What is our primary use case?
My main use cases for HPE GreenLake for File Storage include registering devices such as Aruba APs and Aruba switches, primarily the 6200s, 6100s, and 4100is, along with the 500 series APs.
How has it helped my organization?
HPE GreenLake for File Storage has benefited my organization by providing a great way to use the inventory section, where I can place the serial number of a device and the MAC address, and it automatically comes up. You can see what license is attached to it and how many subscriptions you have left with particular licenses. There was a situation where we were trying to configure some devices but ran out of licenses. It was quick and easy to find out that we ran out of licenses once we went through the HPE GreenLake dashboard and got to the device subscription tab that tells you how many subscriptions you have left. I'm glad that's clear cut; we don't have to argue about it.
Overall, it's definitely a user-friendly tool. Nothing is hard about it. When it was introduced to me at my company, I went in and navigated through what I needed for my job operations, and so far that has been a success.
What is most valuable?
The feature I appreciate the most about HPE GreenLake for File Storage is its easy-to-use navigation system, and primarily, it's easy to input devices that are not registered beforehand into their system.
HPE GreenLake for File Storage has affected our operations in a good way due to better management. Our management of the Cisco devices we had on our network was outrageous, especially when I came in late and had to find information 5 to 10 years back. Aruba seems to keep everything in-house; you don't have to go to multiple websites or different dashboards just to look for one piece of information. It seems it's all conveyed within that GreenLake tool.
What needs improvement?
The only con I have is when I register a device to HPE GreenLake for File Storage, it takes a while for it to connect to Aruba Central. I don't know if that's a normal process, but for some switches it will come up two or three minutes after you register the device, and on others I have to reboot or factory reset. I'm trying to see if there's a clear-cut way once you register a device that it automatically connects to Aruba Central, so that's the only problem really. Everything else is fine about it; I love it. I love the tool, but that's the only problem. I can't really do anything unless I upgrade my switch first, then I can put my configuration on it.
If they could provide me with a troubleshooting document for the issue I was experiencing with connecting to Aruba Central, that would be great. I have no complaints otherwise. The connection issue isn't consistent—it usually works, but sometimes it fails during the process. I can't ship the devices out to the field right now because I have to upgrade them first due to specific configurations I need to apply to the switch. We've reviewed their iOS information and found a firmware that works best; however, upgrading it is challenging because of the ongoing connectivity issues with Aruba Central. So, honestly, if there was a fix or a troubleshooting document available, I would be satisfied.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using HPE GreenLake for File Storage since September of 2024.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Performance is much more efficient. Primarily I'm a network engineer, but we have meetings with other architects, and based on what they're saying, it seems much more efficient. They used the words efficient, stable, and reliable.
When we put a device in there, there are no issues or problems. As long as you put the right serial number and information in, you're going to find that device.
We had one issue, but it wasn't with HPE. It was something with the Meraki VPN, called a Meraki MX67C. Cisco was saying that it was Aruba's issue, but I pointed out that if that were the case, it meant 40 of those switches went down at the same time, which didn't make sense. It ended up being a back-and-forth discussion with Cisco, and when we found out it was their fault, they provided a solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's extremely important for my business that HPE GreenLake for File Storage has independent scaling of performance and capacity for our storage system. Being the railroad, all of our logs have to be there, and we really can't miss any of the information that we put out there. It definitely benefited us, and we don't have many complaints from HPE GreenLake for File Storage except for that one issue I mentioned. Other than that, it's an amazing tool, and I'm glad my company is moving towards it.
How are customer service and support?
I do not talk to customer support because there really isn't an issue with the product. I don't call because I don't have any problems.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to adopting HPE GreenLake for File Storage, we were using a solution called FortiNAC. FortiNAC was a tool where we could take the serial number, MAC address of a device, or an IP address to find out its location in the network system, the Eastern side of the United States. It is still used for our Cisco devices. After we move all our devices over to Aruba, FortiNAC won't serve a need anymore. The dashboard tells you the MAC address, the serial number, if it's up or not, how long it's been up, and devices connected to it. GreenLake and the Aruba dashboard go hand in hand.
We moved because of better management of the devices and easy access. I don't have to dig; for example, the Aruba switches have the ability to tell me the MAC address and the IP address of a particular device connected to a port. With Cisco, I had to take that MAC address, jump to the router, and hope the router sees it. If the router doesn't see it, then I know it's not on the network. But with this solution, it tells me right then and there, or I'll put in a command, and it'll say no information available. It makes it so much easier versus having to jump through multiple pieces of equipment to get one answer.
How was the initial setup?
It was amazing. I registered the device. Once it got online, I went to Aruba Central and upgraded it. I took the configurations I had on my Cisco devices and manipulated them a little bit because you don't run the same commands as others, but the commands are similar. It may be a word that you don't include, but it's nothing hard. It's honestly been a smooth process. I've installed around 240 Aruba devices on our network at critical locations since September of 2024, and I haven't heard many problems from them. Sometimes there are small issues, such as a device not coming up, which may be because I missed a VLAN or something. It hasn't really been anything with the product itself because there are safety measures in place. The 6200 switches are POE switches. We have the ability to turn off the POE, which is something I appreciate since some devices out there need more than the default 30 watts of power. I have cameras that run 90 watts of power, but having the ability to turn off the POE settings within the port allows me to plug in my POE injector without causing issues. I appreciate that there are options in place that avoid interruptions and ensure a smooth operation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
HPE GreenLake for File Storage is relatively cheaper than Cisco, so that's a big plus. That was a big decision-making point, especially since everybody's going the route of having a device with a license, but they are the most cost-effective compared to Cisco.
What other advice do I have?
I don't know too much about storage, but based on how I use it, I would rate it a ten out of ten. As an engineer, I appreciate the capabilities and access available. For companies that are hesitant about partnering with HPE, I recommend they introduce their product and see if it can provide solutions. I would rate HPE GreenLake for File Storage a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)