Question: When should I use ArubaOS (AP-175) vs MeshOS (MSR Platforms)?
Product and Software: This article applies to all Aruba controllers and ArubaOS and MeshOS versions.
The two distinct types of deployments have their own technical requirements, coverage strategies, and implementation methodologies:
- Outdoor extension: Customers that have standardized on a controller-based thin AP architecture for indoor coverage often want to extend the role-based access control security model to outdoor environments.
- Outdoor mesh networking: Some customers operate a wireless network that is almost exclusively outdoors. Indoor connections may be provided from the outdoor network, usually via remote bridge links or special-purpose indoor repeaters.
Aruba offers a choice of two different mesh-capable operating systems. The best OS choice typically depends on which deployment type best fits the intended outdoor wireless network.
Outdoor extension networks generally should use ArubaOS. The outdoor APs should be managed by the same controller(s) that handle the indoor network. ArubaOS is an "overlay" network, in which it is assumed that a reliable wired LAN or WAN interconnects the APs with their controller.
Outdoor backbone networks should generally use Aruba Mesh Operating System. Aruba MeshOS is designed to provide LAN-like Layer 3 and Layer 2 traffic forwarding services across links of varying quality and availability. Aruba MeshOS also provides a range of other features that maximize performance of various IP network services over a mesh.