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

Aruba Switches vs HPE Ethernet Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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 Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
83
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
HPE Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
103
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 11.3%, down from 12.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 2.4%, down from 2.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Eunice Thirikwa - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable hotel networking enhances return on investment with valuable modular features
There are issues with the distribution side of Aruba Switches. For instance, the distributor in our country cannot sell to neighboring countries, creating complications in project execution. Improving the distribution network across regions would be beneficial. Also, the SFP modules are significantly more expensive than industry peers, which affects cost-effectiveness.
LuisSilva6 - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides ease of management and has an easy initial setup process
Primarily, we use the product for network and VLAN segmentation across our hospitality property. It forms the backbone of our network, providing connectivity to devices like TVs, phones, access points, and even electrical switches within guest rooms The product's most valuable feature is the ease…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's a reliable product that you can depend on."
"The most valuable feature is the security that these switches provide."
"The initial installation of Aruba Switches is easy."
"The solution is easy to use and quick to deploy."
"The features I find most valuable in Aruba Switches are their flexibility, reliability, and affordability."
"These switches have a good performance, and they are also quickly configurable."
"The most valuable feature of Aruba Switches is security."
"The solution is very stable."
"he stability is very good on this solution. There have been no bugs, glitches or crashes."
"It's fairly lightweight, they don't require a lot of maintenance."
"These switches are very stable, to date I have not experienced any issues."
"We also get a couple of reports about the user or connected devices for prioritization."
"The best feature of this solution is the lifetime warranty."
"The product's stacking technology is stable and works well."
"I like that these switches are reliable, and the support is good."
"The most valuable features of this solution are the interface and configuration. It's very easy to use."
 

Cons

"Aruba's operating system changes with every version."
"It's a little less convenient for more simplified management needs."
"The customer service could be a bit quicker and the employees could be more professional."
"A more granular breakdown in debugging would be beneficial."
"It would be good if I could get a 24-port, 10 gig module."
"A challenge is the process required to reset the switches, which involves using two pins in tiny holes. An easily accessible button for resets would be a better design."
"Aruba Switches don't need licenses to activate features and work straight out of the box, which is an advantage over some competitors. This implies less room for complaints compared with other solutions."
"There are some growing pains with Aruba Central. When you first launch the wireless access points or switches, a lot of updates are needed to get Aruba Central ready, especially on the access points, so the initial deployment time could improve. I would hope that I could just turn it on and leave the updates until later on. The switches themselves probably did okay. I'm primarily referring to the wireless access points. There was a lot of back and forth before everything was in sync. It took hours."
"We have had some rare occasions with glitches, so the stability can be improved."
"Price is an area for improvement. Cisco is very competitive on price, considering future business. HPE Ethernet Switches and Aruba need to think about their pricing. Aruba's price was 25 percent higher than Cisco's in a recent Central Bank project in Sri Lanka."
"I would like to see the initial setup become easier."
"There is a limitation of capability."
"In the next release, I would like to see them include more features like the Aruba solution, to have more possibilities concerning the software design."
"The solution would be easier to set up if its GUI could improve or if it had a wizard."
"Technical support needs improvement, as the response time could be better."
"We haven't had any issues with this switch in the past 10 years. That's the reason we're still keeping them alive."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing for this product is reasonable."
"This is an affordable solution."
"I don't know the exact cost of the licensing, but based on what I have heard from my sales team, Aruba is affordable. Aruba switches are cheaper than the switches from Cisco and other vendors."
"Aruba Switches has a lifetime warranty on the solution and after five years the solution will be at its end of life."
"The tool is a little expensive for customers from other countries."
"There is a license required if you want to use wireless controls for micro-segmentation. However, for Aruba Switches there is no license required."
"We pay for the clear pass and the controller."
"The cost depends on the requirement. An extensive network will expand the budget. The price will be lower if there is a small requirement of one to ten switches. In comparison, Aruba is less costly than Cisco by about 10-20%."
"HPE Ethernet Switches is a fairly cheap solution."
"The pricing is very good."
"The licensing cost is yearly, and there aren't any additional costs on top of the standard fee."
"Licensing fees are on a yearly basis."
"The license cost is yearly."
"This is an expensive product."
"I like HPE switches because you get a perpetual license with the hardware. The initial cost is about the same as other switches, but it starts beating the competitors after three or four years because you don't have to pay for additional annual licensing costs."
"The box itself is cheap, but when we have to install new features, it becomes very expensive."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
8%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
8%
Educational Organization
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Switches?
Aruba lives up to the expectations of the tech giant hewlett packard enterprise providing excellent networking capabilities at a very affordable price compared to the equivalent from another tech g...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Switches?
I find it to be middle to high. It's not always affordable, but they're losing the pricing market against Huawei, let's just put it like that.
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
There isn't much room for improvement. A more granular breakdown in debugging would be beneficial. Apart from that, not much is needed.
What do you like most about HPE Ethernet Switches?
The solution is very stable and easy to use.
What needs improvement with HPE Ethernet Switches?
Based on my experience, I am quite happy with the switches at the moment and do not see any immediate room for improvement.
 

Also Known As

8400 Series, 8320 Series, 5400R Series, 3810 Series, 2930M Series, 2930F Series, 2920 Series, 2540 Series, 2530 Series
HP Ethernet Switches
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University
Emirates Palace Hotel
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Switches vs. HPE Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.