Brocade Mobility RFS Controller System Reference Guide (Supporting software release 5.5.0.0 and later) - Manual (Page 145)

Brocade Mobility RFS Controller System Reference Guide 133
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5
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a protocol for mapping an IP address to a hardware MAC
address recognized on the managed network. ARP provides rules for making this correlation and
providing address conversion in both directions. ARP assignment s can be overridden as needed,
but an override removes the device configuration from the managed profile that may be shared
with other similar device models.
When an incoming packet destined for a host arrives at the controller or service platform, the
gateway uses ARP to find a physical host or MAC address that matches the IP address. ARP looks in
its ARP cache and, if it finds the address, provides it so the packet can be converted to the right
packet length and format and sent to the destination. If no entry is found for the IP address, ARP
broadcasts a request packet in a special format to all the machines on the LAN to see if one
machine knows that it has that IP address associated with it. A machine that recognizes the IP
address as its own returns a reply so indicating. ARP updates the ARP cache for future reference
and then sends the packet to the MAC address that replied.
To define an ARP supported configuration on a controller or service platform:
1. Select Devices from the Configuration tab.
The Device Configuration screen displays a list of managed devices or peer controllers, service
platforms or Access Points.
2. Select a target device (by double-clicking it) from amongst those displayed within the Device
Configuration screen.
Devices can also be selected directly from the Device Browser in the lower, left-hand, side of
the UI.
3. Select Profile Overrides from the Device menu to expand it into sub menu options.
4. Select Network to expand its sub menu options.
5. Select ARP.
NOTE
A blue override icon (to the left of a parameter) defines the parameter as having an override applied.
To remove an override go to the Basic Configuration section of the device and click the Clear
Overrides button. This removes all overrides from the device.