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Deputy Director of IT Operations at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez
Real User
Top 20
Helpful support, good connectivity, and very reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "It is pretty easy to implement the product."
  • "The endpoint capabilities could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for WiFi and LAN. It's for connectivity.

What is most valuable?

We find the connection while using Aruba to be very good.

Aruba has many good products that can be used with this solution. It has a good controller and antivirus. 

The solution is stable.

Technical support is helpful and responsive.

It is pretty easy to implement the product.

Scaling the solution is possible.

What needs improvement?

The endpoint capabilities could be improved. 

There are no missing features at this time. 

It was a bit expensive. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for two years. 

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze. I'd rate the solution's stability ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability has been okay. I'd rate the scalability seven out of ten overall. We do plan to increase usage. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was simple. It is not overly difficult at all. 

What about the implementation team?

I implement with external support.

What was our ROI?

I have not personally looked into ROI. 

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

The price could be a bit better. We'd like it to be lower. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm not sure which version of the solution I'm using. I use the solution for my clients. 

There could be more specialists available in Chile. There aren't as many in the country.

I'd rate the solution ten 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
Anjan Basu Chowdhury - PeerSpot reviewer
Pre-Sales Manager at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Reseller
Top 10
Powerful and easy to manage with great sensor-based analytical tools
Pros and Cons
  • "We like that it is very easy to manage the product through the cloud."
  • "Aruba is still losing out to Cisco, which continues to dominate the space. Aruba needs to continue to improve its product range in order to compete with Cisco's dominance."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for connectivity purposes.  

If you want to connect your network, you definitely need a switch for end-to-end connectivity. The good thing about Aruba switches nowadays is that these particular switches also can be managed through the cloud. You can manage it through the cloud, you can manage it to NMS, and you can manage it to the individual switch also. You can manage it as a cluster. 

What is most valuable?

We like that it is very easy to manage the product through the cloud. 

If you compare Aruba to other switches like Juniper, Aruba has constantly maintained a Gartner leadership position over the last ten years.

Aruba is a very, very powerful switch in terms of the modular operating system.

It has sensor-based analytical tools. 

They have this multi-tier operative system to manage the data center environment or campus Wi-Fi, et cetera. Whatever the Aruba access point, the Wi-Fi device, and the Aruba switches, are both on a common platform. They have dynamic segmentation. The connectivity and the management are very easy as it is centralized. 

There is a whole product range to choose from. They have a huge portfolio, from 1GB all the way up to 100GB. It offers a wide variety of variations. 

The user interface is very good. 

There are a lot of great features, like dynamic segmentation and a modular operating system, that users can take advantage of. 

Aruba switches are a new generation of switches that allow each access point to carry different user data and have the capability of handling different policies. They can prioritize traffic based on policy or an IP address range, for example. If I have my own device and my work device on the same network, the permissions can be set differently so that my work device has certain access and my home device does not. Or I can request permission for my home device. It can pick up and adjust for authorized and non-authorized users. 

Their hardware has been completely redesigned and has stringer processors and all kinds of different improvements. 

They offer good DRAM and can support a multi-gig PoE.  

There is multi-tier architecture within the switch itself. 

What needs improvement?

Aruba is still losing out to Cisco, which continues to dominate the space. Aruba needs to continue to improve its product range in order to compete with Cisco's dominance. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for five to six years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Aruba is very high. It's very reliable. It doesn't crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches. I can rate the product nine or ten out of ten in terms of stability. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable in two ways. You can increase your network with the device, and you can also upgrade your application operating system to increase the usage of new-generation technology. Aruba is great at offering scalability in both areas. The devices also last a long time and have a five or six-year lifetime warranty, and within this period, you're eligible for the latest software that continuously expands the Aruba experience over time. 

We'll likely continue to invest in Aruba and expand usage when the time comes.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is very good. There is a default lifetime for R&D and it will give you only the troubleshooting and support for the lifetime of the product. That troubleshooting support will identify either if your switch has a hardware fault or if it has any other issues. If it has been diagnosed that it is a software-related issue, they will give you the latest format to upgrade to. However, if you go for the full level of technical support, so you have to purchase the Aruba service agreement. This is called Foundation Care. 

If you don't go with any support, you are only eligible for the hardware replacement. No other support will be provided.

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

I previously worked with Huawei. That was three or five years ago. I've also worked with HPE as well as the entire Aruba product range. I'm aware of Cisco and Juniper's capabilities as well. 

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

Aruba is considered a premium product and therefore the pricing is quite high. That said, it is competitive against, for example, Cisco. Based on its vast service offering, the pricing is actually quite fair. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We've compared Aruba to many switches, including Cisco and Juniper. However, Cisco is more comparable and Juniper has a very limited product profile. Cisco and Aruba are very similar.

What other advice do I have?

We are not a reseller. We are the national distributor of Aruba in India.

I'd rate the product in general eight out of ten. If a company is looking for a future-proof solution, Aruba really is a good choice. If they are looking to build a very sophisticated network, it's great.

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
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Aruba Switches
January 2025
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Umer Uzair - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manger - Solutions Design & Engineering at PureCS
Real User
Top 5
Easy configuration and efficient integration with an easy installation process
Pros and Cons
  • "They are easy to configure and integrate well with the Aruba ecosystem."
  • "The power supplies are generally susceptible to power fluctuations and failure due to these fluctuations."

What is our primary use case?

We are using it for LAN Switches in our corporate offices with PoE switches and access points. This is primarily a normal LAN switching use case.

What is most valuable?

They are easy to configure and integrate well with the Aruba ecosystem.

What needs improvement?

The power supplies are generally susceptible to power fluctuations and failure due to these fluctuations.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using it for four years as Aruba Access Point as well.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There are no serious bugs. The solution is pretty stable.

How are customer service and support?

The customer service is rated nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The installation is easy. We generally have only one person deploying it.

What was our ROI?

I have not quantified it exactly, but I would estimate a twenty percent cost savings or improvement in efficiency of operations.

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

The pricing is a bit on the pricey side.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We had been comparing other vendors, such as Cisco.

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Alfred_Pullicino - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at Genesis Global
Real User
Easy to expand, reliable, and allow users to manage switches from the cloud
Pros and Cons
  • "We can scale as needed."
  • "The initial setup is relatively complex."

What is our primary use case?

We've got switches on-premises, and they're managed by central management.

We primarily use the solution for normal office use. It is for normal networking, including wireless. 

What is most valuable?

I like that I can cloud-manage my network. This is useful due to the fact that I have multiple offices. 

It's a stable product.

We can scale as needed. 

What needs improvement?

The initial setup is relatively complex.

There is nothing to improve on in an enterprise environment, however, if you're wanting various  functionalities, you need to know how to do these things. It's not straightforward per se. Some training would be ideal for getting the most out of the solution. I had to learn a lot on the job by myself. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very solid, and very stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product is scalable. We can expand usage if we need to. 

We have 300 people on average using the solution.

In terms of expanding usage, as a solution, at this point in time, I don't need to. With its wifi capabilities, it can handle a little bit more load, so that's fine.

How are customer service and support?

Since I have the solution through a partner, I use the partner services. It's up to them to get me in touch with support if needed.

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

We had very low-end build switches or old Cisco switches previously, however, they were relatively minor since we had moved to a new office and the company was relatively young at that point in time. Afterward, we made an investment in Aruba.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not necessarily straightforward. It is complex. 

A service partner did the implementation. It took about a month and a half.

What about the implementation team?

We had a service provider assist us with the setup. 

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

We pay an annual license for the solution. 

It is an enterprise product, so it's not the cheapest, definitely. I'd rate the affordability between a three and four out of five.

What other advice do I have?

I'd recommend the solution if a company wants an alternative to a Cisco environment. It's a very reliable solution.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

They do have partnerships, and users can get training and insights on how to manage it from a partnership perspective. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Senior Network Specialist at Al Ghurair Investments
Real User
Top 5
Centralized Management that need improvements in the Visibility and Control
Pros and Cons
  • "There is a limited lifetime warranty with the switches, so if we have any problems, the switch is replaced very quickly."
  • "I am forced to consider changing products because other solutions have a better dashboard and a user-friendly interface."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of this solution is for Network connection and centralized monitoring and troubleshooting.

What is most valuable?

The switching configuration is very simple and not as complicated as Cisco. It's easy to do and the deployment is very quick.

When it comes to RMA, the replacement of Aruba parts is very good, and they are very prompt.

There is a limited lifetime warranty with the switches, so if we have any problems, the switch is replaced very quickly. As an example, if I call in the morning, by tomorrow I will receive a box with the replacement.

What needs improvement?

Visibility and controls need to be improved. When I compare the Aruba switch with Meraki, Meraki has more visibility and more controls.

HPE Aruba has not done any development and research on the SD LAN. They may have another solution for the SD LAN.

Aruba should have SD LAN features to provide more visibility on the network and to be able to control things like the traffic shifting or for voice or data. Currently, Aruba does not have this capability.

It may be there, but it's tedious.

In the next release or the very near future, I think that it is very important to simplify the dashboard and features similar to Meraki. Meraki has a good dashboard and the way they are presenting the information is very useful.

I am forced to consider changing products because other solutions have a better dashboard and a user-friendly interface. Other solutions also have better control and visibility.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This solution is quite stable. To date, we have not had any complaints.

We have our HP IMC (Intelligence Management Center), which is a centralized management control center where I can monitor all of the switches. I can monitor the health of the network appliances, and the CPUs main process. Everything.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have not had to contact technical support. We handle the issues with our in-house resources.

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

I have experience with Cisco Meraki switches.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy.

The implementation and configuration are not that difficult.

If you have ten to fifteen switches it can take a day. You have to stack it, then put them all together, complete the configuration, the hardening, and the testing, that is a complete full day, eight hours.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this product.

I would rate this product a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Joshy Varghese - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Director at Evenor Info Solutions Pvt Ltd
Real User
Top 10
Easy to deploy, stable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the lifetime warranty."
  • "Aruba does not have local support in our region of Kerala."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution for our network switches and access points.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the lifetime warranty.

The bandwidth is good.

The throughput is high.

What needs improvement?

Aruba does not have local support in our region of Kerala. The support is from Bangalore and support can be delayed.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I give the stability a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I give the scalability a nine out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We previously used Cisco Switches and switched to Aruba because of the speed.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. The deployment was easy to configure. I give the deployment a nine out of ten. The configuration can be completed within half an hour.

What about the implementation team?

The implementation was completed in-house.

What was our ROI?

I believe in the next year we will see a return on investment with Aruba Switches.

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

Aruba Switches are less expensive than Cisco. 

What other advice do I have?

I give the solution a nine out of ten.

We have around 1,000 users.

We have two administrators for the solution.

I recommend Aruba Switches to others. The cost is lower, the performance is higher, and the solution has higher throughput.

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
BenjaminRafrafi - PeerSpot reviewer
System and Network Administrator at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
Real User
User-friendly, highly scalable, and priced well
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of Aruba Switches are the use of use and user-friendliness."
  • "The main issue we had with the Aruba Switches was that they would heat up easily when placed outside. We have two locations with no cover in the corridor and it's a historical building. We experienced outages on the first batch of Aruba Switches we received, which we never had with the Dell Switches, for example, even though Dell Switches are not as well-known. However, the Dell Switches had been outside for a few years and we never had any issues with them. In contrast, we encountered an issue with the Aruba Switch after only one week of being outside when it shut down in security mode."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Aruba Switches as a distribution switch everywhere in our business for Wi-Fi.

We only have access points connected to the Aruba switches. Aruba Switches are connected to our main infrastructure, but everything else is still on the old infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Aruba Switches are the use of use and user-friendliness.

What needs improvement?

The main issue we had with the Aruba Switches was that they would heat up easily when placed outside. We have two locations with no cover in the corridor and it's a historical building. We experienced outages on the first batch of Aruba Switches we received, which we never had with the Dell Switches, for example, even though Dell Switches are not as well-known. However, the Dell Switches had been outside for a few years and we never had any issues with them. In contrast, we encountered an issue with the Aruba Switch after only one week of being outside when it shut down in security mode.

The Aruba Switches would heat up too much and shut down. The CPU temperature would reach a certain point and then it would just shut down. As far as I know, the temperature threshold on the Aruba Switches was lower than on other brands. It could also be related to the specific series we ordered, as I am not sure if they have higher-grade switches that can handle higher temperatures. We are in Singapore, so if the switches are placed in a corridor without air conditioning, the temperature inside can get very warm, even hotter than outside. The temperature can rise quickly in these conditions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Aruba Switches for approximately six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There are some stability issues with Aruba Switches.

I rate Aruba Switches an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is highly scalable.

I rate the scalability of Aruba Switches a ten out of ten.

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

When Cisco Meraki was presented, it seemed to be a strong solution and appeared to be superior to the Aruba Switch solution, particularly with regard to the console. It was more user-friendly. However, in the end, the Aruba Switch console proved to be user-friendly. Ultimately, Cisco Meraki would be the better choice, but it's not surprising as Cisco is known for being the number one choice.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Aruba Switches was simple. The process is the same if you were to install other similar solutions from other vendors, such as Cisco.

Aruba Switches are similar to HP.

What about the implementation team?

We utilized the services of a company that both resells and provides consulting. They sent a consultant to assist with bringing the system in-house. They handle the installation and our role is to ensure everything is running smoothly and verify the configurations.

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

The pricing was still affordable compared to Cisco, which is usually less affordable for most companies. We are using the solution in a school, we need the price to be affordable.

I rate the price of Aruba Switches an eight out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others.

I rate Aruba Switches an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer956109 - PeerSpot reviewer
System Administrator at a energy/utilities company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Good cloud management, efficient network solutions, and satisfactory support
Pros and Cons
  • "It allows us to manage the switches through the cloud, which is good."
  • "The licensing model could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We are really just using Aruba Switches for ourselves. We're not like a service provider, but if you ask me, I will recommend it to my colleagues or friends.

How has it helped my organization?

It allows us to manage the switches through the cloud, which is good.

What is most valuable?

I mentioned earlier that managing the switches through the cloud is very beneficial.

What needs improvement?

Maybe the licensing model could be improved. It's a bit of a pain because it depends on when we activated the purchase.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Aruba Switches for about three to four years now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product has been quite stable. I don't have a lot of experience with technical support because we haven't really required engagement.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I think Aruba Switches are scalable and support our organization's growth.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support has been all right. We may have engaged once or twice, and it was satisfactory.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The deployment was quite easy and straightforward. It took us maybe 30 to 45 minutes to set it up.

What about the implementation team?

We deployed some of the setup ourselves.

What was our ROI?

It's very hard to justify return on investment because it's something required for the network to function. I'm not sure how to address that.

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

We don't have a regular payment system because it's a one-off project that lasts for a few years until a refresh is needed. We pay for each Aruba product separately.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Aruba Switches; it's a very stable product.

I'd rate the solution 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.
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