Where teams start
Most Popular Aruba Certifications
Most Training Managers assign HPE6-A86 first. It starts with the OSI model and subnetting, so mixed-experience staff share one Aruba baseline. Engineers with two or more years of networking experience then move to HPE7-A08.
HPE6-A86
Build your Aruba networking skills with this entry-level HPE6-A86 training. You’ll learn to deploy, configure, and manage HPE Aruba products, boost performance, and secure your network. After earning your HPE Aruba Networking Certified Associate– Switching certification, you’ll be equipped to support intelligent, cloud-driven networks and stand out in environments that rely on Aruba solutions. Ideal for aspiring network admins or anyone looking to build practical, in-demand Aruba skills that lead to real career growth.
John McGovern
Aruba Network Switching Professional
This intermediate HPE Aruba training helps network engineers and infrastructure analysts get hands-on with enterprise switching. You’ll learn how to plan, configure, and troubleshoot wired network solutions using Aruba Central and CLI. Build skills in VLAN setup, Layer 2 and Layer 3 configuration, routing protocols, QoS, and switch security. Prepare for the HPE Network Switching Professional certification and manage Aruba networks across multiple sites with confidence.
John McGovern
Capability ladder
Aruba Certifications by Level
The most popular Aruba courses at each certification level — from first credentials for new team members through expert and specialty tracks.
Certification tier
Tier 1 — Associate Certifications
Core role credentials — the level most teams standardize on for day-to-day operations.
HPE6-A86
Build your Aruba networking skills with this entry-level HPE6-A86 training. You’ll learn to deploy, configure, and manage HPE Aruba products, boost performance, and secure your network. After earning your HPE Aruba Networking Certified Associate– Switching certification, you’ll be equipped to support intelligent, cloud-driven networks and stand out in environments that rely on Aruba solutions. Ideal for aspiring network admins or anyone looking to build practical, in-demand Aruba skills that lead to real career growth.
John McGovern
Certification tier
Tier 2 — Professional Certifications
Advanced credentials for the engineers who own design, escalation, and complex environments.
Aruba Network Switching Professional
This intermediate HPE Aruba training helps network engineers and infrastructure analysts get hands-on with enterprise switching. You’ll learn how to plan, configure, and troubleshoot wired network solutions using Aruba Central and CLI. Build skills in VLAN setup, Layer 2 and Layer 3 configuration, routing protocols, QoS, and switch security. Prepare for the HPE Network Switching Professional certification and manage Aruba networks across multiple sites with confidence.
John McGovern
Recently added
Newest Releases
The latest Aruba training added to the catalog — new courses land here within a day of publication.
Frequently asked questions about Aruba training
Common questions IT directors ask when evaluating Aruba training for their team.
Which roles and skill levels do the Aruba courses serve?
The HPE6-A86 Associate course is beginner level. It fits junior network administrators, help desk staff moving into networking, and experienced IT professionals who are new to Aruba devices. The HPE7-A08 Professional - Switching course is intermediate and suits professionals and Team Leads with at least two years of networking experience.
Which certification exams do these courses prepare a team for?
The courses prepare learners for the HPE Aruba Networking Certified Associate (HPE6-A86) exam and the HPE Aruba Networking Certified Professional - Switching (HPE7-A08) exam. HPE issues the certification, and CBT Nuggets prepares the learner for it.
How should a Training Manager sequence Aruba training across a team?
Assign HPE6-A86 to staff who are new to Aruba. It builds fundamentals in subnetting, VLANs, trunks, Layer 2 loop prevention, OSPF, and secure access. Engineers then move to HPE7-A08 for Aruba Central provisioning, STP, Layer 3 routing with OSPF and BGP, overlays, multicast, switch security, and QoS. Senior engineers can skip the early Associate skills.
How much time should each learner plan for?
The Associate course runs about 23 hours across 28 skills of roughly 50 minutes each. The Professional - Switching course runs about 26 hours across 30 skills, which works out to 6 to 8 weeks at a few hours per week. Team Leads can schedule both around operational work.
How does Aruba training reduce operational risk for the network team?
The Associate course targets common campus failures, such as VLAN and trunk misconfigurations, Layer 2 loops, and OSPF adjacencies that never form. The Professional course spreads advanced OSPF, BGP, and Layer 2 design knowledge across the team, so outages are not stalled waiting on one or two experts. It also teaches the team to audit and manage switch configurations programmatically, which cuts down on error-prone manual per-device changes.
How can IT Directors track progress on Aruba training?
Team reporting shows per-learner progress and completion, cohort and group views, and completion exports for audit evidence. Training Managers can see who has finished each Aruba course without assembling records by hand.