Users Guide

Dell PowerConnect ArubaOS 5.0 | User Guide Secure Enterprise Mesh | 193
the flexibility of applying the “default” versions of profiles in addition to customizing profiles that are necessary
for the AP or AP group to function.
If you assign a profile to an individual AP, the values in the profile override the profile assigned to the AP group to
which the AP belongs. The exception is the mesh cluster profile—you can apply multiple mesh cluster profiles to
individual APs, as well as to AP groups.
Mesh Cluster Profile
Mesh clusters are grouped and defined by a mesh cluster profile, which provides the framework of the mesh
network. Similar to virtual AP profiles, the mesh cluster profile contains the MSSID (mesh cluster name),
authentication methods, security credentials, and cluster priority required for mesh nodes to associate with their
neighbors and join the cluster. Associated mesh nodes store this information in flash memory. Although most
mesh deployments will require only a single mesh cluster profile, you can configure and apply multiple mesh
cluster profiles to an AP group or an individual AP. If you have multiple cluster profiles, the mesh portal uses the
profile with the highest priority 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.
The mesh cluster priority determines the order by which the mesh cluster profiles are used. This allows you,
rather than the link metric algorithm, to explicitly segment the network by defining multiple cluster profiles.
Dell provides a “default” version of the mesh cluster profile. You can use the “default” version or create a new
instance of a profile which you can then edit as you need. You can configure a maximum of 16 mesh cluster
profiles on a mesh node. For details about configuring mesh cluster profiles, see “Mesh Cluster Profiles” on
page 214.
Mesh Radio Profile
Dell provides a “default” version of the mesh radio profile. You can use the “default” version or create a new
instance of a profile which you can then edit as you need. The mesh radio profile allows you to specify the set of
rates used to transmit data on the mesh link. For information about configuring mesh radio profiles, see “Mesh
Radio Profiles” on page 199.
RF Management (802.11a and 802.11g) Profiles
The two 802.11a and 802.11g RF management profiles for an AP configure its 802.11a (5 Ghz) and 802.11b/g (2.4
GHz) radio settings. Use these profile settings to determine the channel, beacon period, transmit power, and
ARM profile for a mesh AP’s 5 GHz and 2.5 Ghz frequency bands. You can either use the “default” version of
each profile, or create a new 802.11a or 802.11g profile which you can then configure as necessary. Each RF
management profile also has a radio-enable parameter that allows you to enable or disable the AP’s ability to
simultaneously carry WLAN client traffic and mesh-backhaul traffic on that radio. This value is enabled by
default. For information about configuring RF Management Radio profiles, see “RF Management (802.11a and
802.11g) Profiles” on page 204.
Mesh nodes operating in different cluster profiles can share the same radio profile. Conversely, mesh portals using
the same cluster profile can be assigned different RF Management Radio profiles to achieve frequency separation
(for more information, see “Deployments with Multiple Mesh Cluster Profiles” on page 214).
Adaptive Radio Management Profiles
Each 802.11a and 802.11g radio profile references an Adaptive Radio Management (ARM) profile. When you
assign an active ARM profile to a mesh radio, ARM's automatic power-assignment and channel-assignment
features will automatically select the radio channel with the least amount of interference for each mesh portal,
maximizing end user performance. In earlier versions of this software, an AP with a mesh radio received its beacon
period, transmission power and 11a/11g portal channel settings from its mesh radio profile. Mesh-access AP
portals now inherit these radio settings from their dot11a or dot11g radio profiles.