Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN and Aruba Instant are prominent competitors in the wireless network solutions category. Cisco Meraki holds the upper hand in cloud management and network visibility, providing comprehensive control through its user-friendly dashboard. However, Aruba Instant is preferred for its flexibility and cost-effectiveness, especially noted for features like security and integration capabilities without the need for a dedicated controller.
Features: Cisco Meraki is celebrated for its user-friendly cloud management, facilitating excellent network visibility and remote troubleshooting capabilities. This solution is also noted for continuous updates and ease of implementation, offering significant management tools. Aruba Instant is known for its great flexibility and compatibility, boasting high-quality security options. It supports seamless connectivity and offers integration capabilities with various devices, all without the necessity for a dedicated controller.
Room for Improvement: Cisco Meraki's lack of granularity in logging and complexity in template integration for MSPs are points of concern. Furthermore, its rigid licensing model affects service continuity, and limited customization might hinder advanced users. In contrast, Aruba Instant users express the need for improved documentation and technical support. Performance issues with the captive portal and roaming capabilities, as well as enhancements needed in Aruba Central’s management features during access point restarts, are highlighted.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Meraki is known for straightforward deployment in both on-premises and cloud environments, backed by generally well-received technical support. Its support model is noted for responsiveness, though some service quality inconsistencies are reported. Aruba Instant emphasizes ease in deployment, particularly in on-premises and hybrid settings, with simplicity in setup being a notable attribute. While its technical support is deemed good, improving response times and knowledge depth could enhance the user experience.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco Meraki faces criticism for its licensing model that ceases functionality upon expiry, presenting a high long-term cost. Despite the hefty price, Meraki's investment is justified by robust features and effective management, promising potential ROI with reduced technical staffing needs. Conversely, Aruba Instant is recognized for its competitive pricing with no recurrent licensing costs, making it a cost-effective option for small to medium-sized enterprises. Aruba's affordability coupled with essential features delivers a satisfactory ROI.
Overall, it's a fair pricing and good in terms of cost-effectiveness or ROI.
I rate Aruba TAC as a 9 out of 10.
The technical support from Aruba is of high quality, and I would rate it a ten.
I would rate Cisco support a 10, as the response time and process via the dashboard are easy, and response times are always within the SLA.
It would be better if the SLA of technical support was less than four hours.
There are some problems with their technical support when it comes to the whole Meraki system.
I find Aruba Instant to be highly scalable.
I can add devices to my inventory and assign them to a new network, and it is for the most part automated and fairly quick.
Meraki is not scalable enough since it straightforwardly maps its products to segmented specifications.
Aruba is a known name in the market providing sufficient support for all these products.
Stability is not an issue for me because it comes with Cisco's proven manufacturer quality.
We have experienced many instances where we have experienced a lag in our network, and I am not sure if it is due to their devices or our network.
Some features are not listed in the cloud management platform and still require offline access, so enhancing the cloud management features would be better for us.
An important missing feature is the console port, which allows direct management without the cloud.
The most important improvement needed is to eliminate the limitation of uplinks.
I believe Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN can be improved by implementing enhancements to the Cisco AI assistant.
The solution supports Wi-Fi 6.
We do not sell very expensive devices as we move to other products.
However, when compared to entry-level market segments, the price is higher.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is on par with other devices in that category, offering competitive pricing.
It would be more competitive if Meraki would consider reducing the price or extending SD-WAN features to wireless devices.
My experience with the pricing of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is that it is competitive with other providers offering paid subscriptions.
I highly value Aruba Instant for its ClearPass feature, which is an exceptional product for network access control and works as a NAC solution.
Aruba Instant's intrusion detection feature stands for application visibility and includes their latest technology such as Wi-Fi 6E and remote monitoring capability.
The most beneficial features for network management are the price and the cloud console.
The capability to configure network policies remotely is the most important aspect for our organization, as we are an MSP providing remote support for all our clients.
It also manages security clients and switches, providing a single dashboard to manage multiple network infrastructures.
When I am troubleshooting wireless connections, I have access to detailed client statistics regarding disconnects, RF channel information, and other relevant data.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN | 9.7% |
| Aruba Instant | 2.5% |
| Other | 87.8% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 31 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 7 |
| Large Enterprise | 14 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 70 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 27 |
| Large Enterprise | 32 |
Aruba Instant offers efficient and secure WLAN access for small to medium-sized businesses, featuring simple setup and management for environments like offices and schools.
Aruba Instant stands out with a focus on easy installation and robust network management. Its features include cloud management, application visibility, seamless roaming, and strong security measures, making it a suitable choice for small to medium-sized businesses. Developers appreciate its role-based access and ability to manage multiple access points efficiently. With Bluetooth connectivity, virtual controller functionality, and ClearPass integration, it adapts well to different business requirements. However, enhancements in troubleshooting, documentation, connectivity, and security features would benefit users. Its role in providing WLAN access across various access points is invaluable for entities like cafes and schools.
What are the key features of Aruba Instant?Aruba Instant is a favored choice in industries like hospitality, education, and office environments, due to its adaptability and ease of management. Its ability to provide seamless connectivity and secure access makes it ideal for businesses scaling their network infrastructure, ensuring efficient management and reliable WLAN access.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN provides cloud-based management for remote configuration and network monitoring. It simplifies deployment and offers centralized control alongside high visibility.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is ideal for managing complex networks and infrastructures without on-site controllers. It features an intuitive dashboard for seamless device integration and robust security, ensuring stable connectivity. Users can easily make network adjustments, track real-time analytics, and set multiple access IDs. While effective, areas needing enhancement include detailed logging, improved security features, more competitive licensing, and better integration with other solutions. Advanced user and support features could also see upgrades, and its dashboard functionality may benefit from improvements. Feedback indicates concerns about coverage, device management, and technical support. Customization, scalability, and compatibility limitations are noted compared to some competing solutions.
What are Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN's features?Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is widely used across sectors like education, healthcare, retail, and corporate environments to manage client and guest access, secure networks, and integrate IoT devices. Schools, hospitals, offices, and data centers deploy it for its ease of deployment and centralized management. Resellers and integrators utilize it for networking and security solutions to ensure reliable connectivity in diverse environments.
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