Aruba Switches and Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are major competitors in the network switch market. Aruba Switches have the advantage due to their focus on security and reliability, as well as centralized management capabilities.
Features: Aruba Switches are known for their flexibility, ease of use, and centralized management through Aruba Central. They integrate well with solutions like ClearPass and offer innovative features such as dynamic segmentation and a graphical user interface (GUI) for configuration akin to Cisco's systems. Ubiquiti UniFi Switches emphasize robust centralized cloud management with a user-friendly GUI, making them ideal for smaller setups. They are appreciated for their cost-effectiveness and ability to operate in a unified management environment.
Room for Improvement: Aruba Switches could improve network visibility and control features, as some users find alternatives like Meraki more intuitive. Better documentation and greater stability in complex implementations are suggested, along with clearer part numbers and more competitive pricing. Ubiquiti UniFi Switches need enhancements in VPN management simplicity, security features, and a unified management console. They also require improved documentation, configuration for complex needs, and stability in updates and support availability.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba Switches offer a mix of deployment options, including on-premises, hybrid, and cloud solutions, with generally positive customer service. However, technical support response times need improvement, especially for escalated issues. Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are praised for ease of setup and management when deployed on-premises. However, technical support is less accessible unless paid for, which poses a challenge compared to Aruba's more established support system.
Pricing and ROI: Aruba Switches tend to be more expensive than Ubiquiti but are less costly than Cisco with licensing plans that might add expense. They offer a lifetime warranty and significant service levels, with ROI seen in reliability and comprehensive features despite high upfront costs. Ubiquiti UniFi Switches present a low-cost entry with minimal additional licensing fees, appealing as a budget-friendly choice for SMBs. They deliver ROI through reliable performance and low operational costs.
Another solution offered to us was more than double the price, making UniFi a cost-effective choice.
Their tech support is good.
I find that technical support is available, especially during the warranty period.
the manuals, installation videos, and resources on the website are very good and straightforward.
I would rate the scalability of the product an eight out of ten.
The scalability, in my opinion, is around seven to eight out of ten.
I rate the scalability as nine out of ten.
While we are satisfied with its use in small environments, other products may be needed in very large companies with more than 30 users.
I have sites that have been running for many years with no issues.
The stability of Aruba Switches is very good, and I would rate it between eight and nine out of ten.
I did not experience any problems the whole year.
If the system is installed, it runs well, with no issues.
The switches are stable and there have been no outages.
Improving the distribution network across regions would be beneficial.
The current setup is closed and does not allow for integration with non-Ubiquiti VoIP devices or providers outside their ecosystem.
Controlling and reducing network traffic directly from the controller would be beneficial.
The pricing of some products, such as the 6300M switch, is considered a significant cost.
From my experience, the pricing of Aruba Switches is competitive.
Pricing is very favorable, with minimal licensing involved.
Many vendors mark up prices significantly.
The setup cost is reasonable, but there are companies in the business pushing more expensive solutions.
The features I find most valuable in Aruba Switches are their flexibility, reliability, and affordability.
In the hotel sector, IGMP 3 is particularly valuable for IPTV.
I can manage user connectivity, limit bandwidth, apply MAC address filtering, and it offers POE capabilities.
One of the most valuable features of Ubiquiti UniFi switches is their graphical interface and plug-and-play capability.
The most valuable feature of UniFi Switches is the simple management via the UniFi console.
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.”
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are managed Gigabit switches (Available with 24 or 48 RJ45 Gigabit ports) designed to meet all your network needs while delivering excellent performance. The switches’ excellent network performance is combined with fiber connectivity that includes two SFP ports and the ability to process traffic without putting packet loss at risk.
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches Are:
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches Support These Three Output Modes:
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches Support These Three Input Modes:
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches Features:
Benefits of Ubiquiti UniFi Switches:
Reviews from Real Users
A PeerSpot user who is a Director of Technical Operations/CTO at a consultancy says "The ability to deploy quickly and then having one central location for all the settings are its most valuable aspects."
"The integration with the controller is one of the most valuable features of these switches. They are also very stable. For example, we have some equipment that we haven't touched for four years that is still reliable," says Doru I., Senior solutions architect at Aplix Technologies
Murali S., Management Consultant at a consultancy, explains that “For the world where you have to balance traffic and traffic loads and bandwidth, their GUI makes it really easy because the switches, though they are enterprise grade level two or level three switches, the GUI is designed so that it's easy to set up VLANs where you need to control your traffic so that your phones don't break up and get choppy because of other people loading the network down too heavily."
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