Aruba Instant Reviews

We are a system integrator. Aruba is a very reliable solution, and I've been working with Aruba products for more than five years. It started with Aruba wireless solutions, like the 135 series, 203H Series, 203R Series, 300 series, and now Aruba 8. 

The coverage is excellent, and it's very well developed with high customer satisfaction.

The product is quite reliable. The hardware is solid, and the RF coverage is superb.

First and foremost, the coverage is very good. Even with numerous clients connected, the average coverage remains strong. Typically, we observe two to three bars, and on occasion, we've even seen six bars of signal strength. It's a remarkably balanced system that consistently delivers reliable performance.

Aruba's mobility features, which facilitate seamless switching between wireless access points, are also quite impressive. Users don't even notice the transition, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted experience.

Additionally, features like Aruba Am technology, MAC address control, and guest access port enhance security are good. 

I have been working on a feature for Aruba Instant called Mobile Access for the Edge Tenant. This feature would allow us to manage and control access points from the cloud. We could provision APs, make configuration changes, and monitor their performance.

I have been using this solution since 2017. I currently use version 8.

I've worked on many projects with Aruba Instant. We've deployed the virtual drill of Aruba AP-505 and AP-514 in several projects.

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. 

I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. We have small as well as enterprise. Small and medium. Most of the time, it is small and medium.

I've installed over a thousand access points and the support has been reliable. 

Positive

I would rate my experience with the initial setup an eight out of ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy. We are mostly on-premises; slowly, we are migrating to the cloud. 90% of us are on-premises, but 10% are gradually introducing the cloud.

Most of the client setup is at the private center data center. And public clouds like AWS and Microsoft Cloud.

The deployment took a few hours.

Our customers see an ROI. 

It's not too expensive. It is somewhere between the middle, the expensive, and the cheap.

The pricing is reasonable.

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

It's a networking product for switching and Wi-Fi.

Aruba Instant doesn't have many security features. It's very basic and doesn't enhance network security significantly. However, you have basic functionalities like checking your network, seeing who's connected, removing or blacklisting devices, and changing passwords from the central console. 

These are only basic security features, not enterprise-level solutions. 

Aruba Instant is already good in its segment, with available features. If anyone wants to move towards enterprise solutions, Aruba has other products available. This is a different segment with good features. 

It's a solution for small and medium businesses that offers centralized control and basic features like whitelisting, device visibility, VLAN creation, and loop avoidance. 

It's not a feature-rich, enterprise-class product but provides essential functionalities for customers moving from unmanaged to managed networks, with full visibility on a central console and a user-friendly interface.

It's not suited for larger companies.

The product is a little expensive.

My experience in networking is more than 16 years, and with Aruba Instant, I have almost seven years.

I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. 

Aruba Instant is not for larger enterprises, but it's for small organizations, houses, villas, big offices, and small hotels.

It is a scalable solution. Moreover, Aruba has multiple products in this segment, so customers can choose the right product, and all are managed within the same Aruba Instant platform.

I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. 

For small and medium businesses, home, and small hotels, it's ten. But not for enterprises.

The deployment process is very easy. If everything is ready, configuring five or ten switches takes hardly one or two hours maximum.

Deployment model:

Aruba Instant is a cloud-based solution for small and medium businesses with limited features and centralized management of switching and Wi-Fi solutions. The physical devices are on-premises, while management is done from the cloud.

It's an HPE-owned cloud built for management. We get it for free and don't know where it's hosted.

With a single access point, you get visibility and everything. The ease of manageability and operation helps minimize manpower and saves time. 

It's also physically a very good product, with good signal strength for coverage. It can handle more than 100 to 200 devices easily, even in a smart home with many connected devices. These are all the ways it helps and gives an edge over competitors.

The product is a little expensive. If someone wants extra features, they will choose the enterprise products instead of Aruba Instant.

The extra features aren't useful for small and medium businesses or homes, so nobody will pay for them.

I would rate the pricing a two out of ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap. 

It provides centralized network control, but other products do the same. There are no unique features.

Currently, we only promote Aruba, but some small and medium businesses also use NETGEAR products. We don't sell NETGEAR; we only focus on Aruba.

I would recommend using it! Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

The solution is used for guest user login for wireless, secure connectivity for internal and guest users, and user experience.

Aruba Instant is a cloud-managed solution that can be managed from the cloud.

The solution’s pricing could be improved. Embedding a heatmap tool within the product would make it easier to conduct a wireless survey. If you are pitching the product against other solutions, it would be best to conduct a prior wireless survey before positioning the product.

I have been using Aruba Instant for five to six years.

Aruba Instant is a stable solution.

You can scale the solution based on your requirements.

To deploy the solution, you first need to set up and register the access points on the cloud. Then, you configure everything and push it to the endpoint devices. It takes around six months to deploy the solution.

The solution provides a good return on investment in terms of user experience.

There are limitations to the solution's security, and you need additional security like firewall and endpoint security. The solution improves the reliability, uptime, user experience, and seamless connectivity with the access points.

Users can log in and connect to the tool from anywhere. The solution provides seamless connectivity, user experience, performance, and reliability.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

I use the solution for managing switches remotely.

It is a good solution. It is straightforward.

The security features must be improved.

I have been using the solution for six years.

I rate the tool’s stability a ten out of ten.

I rate the tool’s scalability a nine out of ten. We have more than 2000 users.

I am satisfied with the technical support.

Positive

I rate the ease of setup a ten out of ten. The deployment is easy. It takes a few minutes to deploy the tool.

The product is reasonably priced.

We can configure the solution using our phone even if we don't have a laptop. It is very easy. We can manage it from wherever we want. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

For us, it was a way of getting in the door without having to buy a controller. I used Aruba Instant with a bunch of schools.

If you don't need heavy-duty filtering and things like that, it's a cheap solution. And, you have central management, and it works. So the customer automatically picks a virtual controller and controls all the IAPs within that enterprise.

Lately, Aruba has tried to provide central management for these IAPs, but none of my customers will set up that way. So, if you buy IAPs today for three months, you can get central management from it through Aruba's cloud.

Every product can be improved. It's a catch-22. If you want something better, then you opt for a controller solution. For example, in a school setting, you would want to segregate the teachers from the students. Additionally, you don't want the students accessing inappropriate websites. Moreover, you need to separate the servers where they store sensitive information. Aruba Instant does a fine job with these requirements.

However, in a corporate environment or a larger network, where more advanced filtering or MAC-based filtering is needed, I don't think the IAPs would be sufficient. The solution might not connect in a real enterprise setup.

I have been using the solution since it was out on the market. I grew with this product.

The customer support is good.

Positive

The initial setup is easy. When people say something is complex, it usually means they are not familiar with it. If you put your mind to it, it's manageable.

It's each classroom has an IAP. So you only have to get the first one. Once you get the first one, the other nineteen are just plug-and-play. You upgrade to the level of software you want it to be, and then you configure it.

So, you configure the first one, test it, and if it meets your requirements, you just plug in the rest of them, and they replicate the settings from the first one. It's as simple as that.

The deployment takes four hours to a day. The initial setup involves cabling personnel and individuals responsible for mounting the access points on the ceiling. However, when it comes to configuration, one person can handle it.

The maintenance is no big deal. Because you go on there, you log into the virtual controller. And if it's a new version, it tells you to download it. So you download, you upgrade the first one, then automatically, that upgrades all your IAPs.

The pricing is good. If you buy an IAP and later decide to switch to a controller solution, you don't have to discard your existing access points. You can simply convert them and pay for the licensing. It's a convenient option they offer.

However, the first generation, they weren't as flexible. So, they have become more flexible.

For small businesses or educational institutions like schools, I would definitely recommend considering it.

If it's a true enterprise environment, it may not be suitable. It also depends on how well they have their act together. If they prioritize security and strict control, then a controller-based solution would be more appropriate.

For example, hospitals generally opt for a controller-based solution. However, many hospitals have satellite offices or smaller locations, and Aruba Instant can be easily implemented there.

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. It works, it is fast, and it does the job.

We primarily use the solution for surfing and browsing. Students would use it for social media. Professionals might use it for video calling or video conferencing as well. These would be the cases.

I really like the Instant On app. It keeps giving me feedback on whether one point is connected or not. I don't know which category this would fall under, yet that's what I really care about. I want to know which access point is currently on, whether it's connected or not, and if it serves the users that are connected to it.

That would be the main thing I would care about in an app since, with other configurations, you can figure out everything on your own. You just need to stay alert, and constantly knowing if that node is on is very useful. 

I like the notifications. I really like that it gives me those reports in terms of whether those access points are on or off. 

Overall, the product is good. It is scalable and reliable. 

The restart time should be improved. Whenever one access point has to restart, it takes about 15 minutes to get back in business, and that's a long time. Whether it's some kind of a malfunction or a software update, it takes really long for it to get back up. That would be my main issue.

When you look at networks, it's not really all about the access point. It's also about the other products you need to connect to, and when it comes to the kind of devices and products here available in my market, they're usually slow to get here. For example, if you talk about Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6 has been deployed in Europe and the US for about a year or two years now. The only AP I have that supports Wi-Fi 6 is the AP22. However, I'm not sure about other products that can utilize the Wi-Fi 6 anyway. If you talk about laptops, I'm not sure if they all support Wi-Fi 6 or if they are available here in my country. You usually get those improvements by default if they are going to launch a new product. I hope this happens with Aruba.

I've been using the solution for a year and a half now. 

The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze.

The solution can easily scale. 

You can even make points talk to each other using the cable or a wireless signal. It's really nice.

We have 200 to 300 people using the solution right now. 

I haven't tried any technical support. 

I haven't tried many access points. However, I've worked with Fortinet and FortiApp, and of course, I've worked with Aruba and when it comes to restarting an access point, the time to get back up and online and connected and all that is much shorter on Fortinet. 

The Aruba implementation was really easy. All you need to do is create an account and then tell it whether you want it to be an extension of your current network or to assign different IP ranges. Then, you set up the networks, and that's it. It was up and running in 15 minutes or less.

The only issue is when you add your access points, it takes about seven to ten minutes to be discoverable by the app. That's about it. That's about the worst thing when it comes to timing - to discover that there's a new access point connected. That said, once it's connected, it's up and running in no time.

We do not need many admins for maintenance. We just need one. It's basically my assistant and me, and we're funded. I've had no issues with it whatsoever. 

Unless it's a hardware problem - and I have not experienced that yet, and I hopefully won't. You might need to contact the manufacturer themselves to do the work to get it fixed. However, I haven't experienced anything like that yet.

I'm located in Palestine. I bought it from another person who got it from the main distributor and got it to me. This is how it works. While it depends on the model, compared to other products, it's fairly priced.

I'm not sure about pricing worldwide since it could be different. However, it's one of the cheapest solutions here or the more affordable solution. Fortinet is much more expensive, and Unify is even more expensive. If you look at the package as a whole, you're much better off with Aruba. As a business, you always need discounts and cheaper products. If it got even lower, they would get more market share.

We pay about $300 per access point. Fortinet is about $500. It's a one-time fee. 

I'm a customer and end-user. 

I do have a firewall. However, I manage all the Aruba devices through the cloud, the Instant On Portal, and the Instant On app.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten based on the slower restart time. 

Most people, when they're connected to it, they're satisfied. I have more than 40 or 50 clients connected to each access point, and they're usually satisfied with the service. The coverage could be a bit improved, and we need more control over the radios. It's done automatically via the AP, and sometimes you might want to control that yourself - yet there's no option to do that, or, at least, I have not figured that out yet.

I primarily use the solution for my WiFi.

The solution provides a very good end-user experience. 

It's easy to manage the wireless. I can make a mesh. I can make connections to other access points without wires. I have several WiFi routers and can connect them seamlessly.

It's very transparent. I can see how my bandwidth is being used and I can control that.

The access point has a firewall inside to see my applications and the kinds of applications I am using.

The most valuable aspect is the potential to have it cover all my devices and I can see the applications and make a policy around them. The monitoring is very good as it does help me build out policies around the access points. 

The security features are very good. 

They could offer a new model for access points that are outdoors. They don't have an outdoor WiFi Six in their portfolio right now.

They should maybe make the sites bigger. While you can have extension nodes, you can only have 25 devices only. That is too small for some companies. 

I've been using the solution for a year and a half. 

The stability depends on the cloud and what stability the cloud has. I haven't had any issues where the service has gone down. The stability has been 100% stable for me. 

You can have 25 devices on one site. 

For example, in the case of a hotel, you might have one site for the lobby and one site on another floor. You might have WiFi for one site yet you won't have roaming. You need to have sites.

If a company needs more, it can buy an enterprise solution. This one has limited scalability.

I've never contacted technical support.

I have not really used another solution, aside from an offering from my ISP. 

The initial setup is very straightforward. You do not need a specialist. You just have to open the box and read some documentation. I have to download an app on my phone and scan a QR to enter a website. I gain access to a Wizard. Through that, I look for my device and start the process. I go through it step by step. Even if you have no expertise in technology, it's very simple.

I'd rate the ease of setup ten out of ten. 

The full deployment took about five minutes. You only have to configure the first IP. After that, you don't have to configure anything. It's very fast. Even if you have 25 IPs, you only have to configure one, and then the others you just have to power up.

I handled the setup myself. I did not need any outside assistance. Everything I needed was in the box. 

I have seen a good ROI. I've been more productive working from home and this solution facilitates that. It ensures we are safe and protected and the network can help us to be more stable.

The pricing is reasonable. I'd rate it seven out of ten. 

Whether it is affordable to other people depends on who is buying it and what they need it to do. It's not like TP-Link or something like that. There are a bit more features. 

There are also other solutions that are cheaper than this, however, they may not work the same. 

There are no additional costs. We pay just one price for the device itself. I'm not sure of the exact price. It might have been around $100.

I did evaluate other solutions previously. I understand what other solutions can do, more or less, however, I choose to use Aruba since I know what it can do and it offers a good price. 

I'm a user and also a distributor. 

It has devices that are switches and access points and it is managed via the cloud and the cloud is free. It's all unified. 

This solution can integrate other solutions, such as Clear Pass. You can easily configure it to connect to a radio server, for example. There are a lot of great advanced configurations.  It's very flexible. It's a very capable product. 

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

We primarily use the solution for connecting to our WiFi network. We use it to communicate with our internal network. It connects everything - telephones, tablets, et cetera. It's our company network.

This is a very solid product. It is very powerful.

The product offers a single management point.

Its features are excellent. 

The solution helps us to communicate internally effectively.

The administration functionality is very easy. It's very easy to configure. Plus, it has a lot of functionality in general.

The security is very good.

We have found the solution to be very user-friendly, especially compared to other products. 

It is easy to integrate with your network.

You can look into your network and see its health and usage very easily.

Troubleshooting problems is very simple.

The product is very simple to set up.

It can scale well.

The solution is stable and reliable. 

In general, they've done a very good job with the solution. 

However, we would like to see more done in the reporting. They should enhance reporting and add more features. 

We're always looking for more features and functionality. They should continue to do regular updates and continue to add to its capabilities, specifically around cloud functionality. It would help us be ready for what's next in the industry.

Technical support response times can be better.

I've been using the solution for six or seven years. 

The solution is very stable and reliable. I'd rate it nine out of ten. If you do the right setup and there are no misconfigurations, it will run for years without any problem. 

The solution can scale. I'd rate it nine out of ten for its ability to expand. 

We have around 12,000 or more end-users. We're a big company.

We've dealt with technical support and they are fine. However, response times could be faster. 

Neutral

I've had experience with Cisco. However, Aruba is more manageable. It also offers faster support.

The product is very simple to set up. It s not complex at all. If you have some prior knowledge, it is very simple to implement. 

There is very little maintenance. Often, no one needs to do anything, and it is stable for years. If you do the right setup, you don't need to worry about it. 

We have consultants that assist with the implementation process. 

The price is okay. However, it depends on the project. If you have a big project, you can get a good price. Also, you have lifetime support from Aruba, which is great. That can save a lot of money over time. 

I'm a partner with Aruba.

The solution offers a lifetime warranty.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. It is an exceptional solution. 

It is a solid, easy-to-use product with very good features. You can size it to fit your needs regardless of the size of the company. On top of that, it is simple to troubleshoot and is very fast to deploy. If you have an SLA with a two-hour support time, you will get faster support. It's good to consider SLAs at the outset.