Item: Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Aruba Networks Wireless LAN (WLAN)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Aruba Wireless LAN is what is used to provide wireless internet access at the organization. This provides seamless internet access across various networks for staff and guest users. Without Aruba Networks Wireless LAN, the internet would not be as accessible for the organization.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Intuitive controller updates
Ease of access point configuration and deployment
Controller configuration using similar commands to Aruba Network switches

Cons

In-service software upgrades, although this feature has been added to Aruba OS8
Upgrading from Aruba OS versions may require a full network rebuild.
Additional licensing model for Aruba OS8

Return on Investment

Additional licenses for Aruba OS8 was a negative, but over time this is not a significant cost addition.
Positive - provides stable wireless network for organization
Positive - after initial network configuration day to day administration is very minimal

Alternatives Considered

In the past, I have used other wireless network solutions and have chosen Aruba Networks for cost and reliability. Their pricing model is much more transparent and affordable than other vendors, such as Cisco Networks. In the future, if one is to use other products from Aruba such as Clearpass, that is much more cost-effective than other solutions such as Cisco ISE.

Support Rating

Aruba Wireless Network support has always been reliable and great to work with. There was a period during the HPE acquisition of Aruba Wireless where getting in touch with an engineer took somewhat longer than usual, but it still was not a huge issue. The most difficult part of the merger was getting an accurate view of our inventory according to HPE Aruba as they were merging/choosing a system to host all of that information.

Usability

Aruba Networks Wireless LAN is very intuitive to use. After the initial learning curve for the Aruba OS platform, it is straightforward. Day-to-day tasks, such as deploying an access point with a configuration, are very straightforward. Standard incremental system upgrades are also very intuitive. If you have any past experience with Aruba network switching or Cisco switching, the command structure is relatively similar.

Key Insights

Do you think Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points's feature set?

Yes

Did Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points again?

Yes

Other Software Used

SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper, SolarWinds Kiwi Syslog Server, SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)

Likelihood to Recommend

Aruba Wireless LAN is well suited for organizations that require a significant number of wireless access points and have simple intuitive management over all those devices. This would be less necessary for a business that may only require a single access point or a few access points that can be achieved through a simpler solution such as EERO.

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