Key Management is a service that runs on Aruba Mobility Controllers (MCs) or Mobility Master (MM) to optimize roaming performance for wireless clients. Key Management works with AirMatch, a service that optimizes radio resource management for Aruba APs, to pre-generate and distribute R1 keys for neighboring APs before a client roams.
When a wireless device is roaming from AP1 to AP2, the following steps are part of the Key Management workflow:
* The client associates and authenticates with AP1 using 802.1X or PSK methods.
* The Key Management service caches the client's information and generates an R0 key for the client.
* The Key Management service receives a list of all AP1's neighbors from AirMatch.
* The Key Management service then generates R1 keys for AP1's neighbors using the R0 key and sends them to the corresponding APs.
* When the client roams to AP2, one of AP1's neighbors, it performs an 802.11r fast transition using the pre-generated R1 key without needing to re-authenticate.