The statement is incorrect because it presents an absolute condition that is not reflective of standard industry practice or Aruba's own methodologies. While the certified Aruba demo portal is a valuable, sanctioned, and often recommended tool for showcasing solutions in a controlled environment, it is not the only method that should be used. Other critical and frequently employed methods for demonstrating a proposed solution include:

On-premises Proof of Concept (PoC): Deploying physical or virtual Aruba hardware and software in the customer's own environment to validate the design, test performance, and demonstrate integration with their existing infrastructure. This is often essential for complex or large-scale opportunities.

Partner or In-House Lab Demonstrations: Utilizing dedicated lab environments built with actual Aruba equipment to create customized demonstrations that mirror a customer's specific requirements more closely than a generic portal demo might allow.

The choice of demonstration method is dictated by the customer's needs, the complexity of the proposed solution, and the objectives of the validation phase. Restricting demonstrations solely to a certified portal would preclude these other vital validation techniques.

The option "True" is incorrect because it imposes an artificial and impractical limitation. The process of designing and validating a complex network solution, which is the focus of the HPE7-A04 certification, explicitly involves validating the design against customer requirements. A physical PoC is a cornerstone of this validation process and is a method entirely distinct from a pre-configured demo portal. Official Aruba solution guides are themselves validated in physical lab environments, confirming this as an approved methodology.

1. HPE Press - Aruba Certified Design Expert (ACDX) Official Certification Study Guide (HPE7-A04): The guide outlines the comprehensive Aruba design methodology

which includes phases for requirements gathering

design

and validation. The validation phase is not restricted to a single tool. For instance

the guide discusses the importance of "validating the design with the customer

" a process that often necessitates a PoC to ensure the solution meets all technical and business requirements in the target environment. The concept of a flexible validation phase contradicts the idea of using only one specific portal.

2. Aruba Validated Solution Guides (VSG): These official documents detail reference architectures that have been tested and validated by Aruba engineers. For example

the Aruba SD-Branch Validated Solution Guide explicitly describes the "Lab Topology and Validation" (see Chapter 6 in typical versions). It details the physical and virtual equipment used in a dedicated lab to test and prove the solution's capabilities. This serves as official documentation that Aruba itself uses and sanctions lab-based validation—a form of demonstration—as a primary method for proving a solution's efficacy

separate from any demo portal.

3. HPE Certification & Learning

Exam Details for HPE7-A04: The official exam objectives state that a candidate must be able to "Produce the final design and validate it with the customer." This objective implies a process of confirmation and testing. A PoC is a primary method for such validation. The broadness of the term "validate" confirms that multiple methods are acceptable and necessary

not just a single portal.