HPE Aruba Networking Certified Associate – Switching (ACA-S)
Learn AOS-CX as you configure, verify, and troubleshoot switching and routing on campus networks.
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Meet the AOS-CX CLI · First Contact
- Labs ready
- 83
- In progress
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- Objectives
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83 labs ready
ACA-S · HPE6-A86
HPE defines the current Switching Associate exam around foundational networking, the HPE Aruba Networking portfolio, implementation and validation, troubleshooting, and ongoing operations on modern AOS-CX networks.
- Exam code
- HPE6-A86
- Questions
- 60
- Duration
- 90 min
- Domains
- 5
Published exam scope
Official domain weighting
Percentages are exam weights, not SwitchLab completion targets.
- 24%Networking Architectures and Technologies
- 21%HPE Aruba Networking Products and Solutions
- 22%Install, Configure, and Validate Wired Solutions
- 17%Troubleshoot, Operate, and Maintain
- 16%Manage and Monitor
SwitchLab is independent and is not affiliated with, authorized, sponsored, or endorsed by Hewlett Packard Enterprise. HPE Aruba Networking® and AOS-CX® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and/or its affiliates. ACA-S is referenced solely to identify the relevant certification path.
Curriculum
Open a stage to inspect its lessons and labs.
Stage 1
Meet the AOS-CX CLI
Inspect a switch, configure its identity and local authority, establish SSH access, and preserve verified changes.
Stage 2
Campus Design and Switching Portfolio
Choose an AOS-CX switch for the campus role, cabling, power, and scale requirements.
Coming soon. Choose an AOS-CX switch for the campus role, cabling, power, and scale requirements.
- Campus access, aggregation, and core roles
- AOS-CX switch families, port media, PoE, and installation considerations
Stage 3
Learn Switching
Build VLANs and tagged links, prevent loops with MSTP, and verify resilient LAGs using native AOS-CX evidence.
Stage 4
Switch Stacking with VSF
Operate multiple supported switches as one logical system and verify member and link resilience.
Coming soon. Operate multiple supported switches as one logical system and verify member and link resilience.
- VSF control and forwarding planes, members, links, and topology
- 6300 stack formation, member failure, recovery, and hardware limits
Stage 5
IPv4 Routing and Gateways
Connect VLANs and subnets using routed interfaces, routing tables, and static paths.
Stage 6
Dynamic Routing with OSPF
Exchange routes and diagnose adjacency and forwarding failures.
Stage 7
Quality of Service
Explain and verify how a switch classifies traffic and handles congestion.
Coming soon. Explain and verify how a switch classifies traffic and handles congestion.
- Traffic classification, trust, and marking
- Queues, scheduling, congestion, and rate limiting
Stage 8
Network Access Security
Control endpoint admission and protect campus access.
Coming soon. Control endpoint admission and protect campus access.
- Port access, authentication roles, and access policy
- 802.1X, MAC authentication, and captive portal concepts
Stage 9
Secure Management and Maintenance
Maintain a secure, observable switch deployment through its operating lifecycle.
Coming soon. Maintain a secure, observable switch deployment through its operating lifecycle.
- Management access, AAA, monitoring, logging, and time services
- Configuration backup, software maintenance, fault isolation, and recovery
Stage 10
IPv6 Routing Extension
Extend the campus design to IPv6 after the core AOS-CX switching course.
Stage 11
Final ACA-S Capstone
Deliver and troubleshoot a small campus against a supplied design.
Coming soon. Deliver and troubleshoot a small campus against a supplied design.
- Integrate switching, VSF, routing, QoS, and secure access
- Verify service recovery, preserve configuration, and hand off evidence
Course details and blueprint
What you will be able to do
- Navigate AOS-CX contexts, help, completion, errors, operational inspection, and configuration persistence.
- Configure device identity, local users and authority, SSH service exposure, and an in-band management SVI.
- Configure and repair VLANs, MSTP, LACP, IPv4, OSPFv2, IPv6, and introductory OSPFv3; later domains develop VSF, QoS, access security, and maintenance.
Path notes
- Designed for
- Network operators beginning with Aruba AOS-CX or adding campus-switch CLI fluency to existing networking knowledge.
- Recommended knowledge
- Basic networking, IP addressing, routing, and switching
Recommended preparation; no prior AOS-CX experience required.
- Availability
- Beta: 83 activities are available: 18 CLI, 44 switching, and 21 routing across IPv4, OSPFv2, IPv6, and introductory OSPFv3. Six domains remain planned: portfolio and design, VSF, QoS, access security, maintenance, and the final ACA-S capstone.
Blueprint and sources
ACA-S · AOS-CX 10.17 · 6300/6400 campus profile · Reviewed 2026-09-07