We are a distributor for various networking products and ExtremeWireless is one of the solutions that we have experience with. We do between 2,000 and 3,000 projects a year for industries such as hospitality, entertainment, and education.
Product manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Good support, easy to manage, and excels in the cloud environment
Pros and Cons
- "The technical support from Extreme Networks is perfect."
- "The ability to integrate with network devices from other vendors would be helpful."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Their main power is the cloud environment because it's much better than the others in the market.
This product is easy to manage.
What needs improvement?
The ability to integrate with network devices from other vendors would be helpful.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have used this product for about 11 years, since before Aerohive was acquired by Extreme Networks.
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ExtremeWireless
November 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability is 100% because we have never had an experience with faulty hardware. This is a product that we will continue to distribute.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, so far, we haven't found a project that it wasn't able to fulfill. I think that officially, they go up to more than 10,000 IPs. We don't have such big companies in the Netherlands.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support from Extreme Networks is perfect. If we have an issue then there's always very quick response and we don't have any problems. As we are trained to give support to our clients, it is only on rare occasions that we need vendor support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. It is all based in the cloud, so it's very simple.
What about the implementation team?
We are fully trained to give our customers the second and third-line support.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are both paid and free licenses of the cloud environment, with only basic functionality in the free version. The paid version is priced to fit the market. Suitability of one over the other depends on the customer's needs.
What other advice do I have?
In summary, this is a good product and one that I recommend.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Distributor
Head of Information technologies systems department at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
Stable, but licensing model could improve
Pros and Cons
- "The stability of the solution has been fine."
What is our primary use case?
We use ExtremeWireless for our networks in our stores, logistic center, and head office.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using ExtremeWireless for approximately 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution has been fine.
How are customer service and support?
We have not needed support.
How was the initial setup?
The full deployment of the solution took approximately two weeks.
What about the implementation team?
We have two engineers that do the implementation and maintenance of the solution. We used an integrator for the implementation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Our access points device is at its end of life. I can buy one more and then I must buy a new device, but if it is a new device it will not support the old virtual appliance. I would need to upgrade our virtual appliance to the next version or build a new virtual appliance with new devices, and it's not good for us. The overall licensing subscription could be better.
We are on an annual license for the use of this solution. Typically when we build a new store, we buy approximately 30 access points with licenses.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We have recently evaluated Huawei, Cisco, and Aruba solutions.
What other advice do I have?
We are n the process of deciding if we are going to switch to another solution such as Huawei, Cisco, or Aruba.
I rate ExtremeWireless a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
ExtremeWireless
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about ExtremeWireless. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Networking Specialist at Saudi Business Machines - SBM
A cloud-based software that allows monitoring of wireless access points, including tracking
Pros and Cons
- "The cloud-based solution allows for easy management and monitoring of traffic and congestion."
- "Many companies prefer Aruba over ExtremeWireless, possibly due to Aruba's broader range of products or their thorough approach to understanding customer needs."
What is our primary use case?
We handle installations for Abil Academy in Saudi Arabia, including configuration services. Additionally, we have a major customer in the western province, specifically in Jeddah, where we implemented ExtremeWireless solutions.
How has it helped my organization?
The customer was satisfied with the wireless implementation. They didn't report any issues or open any cases regarding ExtremeWireless. I recall meeting with the ExtremeWireless team and watching a demo of their solutions. They demonstrated a cloud-based software that allows monitoring of wireless access points, including tracking the number of devices connected, traffic distribution by location, and overall network performance. I experienced this three years ago. Since then, we completed our implementation and haven't conducted any new activities related to it.
What is most valuable?
The cloud-based solution allows for easy management and monitoring of traffic and congestion. It also lets you check the status of access points and offers plug-and-play functionality, making it simple to configure remotely. This remote management capability adds significant value to ExtremeWireless.
What needs improvement?
Many companies prefer Aruba over ExtremeWireless, possibly due to Aruba's broader range of products or their thorough approach to understanding customer needs. Aruba offers a wider selection of products in wireless networking and security. It has a more limited range of solutions, which might influence customer preference.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using ExtremeWireless as a partner since 2021.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is suitable for small and medium enterprises.
I rate the solution’s scalability a seven out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
We tried to get support, but they don’t offer 24/7 coverage. The response time was slower than expected, and support in the Middle East might be limited. I rate the support at around five out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of ExtremeWireless is easy.
As a standalone system, ExtremeWireless is easy to configure and manage. However, integrating it with other systems or solutions from different vendors can be challenging. In the past, we experienced difficulties integrating ExtremeWireless with other systems.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Last updated: Aug 20, 2024
Flag as inappropriateAssistnat Professor in Computer Science and Engineering Department at Walchand College of Engineering
Simple to implement, provides seamless connectivity, and is reliable
Pros and Cons
- "It provides seamless connectivity if you move around."
- "The cost is a little high."
What is our primary use case?
We are using the product for learning and research purposes, and for academics.
We can connect with the hotspot through this, however, due to the fact that we're not moving outside of the buildings, it also provides connectivity on any place on our campus. If you are there inside the rooms or classes, you will get connectivity. We upload it outside of classrooms also. You can learn and study anywhere. You do not have to just be in the classroom or labs.
What is most valuable?
It provides seamless connectivity if you move around. There is not a need to reconnect with the AP, again and again, where you have to provide the passwords. Once you log in, you can move anywhere without any disconnectivity. That is the best feature.
The initial setup is straightforward.
What needs improvement?
There aren't any areas that need improvement.
The cost is a little high.
It's not as complete as a few other options on the market.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for about one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a pretty stable product. I don't recall dealing with bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the product is good. It's not a problem if you need to expand. We just add new devices and take on new licenses.
We have about 2500 people currently using the product.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used something else that wasn't really that similar. We deployed the different access points at different positions at different locations. That was not cloud-based.
How was the initial setup?
The solution was pretty simple to set up. It didn't take too long.
We have not observed any kind of maintenance since last year. Maybe in the future, that may be required.
What about the implementation team?
We had a third-party deploy the solution for us.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I'd rate the licensing a three out of five. There are a few additional fees.
What other advice do I have?
We use both the cloud and the on-premises devices.
My advice is that new users should take two solutions. They should have a local NMS kind of thing that should be there and not generally only be based on the cloud. Every device that we have should be able to push on the network management software. It should be compatible with other devices also.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. It's not complete. It should be competitive with other devices also, not only from XP. The cost of this product is also somewhat on the higher side as compared to the other devices.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
General Manager at Heath Comm AS
A highly scalable and stable product with an excellent cloud-based management system
Pros and Cons
- "The cloud-based management system is valuable."
- "The product must be provided at a cheaper price."
What is our primary use case?
We are using the solution for large enterprises.
What is most valuable?
The cloud-based management system is valuable.
What needs improvement?
The product must be provided at a cheaper price.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the product’s stability a ten out of ten. We have so many access points, and there are rarely any failures.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is very scalable. I rate the scalability a ten out of ten. I have different customers. Some customers have 100 users, while others have around 3000 to 4000 users. My customers are medium to enterprise-level businesses.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is very good. I rate support an eight or nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
I rate the ease of setup an eight out of ten. The initial setup is more complex if we do not know the product. If we know it, it’s straightforward. The time taken for deployment depends on how large the deployment is. The configuration can be done in a couple of hours.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the pricing a nine on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I am working with the cloud-based systems. If we want something that is really good and does not fail, we must use ExtremeWireless. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Distributor
Principal Systems Engineer at a construction company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Mediocre technical support and the initial setup could be easier, but the cloud-managed aspect is good
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is the cloud-managed aspect."
- "Technical support is an area that needs to be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use these wireless access points in our corporate warehouses.
We've got people using their phones and laptops to do things such as presentations. There are also production-oriented activities, where we use handheld devices for scanning. These are warehouse-type activities.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the cloud-managed aspect.
What needs improvement?
Technical support is an area that needs to be improved.
The initial setup could be easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with ExtremeWireless since they were Brocade VCS. We worked with Brocade for several years and then got rid of those products, opting for ExtremeWireless approximately four years ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, so far so good. Overall, it hasn't been bad at all. I can't say that it's been horrible.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
With respect to scalability, this product is good. It's on par with the competitors. We have several hundred users.
How are customer service and support?
The ExtremeWireless technical support is mediocre.
I would rate the technical support a four out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
This product was in place when I joined the company.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not as easy as it could be but it's not that bad.
The length of time for deployment depends on the number of access points that are being installed. In our case, it wasn't too bad.
What about the implementation team?
As this is a cloud-based solution, maintenance is done by the vendor. The maintenance required on our end is fairly low.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This product is not too expensive but not inexpensive, either. It is on par with everybody else. The cost varies depending on the number of access points that you have.
We pay approximately $30,000 per year.
What other advice do I have?
In summary, this is not a product that I recommend. Rather, I would suggest that people implement Cisco instead.
With Cisco, you get a true enterprise-class, best-in-breed solution. The Cisco support is top-notch, and the Cisco community is unlike anything else. Cisco's website is intuitive, they communicate rather effectively, whereas, Extreme is a smaller company and their website is not intuitive.
The cloud-managed portal changes, it seems like on a whim, without communication. One month it might be that you find something like a configuration item here, and then the next month it's hidden somewhere else. Whereas, Cisco is much more streamlined, much more communicative, and much more intuitive to use.
I would rate this solution a four out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
IT Director at a educational organization with 501-1,000 employees
Perfectly stable, and the documentation makes the setup procedure easy
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is stability."
- "The management portal is in need of improvement."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use is to support wireless infrastructure for the K-12 environment.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is stability.
What needs improvement?
The management portal is in need of improvement. In the next release, I would like to see more granular search functions in the administration portal.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Extreme for about 13 years, since it was known as Aerohive.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is 100%, which is why I chose them.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This product is absolutely scalable. I just bought 350 access points to replace my existing infrastructure, and we support approximately 3,200 individuals.
How are customer service and technical support?
The support is superb.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was convoluted, but once we worked it out with help from the documentation, it was simple.
What about the implementation team?
We completed the deployment with our in-house team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The purchase of 350 access points cost approximately $250,000 USD.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We researched Ruckus Wireless but ultimately chose to use Extreme.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for anybody who is implementing Extreme Wireless is not to use MAC address filtering.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
A highly scalable product that can be used for wireless security solution
Pros and Cons
- "The wireless security solution is the most valuable feature of ExtremeWireless."
- "The solution must include integrated IoT solutions on their wireless APs."
What is our primary use case?
I use ExtremeWireless for education, hospitality, and banking. The solution has multiple applications.
What is most valuable?
The wireless security solution is the most valuable feature of ExtremeWireless. I do not recommend ExtremeWireless for the hospitality sector because it lacks many features. However, I highly recommend the solution for the banking and education sectors because of the wireless security solution it specifically provides for people who are very concerned about wireless security. The product has a dedicated solution called air defense.
What needs improvement?
The solution must include integrated IoT solutions on their wireless APs.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with ExtremeWireless for about three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
ExtremeWireless is quite a stable solution. Sometimes we face bugs and issues with the firmware. The updates for the on-prem are not frequent, which affects the stability of the solution.
I rate ExtremeWireless an eight out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
ExtremeWireless is a very scalable solution. We have six mega projects using the solution.
I rate ExtremeWireless a nine out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support needs improvement. The response time and qualification of the support team need to be improved. Extreme has a lot of products that are still fragmented between the integration of the companies they acquired.
It has an inconsistent system till now, which is still not universal. I'm dealing with multiple companies under one name, but the support team still lacks enough experience to handle all these different solutions under one name.
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup for the cloud solution is straightforward, but it is a lot of pain for the on-prem solution.
What about the implementation team?
The solution's deployment takes 10 to 15 minutes for the cloud and about one hour for on-premises. The solution's deployment for the cloud is a straightforward process. We use the serial numbers to the cloud solution, connect the AP to an internet source, and it goes online after a while.
However, the on-premises deployment is a little bit more tricky. For the on-premises deployment, we need to configure the AP to connect to the cloud, then reconfigure it to connect to the on-prem again, then change the firmware to be connected to the on-prem, and then run it.
Two engineers are enough for the maintenance and deployment of ExtremeWireless.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is no perpetual license on ExtremeWireless. It's not like Ruckus, which has an on-prem perpetual license. ExtremeWireless is subscription-based for both cloud and on-prem solutions, and it's quite expensive. Customers just need to pay for the license and support.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate ExtremeWireless an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
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Updated: November 2024
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