Aruba Wireless Reviews, Competitors and Pricing

ICT Technician at The Godolphin School

Jul 23, 2015

We are using older AP-61's that still work well, but it's beginning to show a few cracks as it ages and more devices simultaneously access the network.

For how long have I used the solution?

This solution has been in place for close to 9 years.

What other advice do I have?

Even as the current system we are using is old and the AP's being used are AP-61's, it is still working well.

We have 64 AP's around the site and with more and more students bringing in their wireless devices, we are only now starting to see some cracks. These cracks are to be expected due to the age of the system, and I'm sure it wasn't designed to have more than 1,000-plus devices accessing the network at the same time.

So if the current and future Aruba systems are as good as the old, we should all be fine.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

it_user273753ICT Technician at The Godolphin School

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Jul 22, 2015

Review about Aruba Wireless

it_user148020

Executive Director Ops and Infra at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees

Feb 22, 2015

We needed the ability to be flexible or add capacity when necessary.

To support the success of every student, we leverage Oracle business intelligence tools for predictive modeling to identify when counseling intervention is needed. We need the capacity to run demanding applications, the uptime to operate around the clock, and the agility to react quickly to changing demands. HP and Columbus State University has a long standing relationship that started in 1995. HP account team, VAR partners nurtured that collaboration with CSU in to a successful partnership to lay a solid infrastructure foundation to position the university to transform to a global university.

To meet these goals, we virtualized our data center running VMware software on HP Converged Infrastructure. HP was a natural choice. We had relied on HP servers, networking, and storage for more than a decade. We also use HP Z Workstations in our computer labs, HP notebooks for faculty and staff, and HP printers around campus. We keep abreast of other vendor technologies, but we’ve always had a good relationship with HP. HP integrates well with the VMware platform—and when we upgraded and consolidated our servers, HP was a fantastic guide. We used HP Technology Consulting Services to design a new high performance, energy efficient data center. We consolidated from approximately 200 physical servers down to an eight-blade HP BladeSystem infrastructure that requires less electricity and cooling, and that even reduced footprint enough to allow us to rent out freed floor space. HP consultants came in and worked with us on the design of our revamped data center, all the way from security to redundancy, including air conditioning systems, fiber coming in and out, and generator systems with backups.

At the heart of our data center is the HP BladeSystem c7000 Enclosure that provides all the power, cooling, and I/O infrastructure needed to support modular server, interconnect, and storage components. I’ve always been impressed by the modularity of HP equipment. You can tailor it to specific needs to be more flexible and to save money. You can add capacity when you need it. Our enclosure houses eight production blade servers. We use HP ProLiant BL685c Server Blades to house most of its test and production virtual machines. A blade is a self-contained server that contains only the core processing elements, making it hot-swappable. For additional storage, blades can connect to another storage blade or to a network attached SAN. We run our test and non-production systems on HP ProLiant DL385 Servers.

The HP StoreVirtual P4500 Storage System gives us a virtualized pool of storage resources to deliver enterprise SAN functionality. You have storage but also brains behind it. You have multiple interconnected servers. The data that gets written out to that storage is spread across all the different servers and disk drives. That gives us two main advantages. One is redundancy, so that if a drive or even an entire storage node goes down, we don’t lose data, and the end user never knows it happened. Two, if you’re writing to or reading from multiple disks, you can store and retrieve data much faster. You spread out the hardware load and the risk across multiple nodes of storage, all acting as one.

We used HP LeftHand SAN/ iQ software to provision and manage storage, and thanks to tight integration between HP and VMware, envision being able to monitor and manage the environment from a central VMware vSphere platform.

HP Networking switches deliver high quality networking services with the modular
ability to add capacity. The HP Networking Lifetime Warranty delivers next-business-day replacement, with phone and email support. One of the reasons HP has a leg up on the competition is its lifetime warranty and maintenance. With some vendors, you have to buy maintenance agreements every year, and that gets expensive. HP Network Management software enables network firmware updates, notifications, and alerts, with single-pane-of- glass control. Recently, we started talking to HP about HP Software-defined Networking (SDN), providing an end-to-end solution to automate the network from data center to campus. We’ll be able to virtualize network components for redundancy, performance and high availability—have multiple physically separate network components act as one unit, so that if switch A goes down switch B takes over for it.

Server provisioning in the virtualized environment takes 30 minutes, compared to 30 days to provision a new physical server. That enables us to quickly adapt our network and systems to accommodate increasing traffic, new services, and demanding applications. Faculty today increasingly run “upside down” classrooms, providing lecture content in multimedia formats to be viewed beforehand, with class time spent working collaboratively in small workgroups. They also expect the latest educational applications to be available quickly in computer labs. In the past, it took a substantial amount of time for our staff to reimage computer lab devices; now the task is quickly accomplished, and we are even able to give end users some self-service access to machines and their functionality. The next step will be to leverage VMware for a more cloudlike, IT-as-a-Service environment in which staff can provision their own resources without calling on our IT department. Our HP CI foundation absolutely will support this evolution.

Another thing the infrastructure now supports is the predictive analytics we employ to trigger counseling intervention for students in need. We use Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition(OBIEE); Oracle Data Integrator (ODI); and Oracle Endeca Information Discovery to analyze unstructured data, such as that generated by social media, to detect when a student might be encountering academic, social, or financial difficulties. We have a goal and responsibility to reach out, intercede, and support students as soon as they are having difficulties. Those things would not have been possible in the old environment; it couldn’t have handled the bandwidth or processing. But successful universities of the future will have to do all this.

Disclosure: PeerSpot has made contact with the reviewer to validate that the person is a real user. The information in the posting is based upon a vendor-supplied case study, but the reviewer has confirmed the content's accuracy.

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it_user137460

Head of Technical Services with 51-200 employees

Feb 22, 2015

Enables automated network posture assessment and real-time security across OpenFlow-enabled network devices.

Our K-12 school has an extensive campus which hosts 250 faculty and 1500 students, with over 240 students living in boarding houses. Our senior students and faculty members each have a school-provided laptop, while also allowing BYOD access to the network in boarding houses, and throughout the campus for select users.

Our IT team faced numerous security challenges associated with allowing unmanaged devices onto the network. We needed a solution that could accurately and reliably prevent and report threats to the network, no matter who the user or what the device is. Despite implementing measures such as installing local antivirus software on the school-owned machines and intrusion prevention on the firewall, our team was still bogged down with hours of manually identifying and eliminating network threats such as botnets, spyware, and malware—issues that were also impacting student and faculty productivity.

When we approached HP with our challenges, HP delivered the Network Protector SDN Application to identify and block network threats and enable secure BYOD. HP Network Protector Security, running on the HP Virtual Application Networks SDN Controller, enables automated network posture assessment and real-time security across OpenFlow-enabled network devices such as switches.

One of the concerns with implementing an SDN solution is knowing where to start. We were able to implement an SDN solution quickly because of our investment in OpenFlow-enabled hardware. We were able to take advantage of the Network Protector SDN solution by downloading a free software upgrade for our existing switches to enable OpenFlow, eliminating the need for a costly rip-and-replace of our network infrastructure.

Network Protector leverages the Virtual Application Networks SDN Controller and OpenFlow to program the network infrastructure with security intelligence from the TippingPoint RepDV Labs database. This effectively turns the entire network infrastructure into security-enforcement devices, providing unprecedented threat protection and visibility.

We installed the solution during a school break, and saw instant results when students and faculty returned. Immediately, thousands of threats were automatically identified and blocked by HP Network Protector, and our IT team was able to proactively address network vulnerabilities.

HP Network Protector takes away a lot of the manual labor that we used to do; we now know exactly where the infections are and how many there are—we can detect threats and respond in a proactive manner. That saves us hours of work every week.

We use Network Protector to help us with challenges around sites like Facebook, which are a distraction during class. With the DNS Blacklist feature, we restrict access to websites like that, which encourages the staff and students to engage more with one another during class. It’s hard for us to measure the return on investment that we’ve had with HP Network Protector, but there’s no doubt that it gives us the power to help staff and students be more productive in the classroom; and at the end of the day, that’s what we’re all about.

Prem V

Presales Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees

Jan 4, 2023

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Highly scalable, excellent price point, with good control

Pros and Cons

"I have found the most valuable features are the new Wi-Fi six technology and it also integrates with triple-A solutions. It has good bandwidth and virtual control."

"I would like to see the management improve."

What is most valuable?

I have found the most valuable features are the new Wi-Fi six technology and it also integrates with triple-A solutions. It has good bandwidth and virtual control.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see the management improve.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Aruba Wireless for the past two to three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is excellent and ranks a nine on a scale of one to ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is very high with Aruba Wireless.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is very helpful and response time is good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

I have used all three solutions Aruba Wireless, Cisco, and Ruckus.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward and easy to set up. Simply plug and play and it will automatically block calls. You can change it every Friday or by favorites.

What about the implementation team?

The setup is generally in-house and we support it.

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

When you look at the price it is a higher price than Cisco.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have used all three and Cisco is more complicated than Aruba Wireless.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Aruba Wireless an eight on a scale of one to 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?

Other

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner/Integrator

it_user839679

Account Executive at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Mar 19, 2018

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Allowed for detailed control and management of an entire WiFi network from a single screen

Pros and Cons

"Aruba allowed for the detailed control and management of an entire WiFi network from a single screen backed by a support team with local SEs who work with business partners to ensure the product's success."

"I would have liked to see more manufacturer driven events and outings to drive brand recognition and familiarity."

What is our primary use case?

I sold both the Aruba hardware and software, primarily the IAP 100, 200 and 300 series, along with AirWave as well as ClearPass to SMB clients primarily with less than 500 employees. At the time, I worked for PGH Networks, a local MSP and Aruba certified partner.

I used this solution for four years from 2013 to 2017.

How has it helped my organization?

Aruba provided a great product offer for clients of all sizes and scopes. Everyone needs WiFi. Aruba allowed for the detailed control and management of an entire WiFi network from a single screen backed by a support team with local SEs who work with business partners to ensure the product's success.

What is most valuable?

Instant access points and ClearPass
IAPs could be deployed without a controller, solving sticky clients by peeling away users crowding one AP and can have settings pushed from a master AP.
ClearPass and AirWave gave highly accurate detailed reports of who used which applications when and the ability to throttle users if they were bogging down the network with superfluous activity.

What needs improvement?

Larger network for Aruba users and partners. I would have liked to see more manufacturer driven events and outings to drive brand recognition and familiarity.

For how long have I used the solution?

Three to five years.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: My previous employer was a certified Aruba partner.

it_user219789

CIO and Strategic Technical Leader at a university with 51-200 employees

Jan 7, 2016

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The most valuable feature for us is High Density. We also like the location awareness it provides.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature for us is High Density as it allows us to provide coverage for lots of our students both in the same classroom and across campus.

How has it helped my organization?

It really drives our WiFi function because 95% of the network connections are from student BYOD. It provides location awareness and uses HP's software, which is great.

What needs improvement?

The location-based software isn't quite there yet and we haven't been able to use it the way that works best for us.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've used it for over 15 years now. It's been a long journey.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

We've had no issues with deployment.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I find that its stability is better than most of the other products we've used over the years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We don't have any notable issues with scalability right now. From time to time, we've noticed that with 5,500 APs, we do have some issues, but they're not anything we wouldn't expect.

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

We've used Meru and Cisco, but Aruba's proven to be the best.

What other advice do I have?

Consider all the software and add-ons for it because they can increase the value of it for something more than WiFi. Put everything together to maximize the benefit for your company.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

it_user201984

IT Specialist at a healthcare company with 51-200 employees

Feb 27, 2015

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Allowed us to have one controller at our central location and still provide wireless to our outlying clinics.

What is most valuable?

The main reason I chose to implement the HP WLC was due to the limitations of our previous Sonicwall WLC not being able to have layer three provisioning. I would say that feature is the most valuable.

How has it helped my organization?

With our old wireless network, we had to put controllers at every location to have wireless access. This product allowed us to have one controller at our central location and still provide wireless to our outlying clinics.

What needs improvement?

The user interface on the product isn’t terribly intuitive in some areas, especially when setting up VSC’s.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using HP MSM 720 Mobility Controller and 40 HP since April 2014, so approximately 10 months.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

I experienced a few issues while deploying the controller. Getting the product to work correctly with a back end RADIUS server proved to be a bit of a task and the lack of documentation didn’t help either.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability wise the product has been fairly rock solid. I can’t think of any time I have had to even reboot it since I implemented it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The particular model (MSM 720) doesn’t provide much in terms of scalability. It only allows for 40 Access Points which my company has about that number.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

Customer service on the phone I would rate fairly poorly. On more than one occasion I could not understand the agent or would get disconnected, however, online customer service is much better.

Technical Support:

I have only used the HP forums for technical support and it has a pretty good following and a lot of knowledgeable users.

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

We previously used a Sonicwall NSA3500 for all our needs. We switched due to the lack of Layer three provisioning at the time plus I wasn’t a fan of one device controlling so many aspects of our network and security.

How was the initial setup?

I would say complex, mainly due to the lack of good documentation. All together, it took me about a week to fully get the product in a production state. Coming from a Cisco background it seemed much more cumbersome than their products.

What about the implementation team?

We used an in house team (me).

What was our ROI?

I am not sure of the ROI at the moment. It has not been implemented long enough for any significant ROI.

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

Original setup cost for this implementation was around $30,000. Day-to-day the product costs nothing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Any time we have a project we must have three viable options to choose from. We looked at HP, Cisco and Meru.

What other advice do I have?

Have a strong knowledge of your internal network
Study the manual as much as possible
Focus on VSC’s and Vlan configuration
If you come from a Cisco background keep in mind you won’t use an access port on the switch port connected to the AP like you would in a Cisco WLC setup, but instead either a trunk or tagged port

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

it_user30798

Sr. Network Engineer at a consultancy with 1,001-5,000 employees

Apr 8, 2018

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Ease of adding and being able to configure APs on the fly are key for us

Pros and Cons

"Its manageability of APs is the most valuable feature: ease of adding APs and the ability to configure the APs on the fly. Also, their support engineers are great to work with."

"I believe it would benefit from more reporting, other than just a dashboard. It needs some type of report builder so you can have PDFs to show upper management what is going on in the wireless network."

What is our primary use case?

It is our primary wireless solution. We use a HA paired controller in our main DC. We use the 7200 model. We provide a corporate and guest SSID.

What is most valuable?

Its manageability of APs is the most valuable feature: ease of adding APs and the ability to configure the APs on the fly.

Also, their support engineers are great to work with.

What needs improvement?

I believe it would benefit from more reporting, other than just a dashboard. It needs some type of report builder so you can have PDFs to show upper management what is going on in the wireless network.

For how long have I used the solution?

More than five years.

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

We had a small Cisco wireless environment originally and to upgrade or expand that environment it would have been a very expensive purchase. Also, instead of one controller that does everything we needed it to do, it would have taken two to three other devices with Cisco to make it work.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.