Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Aruba Instant On Switches vs HPE ProCurve comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Instant On Switches
Ranking in LAN Switching
2nd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
29
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
HPE ProCurve
Ranking in LAN Switching
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Number of Reviews
38
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant On Switches is 10.5%, up from 8.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE ProCurve is 12.1%, down from 13.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
LAN Switching
 

Featured Reviews

MashukThakur - PeerSpot reviewer
A centrally managed switches ideal for small and medium businesses but does not have any console access
The solution does not have any console access. For example, if you do not have internet access on your side and you need to configure anything, you should at least have CLI access to do something or manage the solution to put to some IP. It will only work if we have a TSCT on the network. We can port and configure the initial settings before we get the Instant On Switches. I am not working deeply on Instant On devices. I have only installed it in a couple of accommodation sites. Even today, one customer has ordered to install 80 pieces of Instant On. I’ve to order additional 94 access points. I was confused about whether to go with Aruba Instant On or AP-505. Instant On has limited accessibility but AP-505 have cloud or local access on normal infrastructure. This would be better and easier to configure. So, there are further improvements in regard to console access and some limitations with access.
Sandeep Rajguru - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers reliability and helps with vulnerability assessment
I use HPE ProCurve network in our organization. I can say that the product has improved the network flexibility in our company since I haven't seen any challenges from the last seven to eight years. The most valuable product for network management revolves around the area of VSB, also known as virtual switch bonding, which can quickly attach two or three switches or make them come together to quickly form a single switch. From a security perspective, my company does vulnerability assessment. From a security perspective, my company does vulnerability assessment. Following the hardening guidelines, the switches are configured according to the hardening parameters. The tool's reliability and uptime match our company's needs. My company enjoyed configuring the switches a lot, especially since we saw similarities between Cisco's and HPS's configuration processes. HPE ProCurve is user-friendly. We have a different product for network management, so my company doesn't use HPE ProCurve since we have already collaborated with some third-party products. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it, especially since I have been using it without any issues for many years. I rate the tool a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The cost and simplicity of the product are its most valuable features."
"It is quite easy to maintain from the software point of view."
"The stability is fine. I would rate the stability a nine out of ten. Almost a ten on a ten."
"The online monitoring tool and the configuration of the application with the tool are valuable features."
"The solution is plug-and-play and auto-configured."
"Regarding the feature, my clients are currently favoring it because it enables them to switch back to phone functionality."
"Its customer service is good."
"The best thing about Aruba Instant On Switches is their cost."
"This is a very reliable solution."
"It has an excellent menu system where you can use both the CLI and a menu system and the GUI version. They have three options for manipulating, updating, and changing the switch, which we like."
"HPE ProCurve is used to connect servers and storage in the data center."
"The network management solutions that they have is great."
"The solution is fast and inexpensive."
"The LAN features give us exactly what we need."
"The user interface is simple to use."
"It's easy to manage and configure. The configurations can be exported and imported to another solution."
 

Cons

"The price has room for improvement."
"The support needs improvement."
"It is not a very scalable solution."
"The difficulty with the tool is in the area of troubleshooting."
"The product must be integrated with Aruba Central for better management."
"We would like to see more documentation."
"Some customers have made complaints about Aruba Instant On Switches' stability."
"You cannot use many VLANs, like VLAN 10, VLAN 20, VLAN 30, and VLAN 100 on Aruba Instant On AP."
"They should learn from other vendors, such as Cisco. They all have a few specific routing features. HPE doesn't have any cheap BGP solution."
"These switches can be made more stable and robust."
"The solution should offer different gigabit interfaces. Right now, they have ten gigabits. However, for our needs, we only need one gigabit. We don't need 24 or 48 ports. We only need eight to ten. HPE should introduce into their portfolio some smaller and more compact options."
"The product must provide something similar to Cisco’s command-line interface."
"The dashboards could be improved to be more interesting."
"The user interface (UI) could be better."
"There should be faster interfaces on the switch, such as 25 gigabits."
"The product could improve scalability and support for advanced networking features."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The license for Instant On Switches is free."
"We pay an annual licensing fee."
"It is an expensive solution."
"Aruba Instant On Switches is slightly cheaper than Cisco."
"The product has good pricing."
"The solution is the cheapest A-class switch."
"I give the price seven out of ten."
"The pricing is quite low compared to other products, which is good for the customer."
"You buy the switch and that's it."
"This is an expensive switch."
"ProCurve's pricing is its strongest point. The value proposition is quite good, and we have seen a return on investment."
"The licensing for HPE ProCurve is a one-time cost, though it's varied somewhat. What my company purchased was usually between $3,500 and $5,000 one-time cost."
"I would rate the pricing a six out of ten, with one being very cheap and ten being very expensive."
"The price could be more competitive."
"The price of this product is cheap."
"We have an annual support subscription."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which LAN Switching solutions are best for your needs.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
18%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Educational Organization
6%
Educational Organization
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Instant On Switches?
The solution has a simple deployment and zero border.
What needs improvement with Aruba Instant On Switches?
I have run into a couple of problems with the switches. Recently, one of the newer stacks stopped working and had to be rebooted individually. They don't have a lot of diagnostics tools, which coul...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE ProCurve?
HPE ProCurve is competitively priced, with a difference of approximately 30 to 35% compared to other vendors like Cisco. This makes it a viable option for businesses with limited budgets, particula...
What needs improvement with HPE ProCurve?
The product could improve scalability and support for advanced networking features. Including advanced interfaces like QSFP and enhanced support for AI-driven network solutions would make it more c...
 

Also Known As

Aruba Instant On 1930 Switches
ProCurve, HP ProCurve
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

KEMET, Vestavia Hills City Schools, Dropbox
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School, DY 4 Systems, EdgeWing, Edmonton Public Schools District, Halton Catholic District School Board, Hartwick College, Hatch Associates, Huntingdon College, Roseville Joint Union High School District, Saddleback Valley Unified School District, One Superior Place
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant On Switches vs. HPE ProCurve and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.