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it_user836475 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Systems Engineer at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
Real User
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.

Buyer's Guide
Aruba Wireless
February 2025
Learn what your peers think about Aruba Wireless. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
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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.
PeerSpot user
it_user177036 - PeerSpot reviewer
Professional Services Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Consultant
Has more features than other wireless solutions. Additional troubleshooting capabilities for ClearPass could help.

What is most valuable?

The Wireless Controller's firewall feature and the ClearPass Access Management product's NAC feature.

How has it helped my organization?

As of now, we are utilising the existing features of the product and it satisfies all our requirement.

What needs improvement?

Additional troubleshooting capabilities for the ClearPass product.

For how long have I used the solution?

2 years.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

None yet.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

None yet.v

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

None yet.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

10/10

Technical Support:

10/10

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

Previously was using Meru and switched due to additional features and functionality in the Aruba products.

What other advice do I have?

The Aruba product has more features than the other competitive wireless solutions available in this domain. Product has good stability.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: We are an Aruba Partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Aruba Wireless
February 2025
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.
PeerSpot user
Network Administrator at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Vendor
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.
    PeerSpot user
    it_user837513 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Senior Network Engineer at a consultancy with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Consultant
    Contains multiple solutions like Guest, NAC, AAA; quick support too
    Pros and Cons
    • "ClearPass is a unique product that contains multiple solutions like BYOD, Guest, NAC, AAA, UEBA, etc. There is also quick support from Aruba TAC."
    • "Access point mounting options could be better."

    What is our primary use case?

    Enterprise wireless for employees includes multiple wireless controllers, ClearPass Policy Manager, and wireless access points.

    How has it helped my organization?

    ClearPass is user friendly for managing the entire solution.

    What is most valuable?

    ClearPass is a unique product that contains multiple solutions like BYOD, Guest, NAC, AAA, UEBA, etc. There is also quick support from Aruba TAC.

    What needs improvement?

    Access point mounting options.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    More than five years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    None. The product is very stable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    None. Never seen a scalability issue.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Excellent.

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

    None. Aruba Wireless was the first and has remained til today.

    How was the initial setup?

    You need training on configuration of Aruba products since it deals with a vast range of technology apart from wireless.

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

    A recent change is that ClearPass licensing is superb. It counts user-based instead of device-based, for BYOD on-boarding.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    Cisco.

    What other advice do I have?

    Excellent support and stable product.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    it_user364593 - PeerSpot reviewer
    IT Technical Architect at a pharma/biotech company with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Vendor
    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.
    PeerSpot user
    it_user375078 - PeerSpot reviewer
    it_user375078Senior Network Engineer/Mobility Specialist at CCSI - Contemporary Computer Services, Inc.
    Real User

    I believe there are differnet deployment models if you do not want to centralize the deployment. You can split traffic or go controlerless.

    it_user184704 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Channel System Engineer-MEA at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
    Consultant
    ​Easy to deploy. I especially like the Adaptive Radio Management feature.

    What is most valuable?

    Adaptive Radio Management

    How has it helped my organization?

    We're a VAR and it's our best selling solution.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    Two years.

    What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

    No issues encountered.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    No issues encountered.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    No issues encountered.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Customer Service:

    Fast response and professional teams. You can add new patches to match your requirements.

    Technical Support:

    Fast response and professional teams. You can add new patches to match your requirements.

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

    No previous solution used.

    How was the initial setup?

    It is straightforward.

    What about the implementation team?

    We used a vendor team and their level of experience was excellent.

    What other advice do I have?

    Aruba focuses on high-end WLAN technologies. They are now certified with many other vendors to be used in conjunction with their products. It is easy to deploy and there are many other benefits.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: we're a VAR
    PeerSpot user
    it_user375078 - PeerSpot reviewer
    it_user375078Senior Network Engineer/Mobility Specialist at CCSI - Contemporary Computer Services, Inc.
    Real User

    Adaptive radio management is key!

    reviewer1775661 - PeerSpot reviewer
    CEO at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
    Real User
    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.
    PeerSpot user
    it_user656106 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Principal with 201-500 employees
    Real User
    Basic initial setup is very easy when it comes to a new user on-premise
    Pros and Cons
    • "Basic initial setup is very easy when it comes to a new user on-premise.​"
    • "Aruba is outstanding, especially when it comes to the hospitality sectors.​"
    • "Needs improvement in point-to-point deployment products."

    What is our primary use case?

    We are the one of the official distributors of this product in Middle East.

    What is most valuable?

    ClientMatch technology and Air Monitor features of Aruba Wireless are special and classy.

    What needs improvement?

    • Point-to-point deployment products
    • More varieties in Outdoor Access Points

    For how long have I used the solution?

    Three to five years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Very Rarely.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Scalability has been one of the best features in which we can make our customers happy.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I would rate technical support as 10 out of 10.

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

    We use a previous solution, but we switched due to stability and the possible integration with different products.

    How was the initial setup?

    Basic initial setup is very easy when it comes to a new user on-premise.

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

    Pricing support has always been cost-effective. Licensing is a one time purchase (only the cloud license has to be renewed, which is worth trying out).

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    It is always in comparison with Cisco Meraki and Ruckus, but Aruba is outstanding, especially when it comes to the hospitality sectors.

    What other advice do I have?

    Try it out. You will enjoy the hard-core concept put behind Aruba Wireless.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: We are the one of the official distributors of this product in Middle East.
    PeerSpot user
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    Updated: February 2025
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