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Aruba 6000 Switch Setup and Configuration Guide

This guide walks you through the complete deployment of an Aruba 6000 switch. You will learn how to boot via console, configure VLANs and IP addresses via CLI, update firmware through the web GUI, and rack mount the hardware.

Part 1: Hardware Overview and Connections

The Aruba 6000 (specifically the smaller 12-port PoE model shown here) comes equipped with Class 4 PoE to drive cameras and access points. The box includes rack mounting brackets, rubber feet for desk placement, and a power cord.

Physical Connections

To begin configuration, connect the switch to power. Note that there is no power button; the device boots immediately upon plugging it in. For management, use the USB-C console port on the front of the unit.

Reset Button Note

The reset button on the switch performs a soft reset (reboot). It does not factory reset the device.

Part 2: Serial Connection via PuTTY

Connect your computer to the switch using a USB-C cable (or USB-C to USB-A adapter). You must identify the correct COM port before initiating the connection.

1. Identify the COM Port

  1. Open Device Manager on your Windows computer.
  2. Expand the "Ports (COM & LPT)" section.
  3. Look for the "Serial USB" entry and note the COM number (e.g., COM5).

2. Configure PuTTY

Launch PuTTY and configure the session with the following settings:

Connection Type: Serial
Serial line: COM5 (Replace with your specific port)
Speed: 115200

Click Open. If the screen is blank, press Enter a few times. The boot process may take 1-2 minutes.

Part 3: Command Line Interface (CLI) Configuration

Once the switch boots, you will be prompted to log in.

1. Initial Login

Log in with the default credentials and set a new password:

User: admin
Password:  (Press Enter)

# You will be prompted to set a new password immediately.

2. Check Default Configuration

Use the show run command to view the factory settings. You will notice that SSH and HTTPS are enabled by default, and all ports are assigned to VLAN 1.

3. Hostname and VLAN Setup

Enter global configuration mode conf to set the hostname and define your VLANs. In this example, we configure VLANs for Wi-Fi, Printers, and Switch Management.

conf
hostname SW-22-Floor3-HR

# Create Wi-Fi VLAN
vlan 10
name 10-WiFi

# Create Printer VLAN
vlan 20
name 20-Print

# Create Management VLAN
vlan 29
name 29-Switch
exit

4. Management IP Address

Unlike out-of-band management switches, you must assign an IP address to a VLAN interface to manage the 6000 series. Here, we assign an IP to VLAN 29:

interface vlan 29
ip address 10.70.0.22/24
exit

5. Configuring Trunk and Access Ports

Configure the uplink ports (13-16) as trunks to allow all VLAN traffic, and assign access ports to specific VLANs.

# Configure Trunk Ports (Uplinks)
interface 1/1/13-1/1/16
vlan trunk allow all
exit

# Configure Wi-Fi Access Ports (1-6)
interface 1/1/1-1/1/6
vlan access 10
exit

# Configure Printer Access Ports (7-12)
interface 1/1/7-1/1/12
vlan access 20
exit

6. Routing and Timezone

Set the default gateway so the switch can communicate with other networks, and configure the local timezone.

# Set Default Gateway (Core Switch IP)
ip route 0.0.0.0/0 10.70.0.1

# Set Timezone
clock timezone Europe/Stockholm

# Save Configuration
write memory

Part 4: Firmware Update via Web GUI

With the IP address configured, you can now access the web interface to update the firmware.

  1. Download the latest firmware (e.g., version 10.13) from the HP Networking Support Portal.
  2. Open a web browser and navigate to the switch IP (e.g., https://10.70.0.22).
  3. Log in with your admin credentials.
  4. Click on the Firmware tile.
  5. Drag and drop the downloaded .swi file into the upload box.
  6. Click Upload. This process takes several minutes.

Once the upload is complete, click Reboot to restart the switch using the new primary image.

Part 5: Rack Mounting

After the firmware update is verified, proceed to physical installation.

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