Wireless Access

What's the difference between the Aruba Instant APs and their controller-managed APs?

When is it better to use one over the other?

 

Aruba IAP are the AP's that runs without controller, but provide facility of centralized management.
One of AP (out of all deployed) works as virtual controller and managed all the other AP's.
IAP are the best of smaller deployments.

Controller-managed AP's are the thin AP's which is configured and managed by the controller. IAP can run without controller but AP's cannot be run without controller.

Thanks for your reply.

 

However there is no cloud management with the IAPs right? People get skeptical with cloud management regarding security.

 

Do the IAPs form a mesh? 

 

Regards

Verotiana

Only dual radio IAP can be worked as mesh. Single Radio APs cannot do Mesh in IAP. A controller-based single radio AP can do mesh.

IAP support cloud management as well.

I see. 

 

So does a IAP network provide all the functionnalitites available on a controller managed network?

 

Also, what are the advantages to deploy a mesh rather than a regular IAP network? 

For example in a indoor network extended to outdoor using outdoor IAPs, is a mesh configuration necessary? Or does a certain number of IAps/APs require mesh? Or does a particular scenarion require mesh?

 

Thanks!

Verotiana

IAP provides almost all the features of controller but with off course few limitation are there.

Please explain why you want to deploy mesh? It is proffered not to deploy mesh unless its required.

I do not want to deploy a mesh.

I was just wondering in what case it is necessary to deploy a mesh.

I believe Mesh should be deploy only where the cabling to every AP is not possible.

The IAP will automatically configure a mesh link.  After you have configured two IAPs to the lan on the same cluster, you can then unplug one of them and power up with a separate supply, they will automagically form a mesh link.

Is there any minimum OS requirement for this feature?

I believe that most or all of the IAP OS can perform Mesh , it was one of the original features from when the IAPs came out. 

As stated by another poster Mesh is only needed to provide connectivity to an AP where no Ethernet cable is available for that AP.  It is preferred to wire all APs for best performance.

 

Only dual-radio IAPs can participate in Mesh.

 

Feature-wise........the IAP is an advanced Enterprise product.  It is, however, not as advanced as the controllers but the gap is getting smaller with every new release of IAP code.   In my opinion, IAP features meet the needs of the majority of smaller customers (say 20 - 150 APs). The differences in features are too numerous to list; however, you can download the SW Users Guides for both AOS and IAP from the TAC support site under "Documentation".  No login is needed.

how can we achieve cloud access to IAP ?

To manage IAP via the Cloud you need to subscribe to "Aruba Central".  You can request an Eval here.