I cannot provide concrete areas that need improvement on a global scale since my experience is local. However, Aruba is leading in flexibility compared to Cisco and other competitors.
The performance is a concern when connected to the Unifi Controller, as it seems to cause a reduction in performance. The Unifi Controller is slower compared to other options like Aruba.
Technical Solution Management at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Top 20
2024-08-28T13:22:16Z
Aug 28, 2024
The radio frequency coverage area is not good. The number of users that can connect at the same time and the user density on a single AP is not good in Aruba. Also, Aruba has a lot of switch solutions, and they use a lot of CLI (Command-Line Interface) language. One type of switch might use one language, while another might use an older language. Even within the same product line, you have different languages. It's not easy to manage everything because even though all the products are within the same system, everything is different.
Infrastructure/Telcom Coordinator at Schnellecke Group AG & Co. KG
Real User
Top 10
2024-07-15T20:00:19Z
Jul 15, 2024
I don't see much of a difference between Aruba and Cisco. With Aruba, the documentation on the website is not too easy to use, and some information is not found. I have to say that Cisco is very good in the documentation and the support offered to users, making it much better than Aruba.
Presale engineer at a wireless company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 5
2024-06-17T13:25:00Z
Jun 17, 2024
It would be good to integrate some marketing features into Aruba Instant On Access Points, like heat maps. This would allow deployment in warehouses or malls to see how people move from one point to another, helping to locate the original fit.
Learn what your peers think about Aruba Instant On Access Points. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
We request an adjustment for the portal to accommodate the MSP portal function. We need a separate MSP for the terminal management. Aruba is segmented. We need a separate MSP portal to manage the customer better.
When there are a lot of people connected, especially during video streaming demonstrations, the connection can get a bit choppy. We've also encountered some issues with narrowcasting systems.
HPE-Aruba Solution Architect at TST For Integrated Solutions
Reseller
Top 5
2023-10-02T12:42:00Z
Oct 2, 2023
We are looking for an update such as a firewall that consolidates and streamlines the management of multiple elements into a single, simplified interface. It would provide a unified view of our network, covering switches, phones, and financial transactions. The convenience of controlling everything from your mobile device is a notable advantage, but it's important to note that some advanced features are not available through the mobile application. For more complex network setups, such as data centers, or for greater capabilities and options, you might need to consider other solutions like Cisco or Aruba switches. The limited functionality of the mobile app restricts its use primarily to small and medium-sized setups, making it less suitable for enterprise-level solutions.
I sincerely think that the focus should be on improving monitoring capabilities. Currently, we have to integrate these APs into the APAP as a management platform for configuration and other tasks. However, Aruba enhances the monitoring aspect by providing more analytical views and troubleshooting capabilities; it would be beneficial if Aruba prioritize these areas. We faced an issue when trying to integrate this Instant AP with other tools. The functionalities are limited, and I couldn't find proper documentation regarding this matter. If they could provide more integrations, such as APIs to integrate with our existing monitoring platforms or other systems, it would be a valuable addition. That's what I think the next release should focus on, from my point of view in IT.
The solution's range could be better. Presently, it reaches up to a 40-50 ft. radius. It would be helpful for enterprise customers if it covers a 70-80 ft. radius.
There is nothing on my mind that stands out as something that needs improvement. It can be a little bit expensive. While it is mostly scalable, there are some limitations.
Solutions Consultant at a manufacturing company with 11-50 employees
Real User
2022-11-18T10:02:00Z
Nov 18, 2022
We've had some small issues with stability in terms of replacing the real controller. It's only suitable for smaller offices. It doesn't scale well. They could be more flexible with pricing and lower costs. It would be ideal if they could reduce the time to failover.
Network Engineer at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
2022-06-17T15:57:00Z
Jun 17, 2022
When I first deployed the solution, I couldn't use a tagged VLAN for the management. It might already have been fixed in a recent firmware upgrade. They should increase the number of devices that can be located at a site. I would really like it if they added a dedicated router to the lineup. They've got dedicated access points and dedicated switches. Having a dedicated router would be the icing on the cake for the big picture of the whole solution.
Network Admin at a healthcare company with 201-500 employees
Real User
2022-06-15T07:09:00Z
Jun 15, 2022
The only downside is that there are some bugs that I see. Hardware-wise, the product is fine. Software-wise, I would like to have a way of moving APs from site to site and wish there would be a way to add more APs to one site. I know the limit is 25 APs per site and I wish there were more. I wish I could have all of my APs in one pane, rather than have multiple sites. For now, it'll do. Maybe there'll be an update in the future. In addition, I wish I could add more admins to sites.
If there's a way to get a floor map of our office space so we can place the access points on a map to be able to see what's what, where everything is going, where the most traffic is being connected, that would be a nice feature. We had it on Ruckus Access Points. But it's not a must, based on the trade-off of price versus functionality, there's nothing that I would expect to be better than what it is.
Ingredients for success.
Fast 802.11ac Wave 2, secure employee and guest access, easy-to-use web, and mobile app management.
Say yes to secure Wi-Fi access.
Pre-built access control lists (ACLs) and built-in firewall in the access points prevent malicious traffic from entering your network – we call it “hassle-free” security.
Never drop an important call.
With Instant On, voice and video business applications are automatically prioritized, so you stay connected with your peers.
I cannot provide concrete areas that need improvement on a global scale since my experience is local. However, Aruba is leading in flexibility compared to Cisco and other competitors.
The performance is a concern when connected to the Unifi Controller, as it seems to cause a reduction in performance. The Unifi Controller is slower compared to other options like Aruba.
The radio frequency coverage area is not good. The number of users that can connect at the same time and the user density on a single AP is not good in Aruba. Also, Aruba has a lot of switch solutions, and they use a lot of CLI (Command-Line Interface) language. One type of switch might use one language, while another might use an older language. Even within the same product line, you have different languages. It's not easy to manage everything because even though all the products are within the same system, everything is different.
I don't see much of a difference between Aruba and Cisco. With Aruba, the documentation on the website is not too easy to use, and some information is not found. I have to say that Cisco is very good in the documentation and the support offered to users, making it much better than Aruba.
It would be good to integrate some marketing features into Aruba Instant On Access Points, like heat maps. This would allow deployment in warehouses or malls to see how people move from one point to another, helping to locate the original fit.
The solution should include higher speed and lesser cost.
We request an adjustment for the portal to accommodate the MSP portal function. We need a separate MSP for the terminal management. Aruba is segmented. We need a separate MSP portal to manage the customer better.
When there are a lot of people connected, especially during video streaming demonstrations, the connection can get a bit choppy. We've also encountered some issues with narrowcasting systems.
The tool's pricing is not good.
The solution’s scalability and autonomous part could be improved.
We are looking for an update such as a firewall that consolidates and streamlines the management of multiple elements into a single, simplified interface. It would provide a unified view of our network, covering switches, phones, and financial transactions. The convenience of controlling everything from your mobile device is a notable advantage, but it's important to note that some advanced features are not available through the mobile application. For more complex network setups, such as data centers, or for greater capabilities and options, you might need to consider other solutions like Cisco or Aruba switches. The limited functionality of the mobile app restricts its use primarily to small and medium-sized setups, making it less suitable for enterprise-level solutions.
From an improvement perspective, I hope to see lesser limitations in Aruba Instant On Access Points.
I sincerely think that the focus should be on improving monitoring capabilities. Currently, we have to integrate these APs into the APAP as a management platform for configuration and other tasks. However, Aruba enhances the monitoring aspect by providing more analytical views and troubleshooting capabilities; it would be beneficial if Aruba prioritize these areas. We faced an issue when trying to integrate this Instant AP with other tools. The functionalities are limited, and I couldn't find proper documentation regarding this matter. If they could provide more integrations, such as APIs to integrate with our existing monitoring platforms or other systems, it would be a valuable addition. That's what I think the next release should focus on, from my point of view in IT.
The solution's range could be better. Presently, it reaches up to a 40-50 ft. radius. It would be helpful for enterprise customers if it covers a 70-80 ft. radius.
There is nothing on my mind that stands out as something that needs improvement. It can be a little bit expensive. While it is mostly scalable, there are some limitations.
We've had some small issues with stability in terms of replacing the real controller. It's only suitable for smaller offices. It doesn't scale well. They could be more flexible with pricing and lower costs. It would be ideal if they could reduce the time to failover.
I would like to see a feature that blocks, increases, or decreases bandwidth capacity for devices.
When I first deployed the solution, I couldn't use a tagged VLAN for the management. It might already have been fixed in a recent firmware upgrade. They should increase the number of devices that can be located at a site. I would really like it if they added a dedicated router to the lineup. They've got dedicated access points and dedicated switches. Having a dedicated router would be the icing on the cake for the big picture of the whole solution.
The only downside is that there are some bugs that I see. Hardware-wise, the product is fine. Software-wise, I would like to have a way of moving APs from site to site and wish there would be a way to add more APs to one site. I know the limit is 25 APs per site and I wish there were more. I wish I could have all of my APs in one pane, rather than have multiple sites. For now, it'll do. Maybe there'll be an update in the future. In addition, I wish I could add more admins to sites.
If anything, its reporting could be improved. At the moment, I don't see any new features that we really need.
If there's a way to get a floor map of our office space so we can place the access points on a map to be able to see what's what, where everything is going, where the most traffic is being connected, that would be a nice feature. We had it on Ruckus Access Points. But it's not a must, based on the trade-off of price versus functionality, there's nothing that I would expect to be better than what it is.