Advanced AOS-CX Switching (AAXSTS)

Large campus networks in Qatar often support thousands of users, building management systems, security cameras, and business-critical applications on the same infrastructure. In environments like these, a design shortcut or a poorly understood routing policy can affect an entire site. Engineers responsible for such networks need more than configuration knowledge; they need to understand why the network behaves as it does.

The Advanced AOS-CX Switching course in Qatar develops that understanding on HPE Aruba Networking AOS-CX switches. Across five instructor-led days, about half spent in labs, learners design wired networks, troubleshoot methodically, monitor and automate with the Network Analytics Engine and REST API, and implement VSX, OSPF, BGP, route redistribution, VRFs, multicast, QoS, Dynamic Segmentation, and advanced security. The course is the recommended preparation for the ACX – Switching certification.

Course Structure and Key Details

AAXSTS is delivered over five days by an instructor, in the classroom or online, with approximately 50% lecture and 50% hands-on lab exercises across 12 modules.

Learners begin with wired network design, analysing requirements and weighing two-tier against three-tier architectures. The troubleshooting module follows with a clear methodology, logging and debugging, diagnostic commands, traffic analysis, and troubleshooting through HPE Aruba Networking Central. Monitoring and automation then introduce AOS-CX automation, sending REST API requests, and the Network Analytics Engine.

The Layer 2 module covers VSX fundamentals, best practices, and troubleshooting. Routing is handled in depth: policy-based routing, single-area OSPF troubleshooting and multi-area OSPF, then BGP connections, advertisements, metrics, tuning and route control. Learners redistribute static routes into OSPF and OSPF into BGP, tune the results, and use VRFs and route leaking to separate routing domains while permitting controlled exchange.

The remaining modules cover multicast routing with IGMP, PIM-SM, static and dynamic rendezvous points and VSX with PIM; Quality of Service with ingress handling, prioritisation, DSCP remarking, queuing, scheduling and active queue management; Dynamic Segmentation with user-based tunnelling and downloadable user roles; and network security with ACLs, classifier policies, Control Plane Policing, user group management, TACACS+ management access, DHCP snooping, ARP inspection and MACsec.

Attendees should have completed Implementing AOS-CX Switching (ICXS) or passed the ACP – Switching exam. The ACX – Switching written exam (HPE7-A09) and practical exam (HPE4-A53) are booked and taken separately.

Course Objectives

• Translate business requirements into an optimised AOS-CX network design.
• Troubleshoot using a structured method, diagnostic tools, and HPE Aruba Networking Central.
• Automate and monitor switches through the REST API and Network Analytics Engine.
• Deploy and troubleshoot VSX for high availability.
• Implement and tune OSPF, BGP and policy-based routing.
• Separate and connect routing domains with VRFs, route leaking, and redistribution.
• Deliver multicast and QoS for real-time applications.
• Harden access and switch control planes with Dynamic Segmentation, ACLs, CoPP and MACsec.