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System engineer at OCS
Reseller
A product that allows seamless connectivity when migrating from one location to another
Pros and Cons
  • "When users want to migrate from one location to another, they face no problems with connectivity."
  • "The support offered by Aruba is slow."

What is our primary use case?

In my company, we use Aruba Instant since it is a very light product for installations, and it provides summaries, making it a good choice for customers.

What is most valuable?

The product works well in terms of mobility. When users want to migrate from one location to another, they face no problems with connectivity.

What needs improvement?

In my opinion, Aruba offers nice products.

The support offered by Aruba is slow. For improvement, I would like Aruba to offer faster support to users and more customization options.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Aruba Instant for seven years. I might update the product for access points supported by Aruba. In our company, old access points have not been updated since they have reached the end of life. My company is a reseller of Aruba products.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product's stability is good. Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten since its scalability is good.

The product's installation procedure went very well, and there was only very small troubleshooting required because of some compatibility issues of the product with the tools from other vendors. Aruba works very well with devices from the same vendor. Sometimes, when our company wants to connect Aruba to devices from other vendors, we face some minor issues which are not very problematic.

My clients use the solution in small locations like shops, warehouses, and similar places. The number of uses of the solution depends upon the number of access points at those locations.

Around 20 of my clients use Aruba Instant. My company serves small and medium enterprises.

How are customer service and support?

The solution's technical support is very nice. I rate the technical support a nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

On a scale of one to ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy, I rate the initial setup a nine since it was an easy and straightforward process.

The solution is deployed on-premises.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I rate the product's price a five on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive. It offers good relations between functionality, compatibility, reasonable price, and a range of nice products.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the overall product an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
PeerSpot user
FranklinSanguina - PeerSpot reviewer
Solutions Consultant at TD SYNNEX
Real User
Top 10
Easy to manage with a good user experience and excellent flexibility
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution provides a very good end-user experience."
  • "They could offer a new model for access points that are outdoors."

What is our primary use case?

I primarily use the solution for my WiFi.

What is most valuable?

The solution provides a very good end-user experience. 

It's easy to manage the wireless. I can make a mesh. I can make connections to other access points without wires. I have several WiFi routers and can connect them seamlessly.

It's very transparent. I can see how my bandwidth is being used and I can control that.

The access point has a firewall inside to see my applications and the kinds of applications I am using.

The most valuable aspect is the potential to have it cover all my devices and I can see the applications and make a policy around them. The monitoring is very good as it does help me build out policies around the access points. 

The security features are very good. 

What needs improvement?

They could offer a new model for access points that are outdoors. They don't have an outdoor WiFi Six in their portfolio right now.

They should maybe make the sites bigger. While you can have extension nodes, you can only have 25 devices only. That is too small for some companies. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for a year and a half. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability depends on the cloud and what stability the cloud has. I haven't had any issues where the service has gone down. The stability has been 100% stable for me. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

You can have 25 devices on one site. 

For example, in the case of a hotel, you might have one site for the lobby and one site on another floor. You might have WiFi for one site yet you won't have roaming. You need to have sites.

If a company needs more, it can buy an enterprise solution. This one has limited scalability.

How are customer service and support?

I've never contacted technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have not really used another solution, aside from an offering from my ISP. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward. You do not need a specialist. You just have to open the box and read some documentation. I have to download an app on my phone and scan a QR to enter a website. I gain access to a Wizard. Through that, I look for my device and start the process. I go through it step by step. Even if you have no expertise in technology, it's very simple.

I'd rate the ease of setup ten out of ten. 

The full deployment took about five minutes. You only have to configure the first IP. After that, you don't have to configure anything. It's very fast. Even if you have 25 IPs, you only have to configure one, and then the others you just have to power up.

What about the implementation team?

I handled the setup myself. I did not need any outside assistance. Everything I needed was in the box. 

What was our ROI?

I have seen a good ROI. I've been more productive working from home and this solution facilitates that. It ensures we are safe and protected and the network can help us to be more stable.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is reasonable. I'd rate it seven out of ten. 

Whether it is affordable to other people depends on who is buying it and what they need it to do. It's not like TP-Link or something like that. There are a bit more features. 

There are also other solutions that are cheaper than this, however, they may not work the same. 

There are no additional costs. We pay just one price for the device itself. I'm not sure of the exact price. It might have been around $100.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I did evaluate other solutions previously. I understand what other solutions can do, more or less, however, I choose to use Aruba since I know what it can do and it offers a good price. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm a user and also a distributor. 

It has devices that are switches and access points and it is managed via the cloud and the cloud is free. It's all unified. 

This solution can integrate other solutions, such as Clear Pass. You can easily configure it to connect to a radio server, for example. There are a lot of great advanced configurations.  It's very flexible. It's a very capable product. 

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Aruba Instant
September 2024
Learn what your peers think about Aruba Instant. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2024.
805,335 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Anchal Verma - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Executive Officer at Grand Ortus Solutions Pvt Ltd
Real User
Top 5
Suitable for for customers moving from unmanaged to managed networks, with full visibility on a central console and a user-friendly interface
Pros and Cons
  • "I would rate the stability a ten out of ten."
  • "The product is a little expensive."

What is our primary use case?

It's a networking product for switching and Wi-Fi.

How has it helped my organization?

Aruba Instant doesn't have many security features. It's very basic and doesn't enhance network security significantly. However, you have basic functionalities like checking your network, seeing who's connected, removing or blacklisting devices, and changing passwords from the central console. 

These are only basic security features, not enterprise-level solutions. 

Aruba Instant is already good in its segment, with available features. If anyone wants to move towards enterprise solutions, Aruba has other products available. This is a different segment with good features. 

What is most valuable?

It's a solution for small and medium businesses that offers centralized control and basic features like whitelisting, device visibility, VLAN creation, and loop avoidance. 

It's not a feature-rich, enterprise-class product but provides essential functionalities for customers moving from unmanaged to managed networks, with full visibility on a central console and a user-friendly interface.

What needs improvement?

It's not suited for larger companies.

The product is a little expensive.

For how long have I used the solution?

My experience in networking is more than 16 years, and with Aruba Instant, I have almost seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Aruba Instant is not for larger enterprises, but it's for small organizations, houses, villas, big offices, and small hotels.

It is a scalable solution. Moreover, Aruba has multiple products in this segment, so customers can choose the right product, and all are managed within the same Aruba Instant platform.

I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. 

How are customer service and support?

For small and medium businesses, home, and small hotels, it's ten. But not for enterprises.

How was the initial setup?

The deployment process is very easy. If everything is ready, configuring five or ten switches takes hardly one or two hours maximum.

Deployment model:

Aruba Instant is a cloud-based solution for small and medium businesses with limited features and centralized management of switching and Wi-Fi solutions. The physical devices are on-premises, while management is done from the cloud.

It's an HPE-owned cloud built for management. We get it for free and don't know where it's hosted.

What was our ROI?

With a single access point, you get visibility and everything. The ease of manageability and operation helps minimize manpower and saves time. 

It's also physically a very good product, with good signal strength for coverage. It can handle more than 100 to 200 devices easily, even in a smart home with many connected devices. These are all the ways it helps and gives an edge over competitors.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product is a little expensive. If someone wants extra features, they will choose the enterprise products instead of Aruba Instant.

The extra features aren't useful for small and medium businesses or homes, so nobody will pay for them.

I would rate the pricing a two out of ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

It provides centralized network control, but other products do the same. There are no unique features.

Currently, we only promote Aruba, but some small and medium businesses also use NETGEAR products. We don't sell NETGEAR; we only focus on Aruba.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend using it! Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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Jigar Kapadi - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager, Information Technology Network & Firewall at Aujan Group Holding,
Real User
Top 20
A stable and affordable solution that is easy to configure and provides excellent technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The deployment is easy."
  • "The security features must be improved."

What is our primary use case?

I use the solution for managing switches remotely.

What is most valuable?

It is a good solution. It is straightforward.

What needs improvement?

The security features must be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the tool’s stability a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the tool’s scalability a nine out of ten. We have more than 2000 users.

How are customer service and support?

I am satisfied with the technical support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

I rate the ease of setup a ten out of ten. The deployment is easy. It takes a few minutes to deploy the tool.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product is reasonably priced.

What other advice do I have?

We can configure the solution using our phone even if we don't have a laptop. It is very easy. We can manage it from wherever we want. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Marija Lakić - PeerSpot reviewer
Sistem Administrator at a media company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
A satisfactory solution with a straightforward setup
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is stable, and we are satisfied."
  • "There is an issue with flooding to the Aruba access point on the ports."

What is our primary use case?

Our company has about 25 access points, and they integrate Aruba Instant. We have authentication integrated with Windows in the main controller for each employee. We also have a guest net portal.

What is most valuable?

We like that we can assign our employees based on authentication over Windows in the main controller. We couldn't do that with Cisco, so we switched to Aruba for that feature. Other solutions have end of life for devices, but Aruba does not. Cisco becomes completely useless at the end of life.

What needs improvement?

There is an issue with flooding to the Aruba access point on the ports. The flooding comes from the file transfer, but the two hosts that do the file transfers are on wire, not a wireless connection. So it's strange that we can see that graphic on the access point. We still don't know what is causing the issue. It may be a setting in Aruba, but we don't know. So we are trying to resolve the issue first before contacting technical support.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution for about three years, and I believe we're using version 8.0.9.2. It is deployed on-premises.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Apart from some of the issues we are currently facing, the solution is stable, and we are satisfied.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution, and we have about 120 users and clients connected to wireless daily and management of the networks are done within by company.

How are customer service and support?

We have not contacted technical support before.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward, and the deployment was completed in-house.

What was our ROI?

We have a return on investment.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other solutions before choosing Aruba Instant. We attended a presentation by Aruba, spoke with some Aruba engineers and then decided to try the solution.

What other advice do I have?

I rate this solution a nine out of ten, and I would recommend this solution to others.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Sreejesh S - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Specialist at COPYCAT LIMITED
Real User
Top 5
A secure and stable solution on a minimum budget
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of Aruba Instant is its cloud capability, which allows us to manage it through the cloud."
  • "It would be better if Aruba Instant could provide more security for customers."

What is our primary use case?

One of my government customers has multiple offices across the city, while their IT team is stationed in their central office. So we positioned Aruba wireless solutions across all their offices, and their IT team was able to access and operate APs from their central office.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Aruba Instant is its cloud capability, which allows us to manage it through the cloud. All management payloads can be accessed from anywhere, even through our hand-held devices when our IT person is traveling somewhere. When it comes to Aruba Instant, we are getting a more secure and stable solution on a minimum budget.

What needs improvement?

It would be better if Aruba Instant could provide more security for customers.

It would be better if Aruba Instant could provide a graphical prioritization of application data or application bandwidth.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Aruba Instant since its launch, especially in my region.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Compared with the normal Aruba series, Aruba Instant provides easy deployment and a wide range of coverage. However, there is some latency issue when accessing high latency applications like SAP, SAP HANA, and the Aruba Wi-Fi network.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Aruba Instant is a scalable solution.

What about the implementation team?

To deploy Aruba Instant, we first have to create our portal or customer portal and then deploy APs or profiles in the central or cloud console. Discovering APs might take some time, especially from a remote site.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

In my region right now, Aruba Instant comes with a default two-year cloud access license. From the third year, we have to renew the solution.

What other advice do I have?

It is not at all difficult to maintain Aruba Instant. I always suggest Aruba Instant, which comes with a three-year subscription or licensing features, because most government customers require a minimum three years upfront license and warranty for all their procurements.

Overall, I rate Aruba Instant a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Managing Director at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Top 5
Excellent features, good security, and easy to integrate
Pros and Cons
  • "This is a very solid product. It is very powerful."
  • "They should enhance reporting and add more features."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for connecting to our WiFi network. We use it to communicate with our internal network. It connects everything - telephones, tablets, et cetera. It's our company network.

What is most valuable?

This is a very solid product. It is very powerful.

The product offers a single management point.

Its features are excellent. 

The solution helps us to communicate internally effectively.

The administration functionality is very easy. It's very easy to configure. Plus, it has a lot of functionality in general.

The security is very good.

We have found the solution to be very user-friendly, especially compared to other products. 

It is easy to integrate with your network.

You can look into your network and see its health and usage very easily.

Troubleshooting problems is very simple.

The product is very simple to set up.

It can scale well.

The solution is stable and reliable. 

What needs improvement?

In general, they've done a very good job with the solution. 

However, we would like to see more done in the reporting. They should enhance reporting and add more features. 

We're always looking for more features and functionality. They should continue to do regular updates and continue to add to its capabilities, specifically around cloud functionality. It would help us be ready for what's next in the industry.

Technical support response times can be better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for six or seven years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable and reliable. I'd rate it nine out of ten. If you do the right setup and there are no misconfigurations, it will run for years without any problem. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution can scale. I'd rate it nine out of ten for its ability to expand. 

We have around 12,000 or more end-users. We're a big company.

How are customer service and support?

We've dealt with technical support and they are fine. However, response times could be faster. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I've had experience with Cisco. However, Aruba is more manageable. It also offers faster support.

How was the initial setup?

The product is very simple to set up. It s not complex at all. If you have some prior knowledge, it is very simple to implement. 

There is very little maintenance. Often, no one needs to do anything, and it is stable for years. If you do the right setup, you don't need to worry about it. 

What about the implementation team?

We have consultants that assist with the implementation process. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price is okay. However, it depends on the project. If you have a big project, you can get a good price. Also, you have lifetime support from Aruba, which is great. That can save a lot of money over time. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm a partner with Aruba.

The solution offers a lifetime warranty.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. It is an exceptional solution. 

It is a solid, easy-to-use product with very good features. You can size it to fit your needs regardless of the size of the company. On top of that, it is simple to troubleshoot and is very fast to deploy. If you have an SLA with a two-hour support time, you will get faster support. It's good to consider SLAs at the outset.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Bjorn Bell - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Support Engineer at One Eighty SA
Real User
Top 20
Easy network management, Aruba Instant AI and offers security features
Pros and Cons
  • "It's practical. It does what it needs to do."
  • "For some people, price is a concern."

What is our primary use case?

It's just the perks that we get with everything in terms of the equipment, such as client tracking and GPS coverage. There's a whole lot of perks to Aruba.

How has it helped my organization?

We have seen one hundred percent improvement in terms of network management. Network management is so easy.

Aruba Instant AI, for one. It's like skipping your level-one technicians and going straight to two or three. It tells you what's wrong and helps you fix it. That's just one of the benefits. 

It's all embedded in the controller itself.

What is most valuable?

The security features cover everything and more. It definitely meets our requirements.

What needs improvement?

For some people, price is a concern.

For how long have I used the solution?

I use both Aruba Instant and Instant On, I have been using it for a year. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's stable. Only planned downtimes, months ahead, and it's timed so it doesn't even affect people. They don't even know.

How are customer service and support?

Whenever you need it, they pick up the phone. They help you then and there. If there's a project that you're stuck with, they literally walk you through everything. I've never had better service.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

Once you have a fundamental understanding of WLAN, it's easy. It's just the control and everything. Depending on the type of person you are, it's just learning it.

It all depends on the person. It took me a week; it took others two months. At the end of the day, it just depends on how much you're willing to sacrifice and learn.

So it depends on the case.

Besides syntax, which is a global thing across all brands. But there's no need to even use it because it gives you everything you need already, which fixes nine out of ten problems.

What was our ROI?

It's a tool that does what it needs to do, and it benefits the company. It keeps costs down because you don't need to worry about having level-one support; you can skip straight to level two and level three. I think that's a real cost factor for companies.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

At the end of the day, that is obviously a big thing in the industry where, for some people, price is a concern. That's where you have Aruba Instant On, but there are different factors to consider with certain things. 

So, it is a little bit more on the pricey side. But in terms of what you're getting, I personally would rather pay that little bit more and get what I need because I know what I'm getting, as opposed to going for something cheaper that's not as manageable and doesn't give as much. So I'm one hundred percent satisfied with this tool.

What other advice do I have?

It's practical. It does what it needs to do. At the end of the day, it's a tool. It serves its purpose. I literally could not ask for better. Compared to Unifi and Ruckus, it's in a whole different world.

I would recommend it to other people because I know the benefits. It depends on what suits their needs, whether it's in the enterprise range or a normal home range. The benefits you're getting from both of them, it does vary slightly, but it is worth it. I would recommend it. I would justify the costs more.

Overall, I would rate it a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Updated: September 2024
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Aruba Instant Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.