Users Guide

252 | Secure Enterprise Mesh Dell PowerConnect W-Series ArubaOS 6.1 | User Guide
On each radio interface, you provision a mode of operation: mesh node or thin AP (access) mode. If you do not
specify mesh, the AP operates in thin AP (access) mode. If you configure mesh, the AP is provisioned with a
minimum of two mesh cluster profiles: the “default” mesh cluster profile and an emergency read-only recovery
profile, as described in the section “Mesh Clusters”. If you create and select multiple mesh cluster profiles, the AP
is provisioned with those as well. If you have a dual-radio AP and configure one radio for mesh and the other as a
thin AP, each radio will be provisioned as configured.
Each radio provisioned in mesh mode can operate in one of two roles: mesh portal or mesh point. You explicitly
configure the role, as described in this section. This allows the AP to know whether it uses the mesh link (via the
mesh point/mesh portal) or an Ethernet link to establish a connection to the controller.
During the provisioning process, mesh nodes look for a mesh profile that the AP group and AP name is a member
of and stores that information in flash. If you have multiple cluster profiles, the mesh portal uses the best profile
to bring-up the mesh network. Mesh points in contrast go through the list of mesh cluster profiles in order of
priority to decide which profile to use to associate themselves with the network. In addition, when a mesh point is
provisioned, the country code is sent to the AP from its AP name or AP group along with the mesh cluster
profiles. Mesh nodes also learn the recovery profile, which is automatically generated by the master controller. If
the other mesh cluster profiles are unavailable, mesh nodes will use the recovery profile to establish a link to the
master controller; data forwarding does not take place.
This section describes the following topics:
 “Outdoor AP Parameters”
 “Provisioning Caveats”
 “Provisioning Mesh Nodes”
Outdoor AP Parameters
If you are using outdoor APs and planning an outdoor mesh deployment, you can enter the following outdoor
parameters when provisioning the AP:
 Latitude and longitude coordinates of the AP. These location identifiers allow you to more easily locate the
AP for inventory and troubleshooting purposes.
 Altitude, in meters, of the AP.
 Antenna bearing to determine horizontal coverage.
 Antenna angle for optimum antenna coverage.
Provisioning Caveats
Remember the following when provisioning APs for mesh:
 You must provision the AP before you install it as a mesh node in a mesh deployment. To provision the AP, it
must be physically connected to the local network or directly connected to the controller. When connected
and powered on, the AP must also be able to obtain an IP address from a DHCP server on the local network or
from the controller.
 Make sure the provisioned mesh nodes form a connected mesh network before physically deploying the APs.
For more information, see “Verifying the Network”.
NOTE: If you create a new mesh cluster profile for an existing deployment, you must re-provision the AP for the new profile to take
effect. If you re-provision mesh nodes that are already operating, re-provision the most distant (highest hop count) mesh points
first followed by the mesh portals. If you re-provision the mesh portal first, the mesh points may be unable to form a mesh link. Re-
provisioning the AP causes it to automatically reboot. This may cause a disruption of service to the network.
NOTE: The above parameters apply to all outdoor APs, not just outdoor APs configured for mesh.