Aruba Campus Access Professional study plan
Aruba Campus Access Professional · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Campus Access Architecture and Design
Diagram a three-tier campus design from memory, labeling core, aggregation, and access layers
List the hardware families and stacking options used at each tier and state where each belongs
Explain how a mobility controller or gateway fits into a campus topology versus a controller-less design
Compare underlay and overlay approaches for campus fabrics at a conceptual level
Your checkpoint
A hand-drawn or digital campus topology diagram with tier labels, device roles, and a one-paragraph justification of each design choice
Campus Access Architecture and Design & Campus Access Switching and Routing Configuration
Map each design decision from week 1 to the specific configuration task it implies
Describe VLAN and subnet planning rules for access, voice, management, and guest traffic
Explain PoE budgeting and uplink capacity planning for access switches
Identify redundancy options (stacking, MC-LAG, redundant uplinks) and state the failure each one covers
Your checkpoint
A design-to-config crosswalk table listing at least 10 design decisions and the configuration or verification command that implements each
Campus Access Switching and Routing Configuration
Configure and verify VLANs, access ports, and trunk ports on campus switches
Configure link aggregation and verify it forms and passes traffic
Configure spanning tree and confirm the intended root bridge and blocked ports
Configure inter-VLAN routing and verify reachability between subnets
Your checkpoint
A lab config bundle plus captured verification output showing VLANs, LAG status, STP topology, and successful inter-VLAN pings
Campus Access Switching and Routing Configuration
Configure OSPF adjacencies and verify neighbor states and route tables
Tune routing with summarization or stub areas and explain the effect on the topology
Configure DHCP relay and confirm clients receive addresses across subnets
Diagnose a deliberately broken routing scenario and document the fix
Your checkpoint
A written troubleshooting log for the broken-routing scenario with symptoms, commands used, root cause, and fix
Campus Access Security and Network Access Control
Configure 802.1X with a RADIUS server and verify authentication and authorization outcomes
Configure MAC authentication and role-based access for devices that cannot run a supplicant
Configure dynamic segmentation or role assignment and verify policy is applied per client
Test a failed-authentication path and confirm the client lands in the correct restricted role
Your checkpoint
A test matrix of at least 6 client scenarios (valid 802.1X, bad credentials, MAB device, unknown device, guest, voice) with observed results for each
Campus Access Wireless and Mobility
Describe the AP onboarding flow from discovery through controller or gateway association
Configure an SSID with the correct security, VLAN, and role mapping and verify clients connect
Explain roaming types and configure the settings that influence fast roaming
Plan AP placement and channel/power settings for a described floor plan
Your checkpoint
A wireless configuration summary for one SSID plus a channel and power plan for a described multi-AP floor, with reasoning for each choice
Campus Access Monitoring, Management, and Troubleshooting & Campus Access Wireless and Mobility
Collect and interpret monitoring data for switch and wireless health from the management platform
Trace a client connectivity failure end to end using logs and show commands
Diagnose a roaming or RF issue from client and AP telemetry
Write a runbook entry for one recurring failure class
Your checkpoint
A one-page troubleshooting runbook for a client-connectivity failure, including symptom, data sources, decision points, and resolution
Campus Access Architecture and Design & Campus Access Switching and Routing Configuration & Campus Access Security and Network Access Control & Campus Access Wireless and Mobility & Campus Access Monitoring, Management, and Troubleshooting
Re-derive the full campus design from memory and reconcile it with week 1
Re-run the week 4 routing diagnosis and the week 5 auth matrix without notes
Complete timed practice sets weighted toward domains 2 and 3
Review every missed item and close each gap with a targeted lab or reading pass
Your checkpoint
A scored practice exam log with a remediation note for every missed question and a final readiness self-assessment
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain the full campus topology and justify each tier and redundancy choice without notes
Week 4: Can build a working multi-VLAN, multi-subnet lab with LAG, STP, inter-VLAN routing, and OSPF from a blank config
Week 6: Can onboard a wireless client through 802.1X and confirm the correct role and VLAN are applied
Week 8: Scores at or above target on timed practice sets weighted to domains 2 and 3, with all missed items remediated