Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN and Aruba Wireless compete in the enterprise wireless networking category. Cisco Meraki seems to have the upper hand due to its cloud-based management, which simplifies operations for smaller IT teams.
Features: Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers a centralized cloud-based management system, ease of deployment, and Layer 7 protections. These features are appreciated for their straightforward implementation and monitoring capabilities. Aruba Wireless is distinguished by its advanced security features, Adaptive Radio Management, and integration with ClearPass for enhanced BYOD solutions.
Room for Improvement: Cisco Meraki needs to introduce more comprehensive error logs and enterprise-level features, alongside enhancing its support process and integration abilities. The premium pricing is also criticized. For Aruba Wireless, stabilizing ClearPass and improving documentation are essential, along with simplifying its licensing model and creating a unified story with HP switching.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Meraki’s deployment focuses on cloud solutions, preferred for their flexibility in mixed environments, and offers responsive customer service, though support resolution could be better. Aruba Wireless emphasizes on-premises deployments with reliable customer support, but it requires enhancements in customer interaction and SLA fulfillment.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco Meraki is recognized for its high pricing tied to its licensing model, which offers good value but can be costly for small markets. Aruba’s pricing is more cost-effective, with perpetual licenses appealing to larger organizations. Both products deliver a positive ROI, with Cisco’s ease of use and Aruba’s competitive pricing as respective highlights.
There is no need to buy additional controllers for managing access points.
There are significant time savings, around thirty to forty percent, due to minimal disconnections.
I only needed support once or twice for a replacement, and it was handled smoothly without any difficulty.
Support for Aruba Wireless is good, but the skill set of the support engineers and the documentation are not as robust as Cisco.
I would rate their technical support nine out of ten.
It would be better if the SLA of technical support was less than four hours.
The solution is scalable, as multiple sites connect seamlessly.
It is easy to adapt and very scalable.
Meraki is not scalable enough since it straightforwardly maps its products to segmented specifications.
I have been using the product for the last nine years without facing any issues post-installation.
Aruba Wireless is stable.
I don't remember it going down during the years it existed.
We have experienced many instances where we have experienced a lag in our network, and I am not sure if it is due to their devices or our network.
Stability is not an issue for me because it comes with Cisco's proven manufacturer quality.
While the technical specifications are satisfactory, the access points are expensive.
Tools should be provided for guest access without requiring external software.
Zero-touch provisioning is needed, and although a cloud version is available, like Aruba Central, easier provisioning and configuration would be beneficial in the future.
The most important improvement needed is to eliminate the limitation of uplinks.
Some of the newer models of the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN access point have encompassed the new wireless protocols and increased the strength of their antennas.
The pricing seems reasonable compared to other brands; however, it is too expensive for smaller businesses.
The pricing can be expensive.
The initial prices were more affordable compared to the current high prices.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is on par with other devices in that category, offering competitive pricing.
The pricing of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is not competitive enough for the SMB market compared to other brands.
I am very satisfied with the roaming feature, as it ensures connectivity when moving from one location to another.
It has many features and is integrated with Azure AD and multiple active directories, making authentication easy.
I do not need to buy a controller for the access point since the Aruba Access Point has a built-in virtual controller.
It also manages security clients and switches, providing a single dashboard to manage multiple network infrastructures.
The ability to program all access points from the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN dashboard, view the status of all of them, and examine the individual devices connected to each access point is very valuable.
Aruba Wireless is a secure, high-performance, multi-user wireless LAN supporting Wi-Fi 6. As workplaces and user expectations change, users can now maintain hybrid workplaces and IoT without compromising performance, reliability, or security. Aruba Wireless delivers better performance and capacity and greater AIOps visibility throughout all devices and users. In addition, through built-in network intelligence, network operations are made simpler while keeping everything secure through user and guest encryption.
Aruba Wireless, offered through Aruba Networks, is helping achieve digital transformation and IoT with seamless connectivity through multiple Wi-Fi access points. For the user’s convenience, Aruba Wireless provides indoor, outdoor, and remote access points to help boost faster and safer connectivity.
Choosing Aruba Wireless can help improve your organization’s user experience with wireless LAN in many ways, including:
Aruba Gateways and Controllers
Small organizations as well as large enterprises require excellent performance and security for cloud, mobility, and digital transformation. Therefore, in addition to the access points, Aruba Wireless also offers a variety of gateways and controllers, including:
Reviews from Real Users
Aruba Networks is aiding organizations in transforming to a hybrid work environment with Aruba Wireless. Users especially love its ability to work with many devices and its ability to group and manage access points.
A senior IT solutions architect at a manufacturing company says, "The most valuable feature is the fact that it can work with many devices. It supports everything that we need it to."
Gary F., a network administrator at wireless at Abilene Christian, notes, "I like the way it groups and manages access points."
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