100+ Free Aruba Campus Access Associate Practice Questions
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Key Facts: Aruba Campus Access Associate Exam
60
Exam Questions
HPE6-A85 datacard
67%
Passing Score
About 41 of 60 correct
90 min
Time Limit
Pearson VUE proctored
~$230
Exam Fee
Per attempt
3 yrs
Validity
From issue date
11 domains
Coverage
Switching 19% top weight
The HPE Aruba Networking Certified Associate - Campus Access (HPE6-A85) is an entry-level Aruba credential delivered through Pearson VUE. The exam is 60 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes with a 67% passing score and a fee of approximately $230 USD. It validates foundational knowledge across 11 domains including Switching (19%), WLAN (18%), Connectivity, Routing, Security, AAA, and Aruba Central management. The credential is valid for 3 years and is the recommended starting point before HPE7-A01 Campus Access Professional.
Sample Aruba Campus Access Associate Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your Aruba Campus Access Associate exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Which OSI layer is responsible for logical addressing and end-to-end packet forwarding across multiple networks?
2What is the Protocol Data Unit (PDU) name at OSI Layer 2?
3Which field in an IPv4 header is decremented at every hop and is used to mitigate Layer 3 routing loops?
4Which transport-layer protocol is connection-oriented and provides reliable, ordered delivery using sequence numbers and acknowledgments?
5A network engineer captures a frame containing an EtherType value of 0x8100. What does this indicate?
6Which protocol resolves an IPv4 address to a MAC address on a local Ethernet segment?
7Which IPv6 address type replaces the IPv4 broadcast role for one-to-many delivery to all listeners on a defined group?
8Which PoE standard delivers up to 60W per port at the PSE and is commonly required for high-density Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 access points?
9An Aruba CX 6300 switch must connect at 25 GbE to an aggregation switch over a short fiber run inside the same row. Which transceiver is the correct choice?
10Which cable type is recommended for short, low-cost 10/25 GbE links between two switches in the same rack?
About the Aruba Campus Access Associate Exam
The HPE Aruba Networking Certified Associate - Campus Access (HPE6-A85) credential validates entry-level knowledge of Aruba campus wired and wireless networking. The exam covers AOS-CX switching basics on the CX 6100/6200/6300/6400/8100/8325 platforms, VSF and VSX resiliency, the AOS 10 architecture with Aruba Central and Aruba Gateways, Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 fundamentals on AP-5xx/6xx/7xx hardware, OSPF and BGP at the campus edge, foundational security with DHCP snooping, ARP protection, BPDU guard, ClearPass RADIUS/802.1X authentication, and management/monitoring through Aruba Central, NAE, and UXI sensors.
Assessment
60 multiple-choice questions covering Network Stack, Connectivity, Network Resiliency and Virtualization, Switching, WLAN, Routing, Security, Authentication/Authorization, Management and Monitoring, Troubleshooting, and Performance Optimization
Time Limit
90 minutes
Passing Score
67%
Exam Fee
~$230 (HPE / Pearson VUE)
Aruba Campus Access Associate Exam Content Outline
Network Stack
OSI model layers, PDU naming, TCP/IP fundamentals, IPv4 header fields (TTL, Protocol), IPv6 multicast, ARP, 802.1Q VLAN tagging, and EtherType values.
Connectivity
PoE 802.3af/at/bt, SFP/SFP28/QSFP28 transceivers, DAC twinax, LLDP/LLDP-MED, voice VLAN, access vs trunk ports, DHCP relay (ip helper-address), and APIPA.
Network Resiliency and Virtualization
VSF up to 10 members on CX 6300, ring vs chain topologies with Multi-Active Detection, VSX with ISL and Keepalive, VSX-LAG, VRRP, VSX active-gateway, and legacy ProVision backplane stacking.
Switching
AOS-CX architecture and CX 6100/6200/6300/6400/8100/8325 platforms, VLAN range and native VLANs, MSTP/RSTP/PVRST+, BPDU guard, root guard, loop protection, NAE, REST API, TSDB, AOS-CX LAG/LACP syntax, storm control, and AOS-CX user roles.
WLAN
802.11ax/be (Wi-Fi 6/6E/7), 6 GHz with WPA3-only, AP-5xx/6xx/7xx and outdoor R-suffix APs, AOS 10 with Aruba Central and Gateways, bridge vs tunnel forwarding, AirMatch, ClientMatch, MPSK, 802.11k/r/v, EAP-TLS, and Aruba Instant On vs Instant.
Routing
OSPFv2 link-state and Dijkstra SPF, OSPF DR/BDR roles, adjacency requirements, BGP at WAN edge and in EVPN-VXLAN overlays, administrative distance, ECMP, and default route in default vs management VRF.
Security
DHCP snooping binding table, ARP protection / Dynamic ARP Inspection, BPDU guard, port security, ClearPass Policy Manager, RADIUS CoA (RFC 5176), Policy Enforcement Firewall, User-Based Tunneling and Dynamic Segmentation, and Aruba Branch Gateway for SD-Branch.
Authentication and Authorization
AAA roles, 802.1X supplicant/authenticator/server, EAP-TLS vs EAP-PEAP, MAC authentication, AOS-CX port-access dot1x+mac-auth fallback, captive portal/web auth, and RADIUS vs TACACS+ for device admin.
Management and Monitoring
Aruba Central cloud NMS, AI Insights, on-switch NAE Python agents, UXI sensors and synthetic monitoring, gRPC streaming telemetry, Central configuration templates with variables, and Aruba Activate Zero-Touch Provisioning.
Troubleshooting
AOS-CX show commands (show interface, show lacp interfaces, show ip dns, show ip route, show spanning-tree mst, show lldp neighbors), and isolating DHCP latency vs RF vs PoE issues from UXI data.
Performance Optimization
QoS scheduling (strict priority, DWRR, WFQ, FIFO), DSCP markings (EF 46 for voice), ingress storm control and rate limiting, and DSCP trust at access ports.
How to Pass the Aruba Campus Access Associate Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 67%
- Assessment: 60 multiple-choice questions covering Network Stack, Connectivity, Network Resiliency and Virtualization, Switching, WLAN, Routing, Security, Authentication/Authorization, Management and Monitoring, Troubleshooting, and Performance Optimization
- Time limit: 90 minutes
- Exam fee: ~$230
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
Aruba Campus Access Associate Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the HPE6-A85 Aruba Campus Access Associate exam?
The HPE6-A85 is the proctored exam for the HPE Aruba Networking Certified Associate - Campus Access credential. It validates entry-level knowledge of Aruba campus wired and wireless networking, including AOS-CX switching, VSF/VSX resiliency, Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 fundamentals, AOS 10 with Aruba Central, OSPF basics, ClearPass authentication, and foundational campus security.
How many questions are on the HPE6-A85 exam and how long is it?
The HPE6-A85 contains 60 multiple-choice questions and you have 90 minutes (1 hour 30 minutes) to complete it. The passing score is 67%, which is roughly 41 of 60 correct. Questions are a mix of conceptual recall and scenario-based items that require interpreting AOS-CX CLI output or making a design choice.
What topics carry the most weight on HPE6-A85?
Switching is the largest domain at 19%, followed by WLAN at 18%, Connectivity at 10%, Routing at 9%, Security at 9%, Network Resiliency and Virtualization at 8%, Network Stack and Management/Monitoring at 7%, AAA at 6%, Troubleshooting at 4%, and Performance Optimization at 3%. Plan your study time accordingly - mastering AOS-CX switching and Aruba wireless gives you the highest return.
How much does the HPE6-A85 exam cost?
The HPE6-A85 exam costs approximately $230 USD per attempt and is delivered through Pearson VUE either at a test center or via online proctoring. HPE partner organizations may provide vouchers or discounts, and HPE Education Learning Credits can be applied if available.
How long is the HPE Aruba Networking Certified Associate Campus Access valid?
The credential is valid for 3 years from the issue date. To renew, candidates must pass the current Campus Access associate exam, take a higher-level Aruba Campus Access exam such as HPE7-A01 (Professional), or pursue an Expert-level credential before expiration.
Do I need experience to take HPE6-A85?
There are no formal prerequisites, but HPE recommends 6-12 months of hands-on experience with Aruba switching and wireless and ideally completion of the 5-day Aruba Campus Access Fundamentals (Rev. 22.41) course. Candidates without lab access should still spend significant time on AOS-CX CLI practice and Aruba Central walkthroughs.
Which Aruba products should I focus on for the exam?
On the wired side, study the AOS-CX switch portfolio: CX 6100 (entry access), CX 6200 and CX 6300 (VSF stacking), CX 6400 (modular core), CX 8100 (fixed aggregation), and CX 8325 (high-performance ToR/aggregation). On wireless, learn the AP-5xx (Wi-Fi 6), AP-6xx (Wi-Fi 6E), AP-7xx (Wi-Fi 7), and outdoor R-suffix APs. On management, focus on Aruba Central, AirMatch/ClientMatch, ClearPass for RADIUS/802.1X, and User Experience Insight.