Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users
Network Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Good performance, easy to use, quickly configurable, and affordable
Pros and Cons
  • "These switches have a good performance, and they are also quickly configurable."
  • "We had an issue with the hardware where one or two interfaces went down after one and a half years. This issue impacted only one or two interfaces, not the whole hardware."

What is our primary use case?

I am working in a solution-based company. Whenever we get the product, we create a template and deploy it on the customer's site.

We deal with different versions of this product based on a customer's requirements. I have deployed three Aruba 320M Series switches. One of our customers is a marketing company, and they used Aruba switches for LAN purposes. They used the 2930 and 3810 series, and we configured them according to their requirements with LAN, lags, trunking port, etc.

What is most valuable?

These switches have a good performance, and they are also quickly configurable. 

What needs improvement?

We had an issue with the hardware where one or two interfaces went down after one and a half years. This issue impacted only one or two interfaces, not the whole hardware.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I did not have any issues related to its stability.

Buyer's Guide
Aruba Switches
June 2025
Learn what your peers think about Aruba Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
859,545 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is easy to scale. Our customers are medium-sized companies.

How are customer service and support?

Their support is good. We once faced an issue related to the programming or configuration of a switch, and we had raised a ticket with them. Their support engineer had a look and resolved the issue.

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

We also use Cisco switches. In terms of configuration, Cisco switches are easier than Aruba switches. The configuration commands of Aruba switches are quite similar to Cisco switches. There is just a little bit of difference in the trunking commands and lab configuration.

In terms of scalability, security, and performance, there is no difference between Cisco and Aruba switches. In terms of features, the VRF feature in Aruba switches is better than the one in Cisco switches. This feature is called stack in Cisco switches.

How was the initial setup?

It is a simple process. It is easy to configure Aruba switches. 

The deployment duration depends on customer requirements and the number of switches. For a small setup, we can do the configuration within one or two days. For a big setup, it will take more time.

What about the implementation team?

We are an integrator. We also do the maintenance.

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

I don't know the exact cost of the licensing, but based on what I have heard from my sales team, Aruba is affordable. Aruba switches are cheaper than the switches from Cisco and other vendors.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution depending on the requirements. It is easy to use and affordable. It is cheaper than other solutions.

I would rate Aruba switches an eight 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. Integrator
PeerSpot user
Network Team Lead at ElSewedy Education
Consultant
Responsive and helpful support, easy to manage, and includes a good monitoring tool
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are stability, ease of management, and the monitoring tool."
  • "The command-line interface could be easier to use, perhaps having voice control."

What is our primary use case?

I use Aruba wired and wireless switches as part of my network infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are stability, ease of management, and the monitoring tool.

These switches offer high availability and support stacking.

The audit feature gives me the ability to trust Aruba. 

The layer three switches are very scalable and very reliable.

What needs improvement?

The command-line interface could be easier to use, perhaps having voice control.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Aruba Switches for a year and a half.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Our network environment is very stable with these switches, including wireless coverage.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have approximately 100 switches and serve about 2,000 users.

How are customer service and technical support?

The support team has a very fast response and they are very useful.

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

Our old environment was also built from Aruba products, which means that all of the components are compatible with each other.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward and very easy. In the last project that we deployed, I and one engineer configured about 100 switches in two days.

What about the implementation team?

Our network team includes two people who are responsible for deployment and maintenance.

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

The pricing is perfect.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, this is a good product that has all of the features I need. I plan on continuing to use these switches and I can recommend them to others.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Aruba Switches
June 2025
Learn what your peers think about Aruba Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
859,545 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1428423 - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Technical Support at a real estate/law firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Extremely reliable with great back-up and support provided
Pros and Cons
  • "They provide great service in terms of replacing malfunctioning switches."
  • "It's an expensive product."

What is our primary use case?

These are ethernet switches that provide power over the net for our PoE requirements, basically layer two and layer three features that we have. I'm the head of technical support and we are customers of Aruba. 

What is most valuable?

One valuable feature about HP is the warranty. All switches are very similar when it comes to most functionalities. Mostly switches provide a one-year warranty, but with HPE switches, if there's a unit that malfunctions, we call them and they replace it the next business day if that line is still available. We had a switch we reported the other day, it was a 25-10, which we procured way back, around 2014, and they replaced it. In general, HP provides a lot of support for its products. We will be doing some tinkering on the VLAN soon, first the layer two, and then connecting the layer three functionalities for some other departments. The advantage of Aruba compared to other switches is their reliability. If the product is trustworthy, I'll continue to use it. 

What needs improvement?

The cost of the solution could be improved. Before it became Aruba, it was a cheaper product. When Aruba was acquired by HPE, the prices went up. Most features I would want are there already. It's basically the upgrade, in terms of speed, and the price aspect that are issues for us. Right now we have the new switches, the Pen G features, which are still very expensive. Maybe in two or three years, these switches will be more affordable. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for seven years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is a scalable product, the whole department uses them. 

How are customer service and technical support?

HP have had problems with support from time to time but they're quite good. We report when we need and then they replace what's required. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. They have certain manuals which we can follow on how to define the VLANs and other things, including some of the security. As far as the programming is concerned, I think it's very similar to Cisco. We have an IT team for our implementations and we've built the competency inside. We get the product, we get the manuals, we download and we test it and see if we can do it. If we cannot do it then we ask the vendor for support. We define the IP addresses that we can access remotely and the rest can be done from our office. It's more about testing the equipment to see if it works. 

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Aruba switches. 

I would rate this product a nine out of 10. 

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.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1401510 - PeerSpot reviewer
Team leader technical support at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Provides plenty of options for automation and programming, a way forward for networking as a whole
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution has great open architecture."
  • "It's a little less convenient for more simplified management needs."

What is our primary use case?

We had a need to implement a distributed data center, split over two different sites, which were still more or less in each other's vicinity, less than a kilometer apart. The Aruba CX line products was one of the candidates in review and it was deemed the most logical choice We are customers of Aruba and I'm the team leader of technical support.

What is most valuable?

What I like about the product is its open architecture, the API based line of thought, so to speak. There are plenty of options and possibilities for automation and programming. We see that as a way forward for networking as a whole. These are data center switches and it provides a good use case for programming and the like.

What needs improvement?

The solution is a little less convenient for more simplified management needs. It doesn't use a traditional, classical user interface for small changes. For monitoring, it's fine, but for small changes, less so. It means that our staff who have a less technical background are not able to help out with minor changes - the environment is less suitable for them.

I do think the graphical user interface for small changes could use some more love, so to speak. But let me reiterate that it's only required for staff that is less knowledgeable. For larger rollouts, larger deployment, everything ought to be API and program based. And in that department, the environment is quite sufficient.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for a couple of months. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is great. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is great. 

How are customer service and technical support?

We're very happy with the technical support, they're doing a great job. 

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

We switched to this product because the previous solution had reached its end of support and end of life.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup had some complexity to it. Implementation took about two or three months, but that was right at the top of the COVID-19 breakout here in the Netherlands. So we had quite a bit of a setback due to that. If it wasn't like that, it might've taken less time. Our network partner carried out the deployment - they did a great job. In normal times, we'd have between 500-600 users, but for now there are about 300 using the solution. Maintenance is not an issue. We don't have plans to increase usage for now. Our on-premise deployment has suffered a lot due to the COVID-19 outbreak so we have less customers on premises which means that for now there's no further deployment necessary.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at the Cisco option, but since we already had Aruba wireless and we had virtually no Cisco products in our environments, we went for Aruba. 

What other advice do I have?

If you start using these products, then it's a good idea to check whether the product that you're going to use is in the same management fabric. We use a slightly different hardware architecture for the access switches, the 2930f environment, and that uses a different management layer. So if I was to think about it again, I would try to see if it's possible to get the whole environment within the same management fabric. By doing that you ease up on a lot of the manageability issues.

I would rate this solution a nine out of 10. 

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.
PeerSpot user
it_user1290918 - PeerSpot reviewer
Assistant Manager IT at Suzuki Motor Gujtarat
Real User
Flexible and easy-to-use
Pros and Cons
  • "We didn't experience any stability or scalability issues until now with Aruba Switches"
  • "If you work for a small business, then Cisco would be best."

What is our primary use case?

I use Aruba switches to provide a stable and comfortable industrial environment.

What is most valuable?

Aruba switches are more flexible, easy to use, have a good topology and are self-managing.

What needs improvement?

I have an opinion about Aruba controllers. Aruba access points do not require any controllers. Aruba controllers have different VLANS and there is no need to configure the access points, rather only the controller. You can put different VLANs on the same controllers. You don’t need to reconfigure it. This is a good feature that would be a good vehicle to use in the next release.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have four years of experience using Aruba Switches.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We didn't experience any stability or scalability issues until now with Aruba Switches

How are customer service and technical support?

We actually are the technical support because we are from HP. We give Aruba support and LT support to Aruba customers and users.

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

So, because my basic profile is network only, I have experience with wifi solutions like Aruba, Cisco, Ruckus and switches also dealing with Cisco and Aruba Switches and HPE switches also— 3Com. I also work with voice environments like Siemens IP PBX, HiPath, Siemens data and Jira. I also worked with Avaya PBX and Nortel PBX.

I was in HP for more than four years where I was the team leader, managing 14 locations and area network and voice leader.

What other advice do I have?

I have four years of experience working with Aruba but I have more than 10 years of experience with Cisco. If you are working in the manufacturing industry or in an environment with high heat and high temperatures, then I would recommend Aruba Switches, but if you work for a small business, then Cisco would be best.

Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give Aruba Switches a nine. We do not give out ratings of 100% quality on any products.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Senior Network Specialist at Al Ghurair Investments
Real User
Top 20
Good security, stable, and a lifetime warranty is available, but the price should be reduced
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the security that these switches provide."
  • "We would like to see centralized, cloud-based management."

What is our primary use case?

We use Aruba switches as part of our network infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the security that these switches provide.

What needs improvement?

We would like to see centralized, cloud-based management.

If the price were lower then it would be more competitive with other products by vendors such as Cisco and Ruckus.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Aruba switches for more than ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In our experience, this is a stable product. Once they are configured, you rarely get any problems.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have rarely had problems with our switches. When there is an issue with the hardware, it is replaced on the spot because we bought the lifetime limited warranty for them.

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

The price of these switches is high.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

The most popular vendors for this type of product in the UAE are Cisco, HPE, and Ruckus.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

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.
PeerSpot user
Manager IT at Hormann Legnica Sp. z o.o.
Real User
Great monitoring, an easy setup and capable of scaling
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution's most valuable aspect is its monitoring capabilities."
  • "The element of security always can be improved. If the solution continues to improve its security functionality, it will continue to be a great product."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for our company, in the office. We use it for its monitoring capabilities.

What is most valuable?

The solution's most valuable aspect is its monitoring capabilities. It works great for our organization.

What needs improvement?

Overall, it's a very good product. There isn't really a feature that needs to be simplified or improved.

The element of security always can be improved. If the solution continues to improve its security functionality, it will continue to be a great product.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for around five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. We haven't had any issues with the reliability at all. It doesn't crash. There aren't bugs and glitches that affect the way it works.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. If an organization needs to expand it out, they should be able to do so easily. The saying is quite good.

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

Although we've heard of Cisco, we never use it. We wouldn't recommend the solution above Aruba.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was not complex at all. It was fairly straightforward.

What other advice do I have?

We're only an Aruba customer. We don't have any special relationship with Aruba.

I recommend the product. It's very good. I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. If the security was just a little bit better, I would give it full marks. As it is right now, the security could always be improved upon.

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.
PeerSpot user
AmrIssa - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Information officer at Mobica Advanced
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Good GUI, easy to configure and use, and offers a good transfer rate
Pros and Cons
  • "Aruba access points have a good transfer rate."
  • "They should provide training courses for certification, and have it available on the internet."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of this solution is for access points. You can look at any site and take the static ID, or the real ID. It's similar to VPN.

With the access point, you take the real ID and install it in the controller, you then access the site with this access point.

We are interior designers and we have many showroom sites, we use the Aruba controller. We have twenty-five Aruba Switches with fifteen to twenty access points.

We are using the 205 and 215 series. The bandwidth is 1gHz.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are the controller and the access points. Aruba access points have a good transfer rate.

It is powerful for the internet, the GUI is good, the configuration is very good, and it is very easy to use. In contrast, the Cisco configuration does not have a GUI.

Aruba has many features that are very good.

What needs improvement?

Managing Aruba Switches is not as good as Cisco Controller.

The switch needs to be bigger than it is now. Increasing the number of gigabytes in the switch would improve the switch interacting. You can download the DBS or the datasheet to see the switch interacting.

The switch interacting is the transfer of data from the port to the switch.

They should provide training courses for certification, and have it available on the internet.

They need to increase marketing for their products, especially for the solutions that are stable and very hard working. They should plan an event to market this solution.

Aruba could consider opening a training center for engineering, or IT students.

A suggestion would be to see the unit have a configuration switch like SMTP to send an email to the users if the performance is delayed or down. That would be very useful.

In the command line, we can configure in SMTP to send an email alert to the user and the support worldwide, so that they can know about the problem before it happens.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for approximately four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This solution is very stable.

We have two ways to do the configuration. There are the standard way and Care. If you configure Care, we have a controller and things are fine.

We can deploy the configuration by the controller appliance. The access point can be made into a controller.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

With many ports, we blended for the first time and we did not face any problems.

You have to have a plan to expand or increase to a table or other devices.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is okay, I would rate them a four out of five.

We had some issues with resetting the password, it requires a special technique, there is some reconfiguration involved. 

The guide on the internet is very helpful and easy. You can do a specific search on the internet describing the error or the problem and you will get a very simple, easy, and quick answer.

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

We have a client who has a nine-story apartment building and in our design, and we researched the internet for different access points. 

We presented the client with Cisco and TriCom, but our customer was not satisfied. We then introduced Aruba to the client and he was satisfied with the performance and our design.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. It only took fifteen minutes to deploy.

It depends on the number of VLAN, or if there are any rules in the switch. This is all according to the configuration and the settings.

We have three engineers helping with the deployment.

What about the implementation team?

We did not use a vendor team to implement this solution. We did it ourselves.

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

This solution is not cheap and they don't have a plan to certify it as Cisco does. Cisco is a famous vendor with options for certification.

Aruba does not have a certified license in ARC and CNV. Their certification is for the marketing of the device in Cisco.

The license is annual. If you purchase a switch, you get a one-year free subscription.

Aruba has better pricing than Cisco.

What other advice do I have?

We used and configured Tricom Switches. HP merged with Tricom and the company after that Aruba merged with HP.

The switch became very different, it is good and has a different configuration.

We have had a few problems in our company, we have had some conflicts in the configuration.

Aruba was the first company to introduce access points, as far back as ten years ago.

It's a good product, but it's not equal to Cisco. It's better. I compare it with Cisco and Aruba is a better switch. With Cisco,  you buy the name, history, and global branding.

If an engineer or any company ask me about network solutions, I recommend Aruba.

I have some concerns because not many engineers write on the command line in Aruba. Not many engineers know the solution, unlike Cisco, which is well known in the education industry and on the market.

If you can configure the Aruba Switch for the very first time without any issues, then you are a very good engineer, you know the solution.

Aruba Access points, controller, and performance are the best!

I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Aruba Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: June 2025
Product Categories
Ethernet Switches
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Aruba Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.