HPE Ethernet Switches and Aruba Switches compete in the enterprise networking category. Aruba Switches appear to have the upper hand due to advanced security features and ease of integration with security solutions like ClearPass.
Features: HPE Ethernet Switches provide programmability, modularity, and a reliable management interface, along with a lifetime warranty. Aruba Switches are known for advanced security, dynamic segmentation, and a comprehensive GUI that enhances user experience. The Aruba Smart Rate Port and cloud management capabilities contribute to seamless network control.
Room for Improvement: HPE Ethernet Switches could improve stability and enhance GUI design while working on technical support response times. Users also seek better ecosystem integration and support for more routing protocols. Aruba Switches need more clarity in product documentation, consistency in command-line interfaces, and enhanced dashboard functionality to address centralized management issues.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HPE Ethernet Switches are praised for easy on-premises setup and efficient problem resolution in certain regions, although customer service quality varies. Aruba Switches offer flexibility with cloud deployment options, yet initial configurations can be complex. Their customer service is generally knowledgeable but has a slightly longer response time in some locations.
Pricing and ROI: HPE Ethernet Switches are affordable, offering a compelling price-performance ratio with the added value of a lifetime warranty, leading to favorable ROI over time. Aruba Switches, though slightly more expensive than competitors like Cisco, do not have additional licensing fees, enhancing their ROI and making them a cost-effective solution for comprehensive networks.
Their customer service and support are quite good.
The SFP modules are significantly more expensive than industry peers, which affects cost-effectiveness.
I would rate the scalability of the product an eight out of ten.
The pricing of some products, such as the 6300M switch, is considered a significant cost.
I have sites that have been running for many years with no issues.
We had one incident where an electric overload occurred, and it still managed to stay operational.
In the hotel sector, IGMP 3 is particularly valuable for IPTV.
Aruba Switches is a network creation solution that enables users to easily manage every aspect of their networks.
Benefits of Aruba Switches
Some of the benefits of using Aruba switches include:
Reviews from Real Users
Aruba Switches are cutting-edge network creation tools that stand out among their competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are the warranty that guarantees them and the intuitive way in which they are designed. Aruba Switches are protected by lifetime warranties. If a switch malfunctions or is rendered inoperable, it can be quickly replaced. If the line of switches are still available, HPE will send the user the necessary replacement. Aruba Switches are built to be intuitive for users to customize and manipulate. This allows users to make full use of the solution without requiring them to devote a significant level of resources to training.
The head of technical support at a real estate law firm writes, “One valuable feature about HP is the warranty. All switches are very similar when it comes to most functionalities. Most switches provide a one-year warranty, but with HPE switches, if there's a unit that malfunctions, we call them and they replace it the next business day if that line is still available. We had a switch we reported the other day, it was a 25-10, which we procured way back, around 2014, and they replaced it. In general, HP provides a lot of support for its products. We will be doing some tinkering on the VLAN soon, first the layer two, and then connecting the layer three functionalities for some other departments. The advantage of Aruba compared to other switches is their reliability. If the product is trustworthy, I'll continue to use it.”
A network systems engineer at a financial services firm writes, “Their technical support is great. I have used Cisco products, and as compared to Cisco, Aruba's command-line syntax is not as complex. The command-line interface of Aruba switches is quite intuitive. It also has a graphical user interface. With Cisco, using the graphical user interface for configuration can be complex, whereas Aruba simplifies it, and you can easily use the graphical user interface. The configuration is secured. Their graphical user interface is quite robust.”
HP has created the most open, integrated and software-defined networking portfolio and ecosystem of its kind – driving simplification with networks that understand, adapt to and protect your business applications in real-time. Only HP extends the momentum of software-defined networking everywhere–from the mobile edge to the heart of data centers.
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