We have made a full 32-site school transition from Mary to Aruba wireless.
Network Administrator
Easy to use, the 335-AP provides reliability, stability
Pros and Cons
- "The 335-AP provides reliability, stability."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
Reliability, stability, and best use of our network.
What is most valuable?
The Aruba 335-AP.
For how long have I used the solution?
Three to five years.
Buyer's Guide
Aruba Wireless
February 2025
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Learn what your peers think about Aruba Wireless. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
There were stability issues, but only on initial deployment.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Very few scalability issues, mostly user error.
How are customer service and support?
Great support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used Meru. We switched to Aruba for the newer technologies they presented.
How was the initial setup?
It was pretty straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licencing can be surprising and needs improvement. Look into all features, what you need versus what you want, and know that nothing comes without some kind of license.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Meru, Cisco, Aerohive.
What other advice do I have?
It's a great product, easy to use, easy monitoring, and great tech support. Plan out placement as thoroughly as possible.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Founder and Principal Analyst at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
They let their customers deploy a wireless network and manage and secure it better than others, but they need to create a better unified story with HP switching.
Valuable Features
The most valuable aspects are its security and analytical capabilities.
I think when it comes to wireless the industry has changed a lot. When it comes to wireless, the industry has changed a lot and with connectivity everyone uses the same chips and really the same hardware so the quality of radio is very similar for every vendor.
Aruba have put a lot of emphasis on manageability and security, and I think their Airwave and Clearpath products are head and shoulders the best in the industry. They let their customers deploy a wireless network and manage and secure it better than you can do with all other solutions.
Room for Improvement
The next step is to create better unified story with HP switching. They're part of the same competitor, and their main competitor, Cisco, has a great unified wired/wireless story, and Aruba need to focus on this. They have great management tools and security capabilities, and they need to extend that to the wireless network.
Also, they need to enable the data they collect to be used by more companies. If you think of where wireless is big - schools, hospitals, retail environments - it would be good to capture that data and share it with third-parties so they can enhance their customers' experience.
Stability Issues
It's amongst the best in the industry. It's used by lots of small companies but also by some of the largest companies in the world, and there's only a couple of vendors who can be multi-thousand user wireless deployments, and Aruba's one of them. They have a rock solid solution.
Scalability Issues
It's highly scalable, and I like the way they have orientated their portfolio. They have a configuration called 'Instant' where you don't actually need a controller, you can just start with a couple of access points and get it at relatively low cost. As you scale it out, you can add more access points, and one or two controllers, and manage it through the cloud. So almost any configuration the customer wants they can do, and as it gets larger, you can bring in the management tools. It's not like some solutions where you have to rip it out to go larger.
Customer Service and Technical Support
I think it's great. I've never heard a customer complain and they get you on the phone with an engineer quickly. Obviously it's very focused on wireless so you're not going to be calling them for a wide range of problems. For the solution, they're very good.
Initial Setup
It's easy to get going. You can take an access point out of the box and have it running in minutes.
Other Advice
It's been the tech leader in the wireless market for a long time, which is why HP paid so much for them. Using the product is very simple, and there are lots of features unique to them. If you're going to purchase it - and you will pay a premium so it will cost more - take advantage of the security features, management tools, and analytical features.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Aruba Wireless
February 2025
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Learn what your peers think about Aruba Wireless. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Networking Enterprise Specialist at a educational organization with 5,001-10,000 employees
Simple to use but reliability could be improved
Pros and Cons
- "Setup is straightforward."
- "The reliability could be improved."
What is most valuable?
It's simple to use.
What needs improvement?
The reliability could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability could be improved.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
One a scale of one to five, I would give their technical support a two. It could be better.
How was the initial setup?
Setup is straightforward.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution 7 out of 10.
My advice is that if you don't have experience, you should find a partner for support rather than rely on the company.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Wifi Solution Architect at Netpro SpA
A strong solution that's reliable and easy to expand
Pros and Cons
- "Overall, it's a very strong solution."
- "The pricing could always be better."
What is our primary use case?
The product can be used in all verticals. There are different kinds of use cases. Mostly, it is used in corporate settings, however, we also use solutions for distribution centers, et cetera.
What is most valuable?
We sell the solution and we do due to the fact that we think it's the best solution overall. We usually are researching other solutions also, as you have to know what you're competing against. That said, we've never been disappointed by its capabilities.
Overall, it's a very strong solution.
The solution is stable.
The scalability is great.
What needs improvement?
The pricing could always be better.
Technical support needs work. It's hard to reach the right people you need to help you when you come face to face with issues.
I can't say that they are missing any features at this time. There's nothing I can think of needing in the next release.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been Aruba's partner for the last 16 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's very reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We've found the solution to be scalable. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so easily.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support needs to be more responsive. It takes time to get to the proper person when you need help. The solution itself is better than the support on offer.
How was the initial setup?
For us, it's easy to set up. I don't know if this is the case for everyone, but for us, it's easy. We have people that are certified in solutions, including Aruba. We know how to handle implementations quite effectively.
The time it takes for the deployment depends on the size, however, usually, the process is one to two weeks.
What about the implementation team?
As integrators, we can implement this product for our clients.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We'd like Aruba to lower the cost of using the solution.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
While we really like Aruba, we usually are researching other solutions also, as you have to know what you're competing against.
What other advice do I have?
We sell wireless solutions. We are integrators. We also use the solution. We deal with multiple deployment versions.
If a company would like to add Aruba to their organization, they should first get a knowledgeable system integrator that knows the solution. If they do, the deployment will go well and they will be okay.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten overall.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Security Team Lead at Comtrade Group
It has lowered our partner's costs for managing their branch offices
Pros and Cons
- "Aruba Central."
- "Initial setup was complex."
What is most valuable?
In the Aruba 2540 Switch Series portfolio, it is very important that these switches have advanced security and management tools, such as the following:
- Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager
- Aruba Central
- Aruba AirWave
How has it helped my organization?
It has not made improvements for my company, but from our partner company. They have a list of branch offices across country, and use Aruba cloud-based central support and for remote manage of equipment.
For how long have I used the solution?
Our partner has been using this solution for a year.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
They haven't found any issues yet.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They didn't found any issues yet.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
They didn't found any issues yet.
How are customer service and technical support?
Customer Service:
Excellent.
Technical Support:They are very good responsive and very good knowledgeable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Partner had been using Cisco. They switched to Aruba, because of price and functionality, also with an option for adding a SW, like AirWave, Meridian, ClearPass, and Central.
How was the initial setup?
Initial setup was complex, but when you finally set up the whole network, there are no problems.
What was our ROI?
ROI is that cost for managing a branch offices which are far away from the main building. Now, it is very low.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Network Analyst at a local government with 501-1,000 employees
It allows me to monitor and block employees as needed.
What is most valuable?
Aruba's good. It's almost over-complicated for what we need it for.
How has it helped my organization?
Aruba gives me the security that I need because we have WiFi for employees, and the public. It allows me to monitor them and block them or do whatever I need to to keep them in check.
What needs improvement?
It's a little bit over-complicated. They could simplify the interface. Also, the update procedure from their website could be a little better. Finding the firmware the first time is a pain.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They're good. As long as you have the right controller in place to have enough APs for your business, then it's great. You can stack them. They're just a good product.
How was the initial setup?
You just plug them in, and once you get them configured, they're great from there.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing could always be a little bit cheaper. Everybody complains about that, but you just plug them in and I rarely have to think about it and that's the product I want.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I looked at Cisco and I can't remember the other vendor. Once again, Cisco was price-point was higher. Aruba gave me every feature I needed and more so they were a good fit for us.
What other advice do I have?
Make sure you know how many APs you want to throw up there. Remote APs, stuff like that, and size your controller properly, but not for now but five or six years in advance because you don't want to replace it every other year so that'll be my biggest piece of advice.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Team Leader Network and Communications at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
A user-friendly solution to manage a wireless network
Pros and Cons
- "I really like the user interface."
- "Better integration between the controller and the ClearPass portal would be a nice change."
What is our primary use case?
We use Aruba Wireless strictly for corporate use. Within our company, there are slightly over 100 people using this solution.
What is most valuable?
I really like the user interface.
What needs improvement?
Better integration between the controller and the ClearPass portal would be a nice change. Currently, they're separated, but if they could be combined and managed in one portal it would be much better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba Wireless for three years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have been experiencing some scalability and stability issues on our Apple devices.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are a lot of competing solutions on the market. I think Aruba should lower their prices.
What other advice do I have?
Aruba Wireless is a very good solution. Should you choose this solution, be sure to start from the beginning and learn as much as you can. This way, you will have a better understanding of its uses — how to navigate and use it properly.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give this solution a rating of eight. I can't give it a higher rating because of the issues we have experience with our Macintosh devices.
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.
Development manager - Networks at a retailer with 1,001-5,000 employees
For us, the most valuable feature is the ability to access our office's network. Once you are authorized to gain access, it's a solution that makes doing so a seamless process.
What is most valuable?
For us, the most valuable feature is the ability to access our office's network. Once you are authorized to gain access, it's a solution that makes doing so a seamless process. Connecting to wifi at our office is something we should be taking for granted.
What needs improvement?
It's too pricey, to be honest. There's not really much difference between the wireless vendors and competition is tight. Aruba would have a bigger advantage if it weren't so pricey.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
They deploy without issues.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability is really good and something we're very happy about. We just install it and they last until they die, which is a really long time.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
They can go from short range to long range, and there are many new features for connecting additional users.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We chose HP because of the price. It's a good solution and best-suited for us.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We used a vendor team for implementation.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We always evaluate other options when considering IT solutions. We looked at Cisco and Juniper, but HP/Aruba is better.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Updated: February 2025
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