Cloud Managed Networks

Hi,

I have bought some Aruba Central device licenses for my switches and want to add a switch stack to Aruba Central in UI mode. I was a little bit disappointed to see this on the guide:

https://help.central.arubanetworks.com/latest/documentation/online_help/content/switches/cfg/conf_switch_ui_groups.htm

"Aruba Central does not support pre-configured switches in a UI group. If you want to move a switch from a template group to a UI group, you must clear the switch configuration, delete the device from Aruba Central, and then provision the switch as a new device in a UI group."

Seems a bit crazy that this isn't supported yet like it is in template mode, is there a plan to allow this soon?

So, I figure that I add the three switches to Aruba Central, build the configuration exactly and then factory-reset the switches (making sure of local dhcp and internet access so they can speak to central to get their config)

The switches have device licensed and assigned to the group and I can see the MAC address under Groups/Devices/Switches/Switches/, but I fail at the first hurdle and can't configure a stack group. Under Group/Devices/Switches/Stacks, I click the + button but am unable to choose a commander switch. How can I pre-build the stack? If I can't prebuild the stack when the switches are in this mode, I can't complete any of the remaining configuration such as the interface port to vlan assignment

I haven't enabled aruba-central on the switch yet as I don't want it to sync, my understanding is that I can prepare all the device config on Aruba Central before the switch deployed - am I incorrect, or doing something wrong? I've attached some screenshots of the places in Central.

Thanks!

What's not supported is actually the move operation between template and UI groups. You need to factory reset the switch to move it under management of a UI group.

Here is the procedure on how to configure a stack in a UI group: https://help.central.arubanetworks.com/latest/documentation/online_help/content/switches/cfg/conf-stack-ui-groups.htm 

You first have to fully configure the commander, before you can add member switches to the stack. That means you need to connect the commander switch to Aruba Central, configure the stack + commander and reboot the switch. Afterwards you can add additional members.

I don't think there is a way to pre-configure the stack without the switches being connected to Central and already assigned to the UI group.

Thanks for the reply. I just want to make sure I fully understand;

There is no way of adding a switch with existing config to a ui group. I must default the switch stack.

There is no way of pre-configuring a switch stack and it then pulls down its configuration from Central. I must first connect the commander switch only. Its then possible to configure the commander. Once that's done member switches can be powered on.... add them to the stack and then do the cenrtal config.

I think it would be an essential feature to be able to pre-configure switches on Central, that way it is truly ZTP. Without it, I must have someone on site who powers on a switch, waits for the Central engineer to configure it and then has to power up additional switches one by one. Essentially, the technical engineer who does the Central config also has to be available whilst the site installation is going ahead, in this case they may as well go  to site to do the install