Central controller and ARM function on Access Points.
Network Engineer at a university with 501-1,000 employees
We don't need to visit each AP locations for a code upgrade or troubleshooting but some went bad over time.
What is most valuable?
How has it helped my organization?
We don't need to visit each AP locations for a code upgrade or troubleshooting.
What needs improvement?
More stable cide
For how long have I used the solution?
6 years.
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Aruba Wireless
December 2024
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What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
Some of them have cable limitations.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Yes, we did. Some model of APs went bad over time.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
No, we don't as long as we purchase the license.
How are customer service and support?
Customer Service:
Almost excellent.
Technical Support:Almost excellent.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Yes, we did. It was Cisco Autonomous APs, but we replaced them as we wanted a centralized system.
How was the initial setup?
It was pretty straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We used a vendor and they were very knowledgeable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Yes we also evaluated Cisco Lightweight APs.
What other advice do I have?
You should start implementing the latest and greatest access points which are 801.11 AC.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Converged Services Project Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Stable, good support, and scales well
Pros and Cons
- "Aruba Wireless is stable and we plan to continue using it in the future."
- "Better integration with equipment from other vendors would ease the deployment process in some cases."
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and Aruba Wireless is one of the network products that we implement for our customers. We offer it to our clients to provide wireless and cloud services.
What needs improvement?
Better integration with equipment from other vendors would ease the deployment process in some cases. It is also helpful because certain vendors concentrate more heavily on a certain side of the industry. For example, one may focus on security but neglect availability. Being able to integrate gives a better overall solution.
Security is something that can be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Aruba Wireless for about two years. The company has more than 10 years of experience.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba Wireless is stable and we plan to continue using it in the future.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is good, although it sometimes depends on who it is that handles the case.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We deal with several wireless networking products from Aruba, Ruckus, and Brocade.
How was the initial setup?
Sometimes, the initial setup is complex. For example, if I need to integrate with other vendors then there can be issues and we have to do a lot of work to solve these kinds of problems.
The length of time required for deployment depends on the size and density of the network. There are a lot of parameters that dictate how much time it takes, but the average for us is a three to four-day deployment.
What about the implementation team?
We have a design team and a technical team who take care of the implementation and deployment. Most of the time, they consult with me if there's an issue with the design or they need more details. We provide a consulting service for this.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for anybody who is implementing Aruba Wireless concerns the design stage. I suggest trying to design everything using a single vendor. Do not use a multivendor approach because you will have issues with integrating systems together.
Overall, this is a good product and I recommend it.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
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
Buyer's Guide
Aruba Wireless
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Aruba Wireless. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
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.
Field Service at a comms service provider with 501-1,000 employees
Allows a student or teacher to be able to roam freely from classroom to classroom without dropping a signal
Pros and Cons
- "Ability for a student or teacher to be able to roam freely from classroom to classroom, no matter the floor, without dropping a signal."
- "I wish the APs had the ability to enter in notes about a specific AP."
What is our primary use case?
Provide WiFi access for an elementary school pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. Serving about 350 students with mobility Internet connection. The building infrastructure is a solid, old school, preventing your regular AP from being able to penetrate through walls.
How has it helped my organization?
Teachers and students have access to technology within the classroom which is used daily side-by-side complementing their education.
What is most valuable?
Most valuable feature of the solution is the ability for a student or teacher to be able to roam freely from classroom to classroom, no matter the floor, without dropping a signal.
What needs improvement?
The ability for newer devices to easily communicate with older style APs. I wish the APs had the ability to enter in notes about a specific AP. For example, AP Mac address goes to classroom 123.
For how long have I used the solution?
More than five years.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Network Systems Engineer at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
Improved overall scalability and simplicity in configuring and replacing APs
Pros and Cons
- "The product improved overall scalability and simplicity in configuring and replacing. The use of an Aruba Controller to configure multiple APs was game-changing."
- "The most valuable feature in this product would be the stability. You build it, install it, and it’s good to go, with no further tweaks needed unless adding or replacing APs."
- "An area of this product that could use improvement would be the troubleshooting. At times I had to engage Aruba Support which ran some pretty complicated troubleshooting commands. I would not have been able to do with existing CLI documentation."
What is our primary use case?
We had Aruba controllers and APs installed in over 1,000 retail stores and in several large distribution centers.
How has it helped my organization?
The product improved overall scalability and simplicity in configuring and replacing. This product replaced old Symbol wireless AP’s that required individual configuration and management. The use of an Aruba Controller to configure multiple APs was game-changing. We went with Aruba over Cisco at the time, simply for cost.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature in this product would be the stability. You build it, install it, and it’s good to go, with no further tweaks needed unless adding or replacing APs.
What needs improvement?
An area of this product that could use improvement would be the troubleshooting. At times I had to engage Aruba Support which ran some pretty complicated troubleshooting commands. I would not have been able to do with existing CLI documentation.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate it at eight out of 10. It proved to be stable with minimal failures that I saw in the three- to five-year time frame I worked with them.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
IT Technical Architect at a pharma/biotech company with 1,001-5,000 employees
It's a reliable product and it just works. The most valuable feature for us is the support they provide.
Valuable Features:
The most valuable feature for us is the support they provide us. We're putting together a budget for upgrading to another Aruba kit, but we always know that the support will be there.
Improvements to My Organization:
It's a reliable product and it just works. We haven't had to really do anything with it. We don't have much budgeted for WiFi because we only have a couple of small offices, but the product is light, very effective, and incredibly reliable for both our employees and guests. I think it'll drive our BYOD policy for more guests who come into our office.
Room for Improvement:
I don't like how the traffic comes out of the controller. Users connect to the wireless APs and all the traffic converges to the controller and then back out again. This is probably not a limitation but a design issue.
Use of Solution:
We use Aruba in our manufacturing facilities for the handheld wireless scanners in warehouse production environments.
Deployment Issues:
We've had no issues with deployment.
Stability Issues:
It's been stable. We started out with a small warehouse and then we went into the next warehouse then to the productions areas and other spaces.
Scalability Issues:
We use it the most in our largest manufacturing site with several big warehouses. It scaled just find in this environment.
Initial Setup:
I wasn't involved in the setup about four years ago.
Other Solutions Considered:
We looked at HP/Aruba and Cisco.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CEO at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Helpful support, and good Instant On features, but the pricing needs to be better
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are the Instant On capabilities, including the controller."
- "They should have more support for implementing Aruba Wireless in Smart Cities and outdoor applications."
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and Aruba Wireless is one of the products that we implement for our clients. It provides wireless network access to local users.
One of our implementations is in a hospital, and we have also installed it in a few government offices.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are the Instant On capabilities, including the controller. You don't need to have a separate controller.
What needs improvement?
They should have more support for implementing Aruba Wireless in Smart Cities and outdoor applications.
The price of this product could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Aruba Wireless products for more than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba Wireless is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution scales easily.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is helpful.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not difficult. We had an issue during the implementation, but we fixed it when we contacted support.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My main concern about this product is the price. The cost is causing me to look at other vendors and competing products.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I am currently looking into dealing with similar products from Huawei. In our market, we are competing with other implementors.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a seven 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.
Network Administrator at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
The access points support a high number of connected clients
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup was very easy and intuitive."
- "The access points support a high number of connected clients."
How has it helped my organization?
The APs has a very competitive price and the functionality is really good. I have installed them in buildings made of stone and the signal goes through the walls with no problem. I also use this equipment for very big classrooms and it works great.
What is most valuable?
- The antenna’s gain: It is really powerful.
- The access points support a high number of connected clients.
- It has an easy configuration wizard.
What needs improvement?
Price.
For how long have I used the solution?
One to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Not really.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Not really, it has supported all the protocols that I have needed.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Cisco, Ruckus, D-Link, and Proxim. Aruba is equal or better than Cisco. The price and performance were the reason for the change.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very easy and intuitive.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing is very competitive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I tried Cisco, Ruckus, Proxim, and Juniper.
What other advice do I have?
Try it. It works fine.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Updated: December 2024
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Learn More: Questions:
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- When evaluating Wireless LANs, what aspect do you think is the most important to look for?
I believe there are differnet deployment models if you do not want to centralize the deployment. You can split traffic or go controlerless.