Cisco-Aruba

[paul driver]

Hello
Sadly today I have completed my first (of many schedule) Cisco-Aruba migrations and I am quite amazed how similar the cli of Aruba is to Cisco with many features the same even CDP -which I thought was proprietary to cisco!

So my question is how can this be?

[Georg Pauwen]

Amazing indeed, you would think that these cli commands are somehow patented or protected, apparently they are not. 

Have a look at the below:

interface gigabitethernet 1/0/1
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 100

!

interface gigabitethernet 1/0/1
switchport mode trunk
switchport trunk native vlan 100
switchport trunk allowed vlan 102

You think it is Cisco ? No. It is Dell.

[julian.bendix]

Hi Paul!

I worked with Aruba IAPs (instant access points) in the past.
Those IAPs can establish an IPSec Tunnel with the Aruba WLC, and I found that the show-Commands on the WLC to verify and troubleshoot the IPSec Tunnels are exactly the same as you would find on Cisco ASA/FTD:

#show crypto ipsec sa
#clear crypto ipsec sa peer x.x.x.x
etc.....

I always thought that this can be because the commands on IOS for ASA emerged from PIX, and maybe back then something was connected with what Aruba (HP) is today...

Best regards
Julian

[Georg Pauwen]

Google allows for no secrets. One way or another, there is always a connection. I found the below. Cisco actually wanted to buy Aruba at one point:

"We basically told them, 'There's not a number you can come up with that will be attractive enough to convince us to sell,"' said Don LeBeau, Aruba's chief executive, who had served as a senior vice president at Cisco in the 1990's.

[julian.bendix]

Interesting info - but yeah you are right, there are always some connections..
Companys bought and sold, shared former employees, etc.

Thanks for the comment anyway @Georg Pauwen !

[Joseph W. Doherty]

If I remember correctly, Aruba was founded by a couple of ex-Cisco employees.

A company I was working for, way back, was one of the first to buy (a lot of) Aruba equipment. At the time Aruba was introduced, it was way ahead, technically, of Cisco wireless. Of course, one interesting issue (at least then), you had to keep going back to Aruba for advice as much wasn't documented. You have some issue, and Aruba would say make this (undocumented) setting.