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SunilNair1 - PeerSpot reviewer
AGM - Infrastructure & Information Security at Aster DM Healthcare Limited
Real User
Top 5
Highly scalable, stable and offers seamless expanding capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "The advantage I found is that they can be used as both on-premises devices and cloud-managed devices, with the option for an additional license to become cloud devices. This flexibility is very valuable to us."
  • "There is room for improvement in the pricing because the Aruba Central licenses add a high cost."

What is our primary use case?

We use Aruba switches, access points, and everything. We're a hospital chain. We've deployed them in at least 78 of our hospitals and are happy with the performance.

Overall, we're satisfied with the performance of our Aruba switches. They're working well for our current needs.

How has it helped my organization?

Our uptime has been flawless since implementing Aruba switches. 

We haven't had any issues expanding our network infrastructure with Aruba switches. Scalability and integration are excellent. I'd rate them nine out of ten.

What is most valuable?

The advantage I found is that they can be used as both on-premises devices and cloud-managed devices, with the option for an additional license to become cloud devices. This flexibility is very valuable to us.

What needs improvement?

There is room for improvement in the pricing because the Aruba Central licenses add a high cost.

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For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using it for the past couple of years, specifically the 2930 model.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's very stable. I'd rate it a nine out of ten, with ten being highly stable. We haven't had any issues so far, so I'm happy with it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We haven't had any scaling issues, so I'd rate it a nine out of ten, with ten being highly scalable. 

I have 19 people using it. They are network engineers who maintain the switches.

The network is our core business, so we use it constantly. It's always configured and running in our hospitals.

How are customer service and support?

We haven't had the need to open a technical support ticket yet. Everything has gone smoothly so far.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We had a heterogeneous network with Aruba and Cisco switches. Both worked fine, but we switched to Aruba for cost reasons.

How was the initial setup?

I would rate my experience with the initial setup a nine out of ten, with ten being easy. 

The deployment itself shouldn't take long. Our network team handles it, and I haven't heard any complaints about the deployment process.

What about the implementation team?

An HP partner did the deployment for us, and we just handled the configuration. They applied everything, and we took care of the authentication procedures and access points.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I would rate the pricing a six out of ten, with ten being expensive. The hardware itself is reasonable, but the licensing can be a bit expensive especially the Aruba Central licenses.

What other advice do I have?

It's good overall. However, I plan to implement centralized management, which might slightly increase the licensing cost. But beyond that, it's been very positive.

So, if I consider stability, I would rate it a ten out of ten because I never faced any issues at all. But regarding cost, especially the licensing, Aruba needs to consider how that impacts your budget. Maybe somewhere between seven out o ten, compared to Meraki switches.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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AmrIssa - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Information officer at Mobica Advanced
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
A product with a good GUI that needs to be made available with a longer life span for its users
Pros and Cons
  • "Aruba offers better options when it comes to the area of scalability compared to what Cisco offers. Aruba has a better graphical user interface that helps users with the configuration part."
  • "From an improvement perspective, I want Aruba Switches to have a longer life since it doesn't work properly after five years of use."

What is our primary use case?

I use the tool in my company for our infrastructure's network switches, access points, and the controllers that the product provides.

What needs improvement?

There were some issues in Aruba Switches, specifically Aruba PoE Switches since working with it in our company damaged our network. The timer and the internal battery in Aruba Switches don't work sometimes, and if users want to replace the battery, it is not safe. Sometimes, there is a need to configure and reconfigure Aruba Switches every two or three months to avoid cutting off the power of the product. Considering the need to

reconfigure the switches in the controller when it comes to Aruba, I would say that, comparatively, Cisco is a stable product.

From an improvement perspective, I want Aruba Switches to have a longer life since it doesn't work properly after five years of use.

If a user wants to configure Aruba Switches after using it for five years, there is a need to keep reconfiguring the product, the controller, and access points every three to five months, which is very problematic. Considering the controllers or the access points attached to Cisco at multiple sites in our company, I can say that the switches from Cisco are good when it comes to the setup phase. If I compare the switches and controllers from Aruba and Cisco, I would say that the products that fall under Cisco's side are better.

Aruba Switches should have a longer life and not just a product that offers stability for five years. The tool should be able to function properly for around ten years. Considering factors like infrastructure, cost, management, and business decisions, the production is able to offer a long life to users.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have experience with Aruba Switches. I don't remember the model of the solution.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability-wise, I rate the solution a six out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

Aruba offers better options when it comes to the area of scalability compared to what Cisco offers. Aruba has a better graphical user interface that helps users with the configuration part.

Around 200 people in my company use the product. There are two administrators for the product in my company.

How are customer service and support?

My company doesn't use any technical support from Aruba because the switches we use are very old.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Before Aruba Switches, my company used switches from 3Com, HPE, Dell, and many other vendors for around nine years. After a period of nine years, my company switched to Aruba Switches. My company chose Aruba Switches since we wanted to move to a new product. Presently, my company's experience with Aruba Switches has been very bad.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Aruba Switches are very expensive. The product has many features printed on it, but the problem my company faces with the product is related to the fact that there is a need to reconfigure the solution every two months or three months after five years. Aruba Switches don't work properly in a stable manner after five years.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

My company may opt to upgrade our network and infrastructure in the future, so we are considering the switches from Aruba and Cisco.

What other advice do I have?

I won't suggest other people buy Aruba Switches since, for any infrastructure or network, the tool may come across as a costly product for the owner. Users expect the product to offer a long-life appliance for the infrastructure. I personally recommend Cisco Switches since it offers a longer life when compared to Aruba Switches.

I rate the overall tool a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Consultant at Lantec
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Affordable and feature-rich network solutions with dual control plane benefits
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of Aruba Switches include the dual control plane, stackable features such as stack V6 and VSF stacks."
  • "Aruba Switches don't need licenses to activate features and work straight out of the box, which is an advantage over some competitors. This implies less room for complaints compared with other solutions."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use cases for Aruba Switches are for campus networks and data center stackable switch solutions.

How has it helped my organization?

Aruba Switches have provided significant improvements to my organization by offering robust networking solutions without the need for additional licenses.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Aruba Switches include the dual control plane, stackable features such as stack V6 and VSF stacks. Additionally, the switches work with all necessary features out of the box, without requiring additional licenses.

What needs improvement?

Aruba Switches don't need licenses to activate features and work straight out of the box, which is an advantage over some competitors. This implies less room for complaints compared with other solutions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used Aruba Switches for about five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Aruba Switches is high, as rated ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Aruba Switches offer high scalability, receiving a ten out of ten rating.

How are customer service and support?

The customer service and support from Aruba are rated ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We work with Cisco and Juniper where extra licenses are often needed to activate features, which is not the case with Aruba Switches.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was easy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Aruba Switches are rated six out of ten when it comes to pricing, which means they might be more affordable compared with other vendors since they do not require additional licensing for features.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Other solutions that could be evaluated include Microsoft tools, AWS, and Juniper.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend Aruba Switches as they are more affordable compared to other vendors and do not require additional licensing for our customers.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
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Umer Uzair - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manger - Solutions Design & Engineering at PureCS
Real User
Top 5
Easy configuration and efficient integration with an easy installation process
Pros and Cons
  • "They are easy to configure and integrate well with the Aruba ecosystem."
  • "The power supplies are generally susceptible to power fluctuations and failure due to these fluctuations."

What is our primary use case?

We are using it for LAN Switches in our corporate offices with PoE switches and access points. This is primarily a normal LAN switching use case.

What is most valuable?

They are easy to configure and integrate well with the Aruba ecosystem.

What needs improvement?

The power supplies are generally susceptible to power fluctuations and failure due to these fluctuations.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using it for four years as Aruba Access Point as well.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There are no serious bugs. The solution is pretty stable.

How are customer service and support?

The customer service is rated nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The installation is easy. We generally have only one person deploying it.

What was our ROI?

I have not quantified it exactly, but I would estimate a twenty percent cost savings or improvement in efficiency of operations.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is a bit on the pricey side.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We had been comparing other vendors, such as Cisco.

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Solutions Architect Infrastructure and Security Manager at Jumbo Electronics Co. Ltd. LLC.
Reseller
Top 5
Reasonably priced, provides comprehensive features, and saves costs
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution helps us save costs."
  • "The tool must provide a controller-based architecture."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution in the education, manufacturing, and hospitality industries.

How has it helped my organization?

The solution helps us save costs.

What is most valuable?

The technology is equivalent to any other vendor in the market. The tool has comprehensive features. The products and services provided by Aruba are very stable and mature.

What needs improvement?

The tool must provide a controller-based architecture. It will enable interaction with northbound applications and southbound fabrics.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is very stable. I rate the stability a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product’s scalability is very good. It can scale to any level horizontally and vertically. Scalability is not a challenge. I rate the scalability a ten out of ten.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy. The deployment can be done within 15 to 20 minutes. We have customers both on-premise and on the cloud. The orchestration is on the cloud and on-premise. The cloud solutions are very comprehensive. We can manage multiple sites and locations. It doesn't bind us to one specific location.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product provides a perpetual license. It doesn't have a subscription-based licensing model. Aruba’s licensing structure is very flexible compared to other vendors. The price is reasonable.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Compared to Cisco and Juniper, Aruba is cost-effective. All the products have similar features. Aruba provides very good switches.

What other advice do I have?

I strongly recommend the tool to others. It is scalable and reasonably priced. Overall, I rate the product a ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Project Manager at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
User
Top 5
Reliability and pricing advantages improve network efficiency
Pros and Cons
  • "The pricing of Aruba Switches is good compared to Cisco."
  • "The initial setup is not easy."

What is our primary use case?

The most typical use case for Aruba Switches is its reliability and good pricing compared to other solutions like Cisco.

How has it helped my organization?

Aruba Switches are reliable and easy to install and configure, which greatly helps maintain network integrity and efficiency in our operations.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Aruba Switches include the basic features like STP and RSTP, as well as its reliability and ease of installation. The hardware is also considered better than Cisco, which is a significant advantage.

What needs improvement?

Although the pricing of Aruba Switches is good compared to Cisco, there is room for improvement in further reducing the cost to make it more preferable.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have experience working with Aruba Switches for more than 12 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Aruba Switches is near perfect, rated nine to ten out of ten. I find it very reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate the scalability of Aruba Switches as high, giving it a score of eight to nine out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support from Aruba is good. I rarely need to use it due to my expertise; the support is really nice, and the people are experienced.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not easy, so I rate it a five out of ten. It requires prior knowledge of switching instructions, although I find it manageable due to my over 25 years of experience with switches.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing of Aruba Switches is good compared to Cisco. If they further reduce the price, it would be preferable.

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
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Director, Technical Solutions at Sigma.3 Pte Ltd
Reseller
User-friendly management, suitable for enterprises, and simple to configure
Pros and Cons
  • "When it comes to basic L2 switching, we've found that Aruba switches are very user-friendly in terms of configuration and management. I haven't had the opportunity to utilize Aruba Central for managing the switches yet, so I can't speak to that aspect. However, overall, we've found the deployment process for Aruba switches to be very straightforward."
  • "The port flexibility on the 54 series, specifically the 5406 for core usage, could be improved. When I want to upgrade to 10G, I don't have many options to choose from."

What is our primary use case?

Aruba switches are primarily used as L2 switches, with some used as L3 switches as well. The ProCurve series is most commonly used, rather than the HEC or 192 series. The switches are also used for IPTV and multicast.

What is most valuable?

When it comes to basic L2 switching, we've found that Aruba switches are very user-friendly in terms of configuration and management. I haven't had the opportunity to utilize Aruba Central for managing the switches yet, so I can't speak to that aspect. However, overall, we've found the deployment process for Aruba switches to be very straightforward.

What needs improvement?

The port flexibility on the 54 series, specifically the 5406 for core usage, could be improved. When I want to upgrade to 10G, I don't have many options to choose from.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Aruba Switches for approximately 12 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In regards to setup and reliability, we have observed that Aruba Switches function well in various settings. Incidents with the switches have been infrequent, with only one out of 20 switches experiencing failure every three years. This results in a low mean time between failures. On a practical level, as long as the switches are well-ventilated, they have not failed in our server room.

In terms of stability, configuration, and deployment, Aruba Switches are very good. For IPTV, we use the 26 and 29 series and they have been working very well.

When using multicast, some switches may have issues with jitter when implementing IGMP. However, we have not encountered this issue with the 26 and 29 series of Aruba Switches.

The solution is not 100 percent stable but they are highly stable.

I rate the stability of Aruba Switches a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I don't use the full switching capacity, it is very difficult for me to comment on.

Some  Aruba Switches are quite scalable, but port flexibility could be improved. If I were to rate the general series switches, I would rate them an eight out of ten. However, for the core switch, I would rate them a six out of ten.

Aruba Switches are best suited for enterprise-sized companies.

How are customer service and support?

The support Aruba Switches provides is very poor and needs improvement. They have knowledge of the solutions, but it is difficult to engage with them.

I rate the support from Aruba Switches a two out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Negative

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We mainly use Aruba, Ruckus, and Cisco in our product line. When comparing them, Aruba and Ruckus are similar. I prefer Ruckus core switches as they have more flexibility for deployment. However, Cisco has a much higher price point and their core switches lack flexibility.

I find Aruba Switches' port flexibility is much better than Cisco. However, performance-wise, Cisco is the best.

How was the initial setup?

The deployment process for Aruba switches is very simple. 

I rate the initial setup of Aruba Switches an eight out of ten.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There is not a switch that I would give more than six out of ten for pricing because, over the last year, the prices have been increasing very high.

I placed an order for the switches nearly 11 months ago but still have not received them due to issues with price and availability.

Aruba Switches are no longer among the cheaper switchers. Their new switch series is expensive.

I rate the price of Aruba Switches a five out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

Aruba Switches are easy to deploy and configure compared to other brands like Cisco, which require more time for inter-switch configuration. Aruba Switches provides more flexibility in this regard. However, the main downside is when it comes to authentication and access control lists (ACL) on the switch, it can be more complex with Aruba Switches compared to Ruckus.

I rate Aruba Switches a seven out of ten.

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. Reseller
PeerSpot user
Senior Solutions Architect at Royal Technology Solutions LLC
Reseller
Is cost-effective but needs to be more user-friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "Aruba has a good switching solution. It has some basic security features and full switching features for the company. It’s not used as a security device, but it has some basic features like configuring ACL. However, it cannot be used as a complete security solution. The primary thing our clients look for in Aruba, or HPE now since HP acquired Aruba, is cost-effectiveness. Aruba is a good choice if the customer has budget limitations. We recommend Aruba switches because they are less expensive than Cisco but provide the same features."
  • "Aruba should be made more user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

We are business partners for various small and medium enterprises. We get requests from customers for an existing network upgrade or a new field requirement. Based on the customer's requirement, we provide solutions from Aruba or whichever the customer wants.

What is most valuable?

Aruba has a good switching solution. It has some basic security features and full switching features for the company. It’s not used as a security device, but it has some basic features like configuring ACL. However, it cannot be used as a complete security solution.

The primary thing our clients look for in Aruba, or HPE now since HP acquired Aruba, is cost-effectiveness. Aruba is a good choice if the customer has budget limitations. We recommend Aruba switches because they are less expensive than Cisco but still provide the same features.

What needs improvement?

Aruba should be made more user-friendly.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Aruba Switches for a long time. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good since I haven’t experienced any major critical issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution. 

How are customer service and support?

HPE provides good support for Switches.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The deployment of Aruba Switches is not tricky.

Managing Aruba switches isn’t very difficult. It should be easy to handle if you have hands-on experience with Cisco switches.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The cost depends on the requirement. An extensive network will expand the budget. The price will be lower if there is a small requirement of one to ten switches. In comparison, Aruba is less costly than Cisco by about 10-20%.

What other advice do I have?

I haven't used any AI analytics features with it yet, but the latest switches include cloud AI features.

In comparison to Aruba, Cisco is very user-friendly. Aruba could be more user-friendly since I am accustomed to working with Cisco.

I would recommend Aruba Switches to others and rate it seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. reseller
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