There are setups where instant switches will be present, mostly around two or three, and as part of the same setup, five to ten APs will be there; this setup needs to be implemented in one of the environments of our company's customers using Aruba Instant.
The customers of our organization might also have multiple PSKs and additional radius in their internet, so as part of the company, we need to integrate Aruba Instant accordingly, and especially for any personal SSID, it needs to operate through Aruba Instant.
Senior Network Engineer at AGSPL
Allows network monitoring through mobile devices and also has enhanced security features like Pre-shared Keys
Pros and Cons
- "Allows network monitoring through mobile devices"
- "Aruba Instant is cloud-based, and thus, it improves wireless network performance on cloud platforms. The solution allows network monitoring through devices like mobiles and desktops, which is a feasible option. The tool also has Bluetooth settings so a user can deploy Aruba Instant through a serial number or the Bluetooth option."
- "The wireless coverage should be increased"
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Aruba Instant is cloud-based, and thus, it improves wireless network performance on cloud platforms. The solution allows network monitoring through devices like mobiles and desktops, which is a feasible option. The tool also has Bluetooth settings so a user can deploy Aruba Instant through a serial number or the Bluetooth option.
Aruba Instant allows users to monitor the number of connected clients and AP status in the network at any given time on the cloud dashboard. The aforementioned feature is highly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses in the customer's environment.
What needs improvement?
The wireless coverage provided by Aruba Instant should be increased. The APs are used heavily in a mid-scale business, so increasing the coverage can be beneficial. The traffic capacity of the solution can also be expanded including increase in the number of clients and radius.
Aruba Instant can integrate a few features similar to ClearPass in future versions so that small businesses can grow and avoid the need to shift toward traditional APs.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba Instant for a year.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability of the solution an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool provides scalability through enhanced performance, high speed functionality and Wi-Fi certification. Aruba Instant also supports Wi-Fi 6 standard and there is also a 25% data increase on AP22. The product also provides an improved throughput and the AP22 capacity has been increased with a maximum of active devices around 50 to 70.
The product also consumes less power in comparison to other traditional solutions, so small businesses can highly benefit from it. I would rate the scalability of Aruba Instant an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate the customer support as six out of ten. The support team is helpful, but when a major issue arises with the solution, there is a wide delay in response and resolution. In a few instances, professionals from our organization had to wait an hour to avail of support.
Sometimes, from customer support, it's communicated that the engineer is not available at their end, and there will be a delay of a couple of hours to get a hold of the individual. Once the engineer becomes available, the individual provides an ideal solution to the technical problems.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The solution can be easily deployed. I have personally deployed Aruba Instant for five to six customers of our organization and they are using it properly. There are about eight to ten engineers in the technical team for Aruba Instant in our organization.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten. The product is competitively priced with other OEM solutions.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have used other similar solutions to Aruba Instant in my prior company.
What other advice do I have?
Aruba Instant provides security features including the latest protocols and Pre-shared Keys. The aforementioned keys are available in Aruba Instant with multiple PSK functionalities, including WPA2 and WPA3 so that authentications can be carried out. Aruba Instant also offers firewall features, for instance in the SSID the firewall can be configured to help clients determine what to use and what not.
The solutions support WPA3 enterprise, which uses a 192-bit minimum security level suite. Aruba Instant also provides WPA2 PSK with password authentication.
Aruba Instant supports AI-driven projects in our organization through automated insights, including details of what users are doing on the network, signal strength details, alerts, events and other AI Assist features. I would rate the product an eight out of ten.
Aruba Instant should also provide console access to the AP so that small businesses can receive assistance with troubleshooting. In few occasions, small businesses don't want a traditional AP because they have a limited capacity of only 50 to 60 users.
Small businesses thus prefer an instant one, to quickly power it on and use it. If small businesses want to authenticate through Clear Pass, then the authentication gets stuck and a complex process of operating through traditional AP needs to be followed.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Last updated: May 26, 2024
Flag as inappropriateBusiness Development Manager - Cyber Security at Ninth Dimension IT Solutions (P) Ltd
Robust solution for SMBs and offers plug-and-play deployment
Pros and Cons
- "I like the Instant On switches and the AP22"
- "For on-premises, I would rate the scalability a seven out of ten. For on-prem, if I want to integrate two more controls, and I want to extend my network , and add a couple of access points that need to be integrated with my network, I have to do the configurations and all. So that will be each and every time, as and when the users expand, the Wi-Fi solution expands; I need to do the configuration settings on all other controllers."
What is most valuable?
I like the Instant On switches and the AP22
What needs improvement?
For on-premises, I would rate the scalability a seven out of ten. For on-prem, if I want to integrate two more controls, and I want to extend my network , and add a couple of access points that need to be integrated with my network, I have to do the configurations and all. So that will be each and every time, as and when the users expand, the Wi-Fi solution expands; I need to do the configuration settings on all other controllers.
There is room for improvement in scalability for the on-premises deployment model.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the solution for the past eight years. Currently, I work with the latest version of the solution.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is highly stable. I rate it a perfect ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the solution is a perfect ten on the cloud. I have positioned it for enterprise, and I have also positioned it for medium and small businesses.
For on-premises, I would rate the scalability a seven out of ten. For on-prem, if I want to integrate two more controls, and I want to extend my network , and add a couple of access points that need to be integrated with my network, I have to do the configurations and all. So that will be each and every time, as and when the users expand, the Wi-Fi solution expands; I need to do the configuration settings on all other controllers.
But if it is in the cloud, if it's on the cloud, I just need to add the control. I just need to add the MAC ID; that will be easy for us to extend it.
How was the initial setup?
I would rate your experience with the initial setup a nine out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.
The deployment model also depends on the customer inputs. We usually prefer to go with Amazon Cloud if they already have an existing Azure.
The deployment duration depends on the customer to the customer; it varies. It depends on the architecture, number of flows, number of access points, and users, too. Because it is based on the number of users, if the architecture is huge, it may take up to one month. Sometimes, it may finish in just two days. It depends on the users.
What was our ROI?
The ROI is visible. This product is a day-to-day requirement for the customers. Most of the customers will come up with their laptops or BYOD devices. All those things. So it's a mandatory thing for them to set up the network and to run their show.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a five out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
If a Small and Medium Business (SMB) customer wants a plug-and-play deployment, we recommend considering Aruba Instant.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Aruba Instant
November 2024
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Sistem Administrator at a media company with 1,001-5,000 employees
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.
Manager at Lan to Wan
Has robust security features and blocks unauthorized connections
Pros and Cons
- "The simplicity of the dashboard is one of the most valuable features. It's easy to use, and manage and the security features are robust. We can block unauthorized connections and create secure SSIDs."
- "We have faced delay in customer support which has affected our business performance. So the customer support needs to be prompt in their responses."
What is our primary use case?
I use Aruba Instant for Wireless LAN and CCTV solutions.
How has it helped my organization?
My organisation hasn’t noticed any cost reduction since implementing Aruba Instant. However, there has been a significant time reduction in pushing orders.
What is most valuable?
The simplicity of the dashboard is one of the most valuable features. It's easy to use, and manage and the security features are robust. We can block unauthorized connections and create secure SSIDs.
What needs improvement?
We have faced delay in customer support which has affected our business performance. So the customer support needs to be prompt in their responses.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba Instant for the past four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability a ten out of ten, since it is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very swift and easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a six out of ten.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We considered a lot of products before choosing Aruba Instant. We went ahead with Aruba Instant due to it being cheaper than Cisco and Fortinet.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the product an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Last updated: Jun 16, 2024
Flag as inappropriateSales Executive at Intelys Technology Africa
Has an easy initial setup process, but there could be more security features
Pros and Cons
- "It is easy to use, manage, and implement."
- "They could provide a centralized system to manage switches incorporated into multiple branches."
What is most valuable?
The product is cost-effective. It is easy to use, manage, and implement. It can be installed with an app on the phone as well. It is built and designed for users who do not have the necessary skills to implement enterprise cloud networks.
What needs improvement?
The product could have more security features integrated into enterprise data. They could provide a centralized system to manage switches incorporated into multiple branches.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Aruba Instant for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the product’s stability a seven out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We can only incorporate about 27 IPs and switches in a particular bandwidth. It needs to be more scalable. It is suitable for small and medium businesses. I rate the product’s scalability a four out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy. We have deployed physical infrastructure on-premises, managed via the cloud. It took us a few minutes to complete the process.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the product’s pricing a two out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Aruba Instant a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Deputy Manager - Technical Services ICT-ELV at Eurostargroup
Enables you to handle all of the access points at once virtually instead of manually handling each one
Pros and Cons
- "You can handle all of the access points at once virtually instead of manually handling each one. You're able to populate all of the information to all of the access points through the virtual controller as well. It transforms everything it a single access point, which simplifies things."
- "The solution should be able to support more users on the access points."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution as a base for our site office.
What is most valuable?
The virtual controller can handle up to 16 access points.
The features you get in the controller are excellent.
You can handle all of the access points at once virtually instead of manually handling each one. You're able to populate all of the information to all of the access points through the virtual controller as well. It transforms everything it a single access point, which simplifies things.
What needs improvement?
The solution should be able to support more users on the access points.
The solution should allow for more roaming capabilities. If you're roaming from one access point to another, the process should be quicker.
The solution could use auto-channeling so that it could automatically pick up channel overlap.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the solution is good. Right now we are using the solution across five offices with 100 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
The solution's technical support has been good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We've used Huawei, which is also good. We're integrators, so we implement either solution according to the project requirements of our clients. I do find Aruba more stable and easier to use than Huawei, however.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
What other advice do I have?
We use the on-premises deployment model.
I'd recommend the solution; I find it more stable than other options.
I'd rate it nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Consultant Network at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Fair price, works very well, and is perfect for customers with many small sites
Pros and Cons
- "I can implement it at small sites, and I can also implement it at mid-sized locations. It is very flexible. It is really nice and useful for customers who have many small sites."
- "It is good as it is. If anything, its reporting could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We propose it to our customers for Wireless LAN. Internally, in our company, we use Cisco.
We have many customers, and we implement wireless systems with Aruba, Cisco, and Extreme. There are many customers that use Instant Cluster, and we have customers that use it on-premise. It depends on the people working at the customer side.
What is most valuable?
It is very cheap. I can use the access points without an additional license.
I can implement it at small sites, and I can also implement it at mid-sized locations. It is very flexible. It is really nice and useful for customers who have many small sites.
What needs improvement?
It is good as it is. If anything, its reporting could be improved.
At the moment, I don't see any new features that we really need.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for about eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable. It works very well.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I don't know about their support. It is working fine, and I have had no problem with it.
If I need any information, I can take the help of the Aruba Community. I have access to all the resources on Aruba, and I can search for information if I need to implement things that are not normal and that are not base configuration. I can find everything about Aruba.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy. I like its setup. It is done in an hour.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is not expensive. Its price is fair. You get many features with the normal licensing. If I look at Cisco, it is very expensive if I need similar things.
What other advice do I have?
It is working very well at the moment. I see no problem with it, but it has its own use case. I can't use it everywhere. It is not suitable for a big campus area. I would need a controller-based system such as Aruba Controller.
I would rate it an eight out of 10. It is very good, and I like it.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
IP Network Engineer at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Stable and scalable solution but still has usage kinks
Pros and Cons
- "In terms of stability, Aruba Instant is the best on the market."
- "There is a problem in the preferred portal access points when I'm using the portal."
What is most valuable?
I use Aruba Instant because it has firewall and inspection features that are the best for me because my child is using the wireless network and I can just block whichever websites I don't want my child to see. For what I need, the roaming is working okay for small networks.
What needs improvement?
Nothing really to improve. The Instant is simple. But when I'm using the controller, then I'll use the advanced features.
The Instant has a problem with the VPR 3 when I am working with the roaming. The problem is that the keys are incorrect and I must do a disconnect and reconnect, and then it's okay. But I don't know exactly where the problem is because VPR 2 is okay. I would like it if they could fix this. Again, I don't know if it's a problem with them or it's a problem with my device.
Additionally, storage is difficult for me. Metal storage, swimming pools, and garden storage are difficult for me. Also, the shopping centers where I track people are difficult. But offices are easy, offices are no problem.
Because we are using triangulation, there is a problem because you never know which access points are used and connected and which devices are connected on any access point. If there are a lot of different devices, and maybe old devices are present, there are problems.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Aruba Instant for about a year and a half.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of stability, Aruba Instant is the best on the market.
I am a novice in the Cisco platform and it may be difficult to move to the Aruba platform, but what you can do with Aruba is better than what you can do with Cisco.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, it's the best on the market.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not contacted technical support yet.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complex. The deployment is not too long. We deployed in two days. And the testing took around one week. Deploying is not a problem. The design area is more complex. Troubleshooting and site survey are more difficult for it to work well.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented on our own with books, websites and brainstorming in the office.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I recommend Aruba Instant because it's cheaper for licensing and it's simple for implementation. It's all in the Instant version.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale of one to ten, I'd give it a seven. I would not give a ten because there is a problem in the preferred portal access points when I'm using the portal. The problem is - which access point is preferred for the virtual controller?
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
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Updated: November 2024
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