What is our primary use case?
Around 90 percent of our clients have no in-house IT staff. We resell solutions and manage the hardware and software for networks and desktops. We're a provider of managed services and security. We spec out the solution they need minus the necessary software for their business.
How has it helped my organization?
HPE's switches get the job done. There are a million to choose from, but this is the one I prefer. You can't have a network without them, so it's hard to say that HPE switches do anything wonderful. So all you're looking at is price point and functionality.
What is most valuable?
I like that HPE's management functions are GUI-based, so it doesn't rely on command lines.
What needs improvement?
The GUI still doesn't cover everything. The basic stuff can be done in the GUI, but you still need to use the CLI to implement the advanced features. That's the biggest complaint. Some things still need to be configured in the command line interface. I would rather not use the CLI for anything.
I would also like to see a more centralized private management console for the series of devices. Most solutions are adopting centralized cloud-based management, but my client base believes cloud solutions are too insecure. You've got a few dozen switches, so it would be nice to have the ability to manage them on a "single pane of glass."
Everybody's doing that in the cloud. They want to charge you for the cloud, and you have no idea who has access to your network. That creates another attack vector because the switches are always phoning home. They can be hijacked, but everybody thinks that's what they want because they can manage it from anywhere. They like the convenience. However, I've been in the business for a long time, so I know it's going to come back to haunt them. It's just a matter of time before it happens.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using HP switches since they bought the technology from the Digital Equipment Corporation in the mid-1980s.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
HPE switches have been rock-solid for many years. They usually outlast the servers. Their useful life is about 10 to 15 years. If you're not making major changes to the network, you never need to touch them. You can go for years without ever rebooting them. A lot of times they're only rebooted when there's a major enough power failure that they finally go down.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability and backbone don't come into play often. I would say HPE switches are as scalable as anything else out there.
How are customer service and support?
HPE customer service is pretty good. I rate their support eight out of 10. At times, they can be too slow to respond if you have an unusual request. Sometimes, you have a problem that nobody on their team has seen.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Typically, our clients haven't used anything else. Many of them have been using HPE for over 10 years, and we usually deployed the first switches, which would've been HPE. For some clients, we've completely replaced everything three times now during that time because things have reached the end of life and need to be replaced.
How was the initial setup?
Deploying HPE switches is straightforward unless you have to enable some advanced features, then you need to go into the command line interface, which makes it more complex than necessary.
Usually, it takes only a few minutes to deploy because most of my clients' networks are pretty flat. The only thing we need to do is configure a few VLANs on the switch. After deployment, maintenance is minimal.
What was our ROI?
It's like the janitor. You can't have a business without it, so it's hard to say that you're not going to save money because you put one in. You have to have it, so it's hard to say that there is a return on investment. It's just one of those things you need to do business. It's like saying the ROI for the power bill. You either make money or you don't.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I like HPE switches because you get a perpetual license with the hardware.
The initial cost is about the same as other switches, but it starts beating the competitors after three or four years because you don't have to pay for additional annual licensing costs.
We also pay for a support contract as well. It's optional, but you don't get software updates without the contract.
What other advice do I have?
I rate HPE Ethernet switches a solid eight out of 10. This is the best product to get if you're not doing something special. If you're doing something odd, you should consider going with Cisco.
There are many cheaper options, but they don't have lifetime hardware support. That's one of the reasons I like HPEs better.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
*Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner & reseller
