly answer 15 self-written questions on Layer 2 forwarding and STP state transitions with at least 12 correct
Week 4: Score 70% or better on a timed 40-question block drawn from domains 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and rebuild the OSPF-plus-LAG lab from a blank config in under 45 minutes
Week 6: Deliver a working 802.1X port-access configuration with RADIUS on two switch ports, and pass a 15-question self-quiz on VSF versus VSX failure and split-brain behavior with 12 or more correct
Week 8: Score 80% or better on a full-length timed practice set weighted by the official domain percentages, with no domain below 70% and every missed item logged with a corrected explanation