Aruba Airwave Reviews

Name: Aruba Airwave
Brand: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Rating: 4.2 (21 reviews)

4.2 out of 5

21 reviews
90% willing to recommend

189 followers

What is Aruba Airwave?

Offering granular visibility into wired and wireless networks, AirWave is the only management platform designed with mobile devices and apps in mind. By proactively monitoring the health and performance of all things connected, AirWave lets IT gain the insights they need to support the digital workplace.

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Aruba Airwave is the #2 ranked solution in top Network Management Applications. PeerSpot users give Aruba Airwave an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. Aruba Airwave is most commonly compared to Cisco DNA Center: Aruba Airwave vs Cisco DNA Center. Aruba Airwave is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 62% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 15% of all views.

Helped 831,369 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Prashant-Patel

Senior Presales Consultant - Networking Solutions at Mannai

Aruba Airwave is an on-prem solution, so you have to manage it with your servers to be deployed. You can also deploy it on the cloud if you have your own private cloud. All the configuration guides and the different types of designs you need are available from Aruba Airwave's portal. I would recommend Aruba Airwave to other users. Overall, I rate Aruba Airwave ten out of ten.

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MichaelGrady

Chairman at Gracon Services, Inc.

AirWave definitely helps us troubleshoot and get to the root cause of the issues. It gives you an excellent indication of what's going on within your network at different locations. You can get to the area, take a look at the AirWave analysis, and make informed decisions. It comes with additional accessories that you can use to measure the distance between access points. There's a lot you can do with AirWave in terms of tracing and ongoing analysis between sites. It's very robust. You do have to know what you're doing, but Aruba has training.

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Sameer Mundekar

Subject Matter Expert at Orange

For me, it's quite easy because I've worked with the portfolio before. So, I would rate my experience a ten out of ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy. We have implemented both cloud and on-prem solutions. It's typically a hybrid cloud, like Google or Amazon kind of. The deployment time depends on the number of devices and servers. But for a single server, one day is usually enough.

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Aruba Airwave mindshare

As of January 2025, the mindshare of Aruba Airwave in the Network Management Applications category stands at 7.8%, down from 10.3% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Management Applications

PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	Network Management Applications	Jan 22, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jan 22, 2025	Download
Comparison	Aruba Airwave vs Cisco DNA Center	Jan 22, 2025	Download
Comparison	Aruba Airwave vs Fortinet FortiManager	Jan 22, 2025	Download
Comparison	Aruba Airwave vs NetScaler	Jan 22, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Cisco DNA Center	4.0	29.7%	89%	41 interviews Add to research
Fortinet FortiManager	4.0	5.5%	94%	64 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Aruba Airwave is valued for robust multivendor support, enhanced troubleshooting, and management capabilities. Features like Clarity, Visual RF, Live Heat Map, and orchestration save time and streamline network operations. The intuitive interface and detailed reporting enhance visibility and performance monitoring. It accommodates various devices, supports zero-touch provisioning, and provides extensive network analysis. Users appreciate the ease of implementation and compatibility with various products, including those from non-Aruba vendors.

"All the technical support goes through our contractor. It is a local support, and it is perfect."
"It facilitated creating floor maps."
"The solution's most valuable features are its usage, bandwidth existence, device capacity, and utilization."

Room for Improvement

Aruba Airwave needs better integration with other platforms and improved synchronization between the GUI and CLI. Enhanced cost-effectiveness and more straightforward user interface are desired. Greater compatibility with third-party devices and streamlined configurations are sought after. Users express concerns about high pricing, slow support, and limited monitoring capabilities. A unified management solution is needed for seamless device management, as well as faster troubleshooting error identification. Additionally, improvements in scalability and annual upgrades are requested.

"I am not deeply familiar with the solution, so if I mention a feature, it might already exist, yet I may be unaware of it."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"The tool's expensive nature is an area of concern where improvements are required."

ROI

Aruba Airwave offers solid ROI with a long lifespan. It supports a range of customers, making staff training efficient. Technical staff require less training, reducing staffing costs. Despite the difficulty of precise quantification, users experience fewer issues, reducing trouble tickets. ROI is rated 10/10. Hardware costs mean returns appear over three years. Significant troubleshooting time reductions enhance productivity and save money. Cost savings can reach up to 50% after implementation.

Pricing

Enterprise buyers evaluating Aruba Airwave report mixed experiences with pricing and licensing. Many find the solution cost-effective compared to Cisco, while others view it as expensive, especially for wide-range networks. Pricing depends on environment variables, with a device-based licensing model requiring a license per device, including redundancy options. Some appreciate the lifetime warranty on devices, flexible licensing, and a 90-day free PoC. Costs can vary widely, with newer licenses doubling in price in months.

"Aruba Airwave is an expensive solution."
"The tool is expensive. If one is bad or expensive, and ten is very good or cheap, I rate the product's price as a six."
"The licensing is on an yearly basis."

Popular Use Cases

Aruba Airwave is widely used for network management and monitoring, particularly in healthcare, finance, education, and large deployment settings. It manages access points, modifies configurations, and enhances RF settings. Users report its strength in generating statistics and reports. Companies leverage it to provide a secure wireless network experience, aid in troubleshooting, and oversee device health, including those supporting SNMP. It serves as a virtual controller and is favored for high-density client environments.

Service and Support

Aruba Airwave's customer service and support generally receive positive evaluations, scoring around 8 to 9 out of 10. Clients mention responsive and effective technical assistance with quick escalation for serious issues. Some express concerns about slower responses and complex escalation processes compared to Cisco. Integration challenges with other products are noted, with some expressing that cooperation needs improvement. Local contractors providing support receive high praise.

Deployment

Aruba Airwave's initial setup is generally straightforward and user-friendly. Installations range from 30 minutes to a couple of days, varying with network complexity and setup familiarity. Users highlight the ease due to comprehensive documentation and virtual machine templates. Most require minimal staffing, with some stating singular responsibilities are sufficient. Many find deployment easier than alternatives like Cisco. Prior experience with similar networks further simplifies the process for users.

Scalability

Aruba Airwave scales effectively for medium to large environments, supporting thousands of users depending on licensing. While scalability is highly rated, it often relies on available hardware and additional server resources. Typically operated by several administrators, it suits both enterprise and small businesses. Companies consider licensing per device, leading to varied user counts. Although some switch to alternative solutions for broader WiFi needs, numerous users plan to expand their Aruba Airwave usage.

Stability

Aruba Airwave is noted for its stability with many rating it highly, often ten out of ten. Users mention it is reliable and hands-off, encountering minimal issues. However, some experience performance challenges when many devices connect to a single access point. Stability is not a major concern, but accuracy and integration with other systems are emphasized. A few report occasional platform downtime, especially with AWS hosting, affecting its consistent operation.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Aruba Airwave Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.