Aruba Switches vs Nokia Ethernet Service Switch comparison

Aruba Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Switches

Ranking in Ethernet Switches

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

Ranking in Ethernet Switches

22nd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

3.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 8.9%, down from 10.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is 1.2%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Aruba Switches	8.9%
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch	1.2%
Other	89.9%

Ethernet Switches

Featured Reviews

Aneesh K

IT Solution Analyst II at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees

Has supported dynamic user segmentation and centralized management across campus networks

The best features of Aruba Switches are their stability and reliability. Hardware failures are rare because the switches have been running for years, and it is uncommon to encounter hardware issues or impacting bugs. From an operational perspective, Aruba Switches are stable and easy to configure through centralized management solutions. Initially managed through AirWave and now through Central, the configuration can be managed easily with audit records and visibility to switch health and other parameters. Another advantage is that Aruba Switches work seamlessly with ClearPass as a NAC server. This integration allows for dynamic policies, dynamic downloadable user roles, and enables seamless segmentation of users for network security. The real-time analytics provided by Aruba Switches for network efficiency are valuable when needed. All information visible in the analytics dashboard is truly helpful. With Aruba Central's migration to AI capability, additional value is being provided, offering more information and making troubleshooting easier with user-friendly features where you can search for anything and receive relevant results.

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Lavanya .P

Project Manager and Assistant General Manager at tele

Ensures network reliability and meets compliance requirements

We can understand the customer network better and propose products accordingly as areas for improvement. Engaging with customers directly would improve how that could be done easily. Many times there is a requirement for very low-end products, which Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is not currently marketing many of the lower-end products.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable feature is the switches are reliable and replaced for free if anything goes wrong."

"One of the most valuable features of Aruba Switches is the security and cybersecurity features they have."

"The most valuable feature is the Aruba Smart Rate Port."

"What I like about the product is its open architecture, the API based line of thought, so to speak, with plenty of options and possibilities for automation and programming, which we see as the way forward for networking as a whole."

"The most valuable features of Aruba Switches are the use of use and user-friendliness."

"The durability of Aruba Switches is essentially beneficial since, once installed, we can forget about them for years."

"Aruba's SameNet platform allows for a seamless transition from the data center to access switches, unlike Cisco, which has different operating systems for each."

"The technical support is fantastic! Absolutely fantastic."

More Aruba Switches pros

"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."

"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."

"7210 SAS help transformed our legacy network to an MPLS based services and improved the network performance and availability."

"The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability."

"The solution saves time and money for my customer in terms of reliability and product durability."

"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."

"The most valuable feature is the product's availability."

"On several occasions we encountered major issues with the solution and have found the Nokia technical support to be quite supportive."

Cons

"Aruba's website should be localized to support the Indonesian language. The content of their website and the help desk should be in the Indonesian language."

"The written documentation, all the available documentation, is often a little bit hard to find. The solution lacks documentation, especially on recent features. We have access directly to Aruba, Germany, so they are always helpful, but if you start, for instance, with something a little bit more complex like zero-touch provisioning, that would require a more comprehensive written piece."

"In my opinion, Aruba's new features, like the new firmware, need to be improved."

"There’s always space for improvement. Improvements are mainly minor in handling, like the web interface."

"I would like to see easier learning and configuration from previous switch deployments."

"Not a ten out of ten because there were some major issues like configuration conflicts and by the time we got to solve them, it was a bit of a nightmare until we got it up and running."

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

"The biggest issue right now is the delivery timeline. It takes too long to get the product."

More Aruba Switches cons

"I would suggest improvements regarding enhancing support response times and implementing user interface modifications for quicker and more user-friendly interactions."

"I would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use."

"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."

"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."

"This solution is not particularly flexible."

"We would like to have an unified monitoring system, while Nokia have different monitoring system for different product, we find it to be quite troublesome."

"The release is not very stable. You should have stability in the card."

"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."

More Nokia Ethernet Service Switch cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aruba Switches are very expensive."

"This is an expensive product, costing about double what most competitors do."

"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%."

"I am paying for the hardware and Aruba Central licenses, but I would like a version of Aruba Central to come out with a light version with a few features turned off. Ubiquiti and other vendors have free tools. I believe they're looking at that, but it's not out yet. I hope they will release that to make it competitive because I'm using an enterprise-class switch for small businesses. We're looking for some of those capabilities, but not all of them."

"The price point was a big consideration for us and it is reasonable enough that we're able to standardize on Aruba for the networking pieces in our organization."

"There are no licensing costs for the Aruba Switches."

"Cost-wise, you get some good savings as compared to Cisco."

"It is a little bit expensive. It can be cheaper."

More Aruba Switches pricing and cost advice

"The price of the solution is very competitive in comparison with that of the competition."

"It is quite expensive compared to alternative technologies."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

11%

Performing Arts

10%

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	50
Midsize Enterprise	19
Large Enterprise	22

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Switches?

In terms of pricing for Aruba Switches, I would rate it a five. They are quite expensive devices.

What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?

Technology is constantly advancing, and although more security is always needed, our networks are still old, so we mostly need to modernize our installations. Regarding integration capabilities, th...

What is your primary use case for Aruba Switches?

Aruba Switches are used in our organization for a straightforward purpose. We started with the HP line, and when Aruba came into the picture, we began using them for our network infrastructure. The...

What needs improvement with Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?

What is your primary use case for Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?

I am a system integrator working for different customers. My clients use this product for their network, either for network upgrade or new rollout.

What advice do you have for others considering Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?

This possibility could be provided by the vendor. I advise people looking to use Nokia Ethernet Service Switch to always look for reliability rather than going for cheaper Chinese products. On a sc...

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs Aruba Switches

Comparisons

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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs Aruba Switches

Compared 9% of the time

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs Aruba Switches

Compared 9% of the time

HPE Ethernet Switches vs Aruba Switches

Compared 6% of the time

Ubiquiti UniFi Switches vs Aruba Switches

Compared 4% of the time

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Juniper QFX Series Switches vs Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

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Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

Compared 8% of the time

NVIDIA Mellanox vs Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

Compared 5% of the time

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Product Reports

Aruba Switches

Download Aruba Switches product report

Ethernet Switches

Download Nokia Ethernet Service Switch product report

Also Known As

8400 Series, 8320 Series, 5400R Series, 3810 Series, 2930M Series, 2930F Series, 2920 Series, 2540 Series, 2530 Series

Nokia ESS, Nokia 7450 Ethernet Service Switch, Nokia 7450 ESS

Overview

Aruba Switches provide centralized management through Aruba Central, offering robust security, reliability, and seamless integration with ClearPass. They are known for scalability, affordability, and easy configuration, catering to diverse network infrastructures across industries.

Aruba Switches are favored for their centralized management capabilities using a GUI that mirrors Cisco's CLI, ensuring a user-friendly experience. Seamlessly integrating with ClearPass, they support dynamic policies and offer excellent technical support with a lifetime warranty. Their high-performance capabilities, modular architecture, and diverse product range are supported by comprehensive documentation. Cloud and on-premises management options offer flexibility for enterprise networking needs. Users note areas for improvement, such as enhanced platform integration, dashboard functionality, and port flexibility. Enhanced training and technical support, along with improved hardware stability, are requested.

What are the key features of Aruba Switches?

Centralized Management: Manage switches via Aruba Central with a user-friendly interface.
Robust Security: Seamless integration with ClearPass for dynamic policy support.
Scalability: Ideal for both small and large enterprise networks.
Cloud and On-Premises Management: Flexible management options.
Lifetime Warranty: Ensures investment protection.

What benefits should you look for in reviews?

Affordability: Cost-effective solutions for network infrastructure.
Scalability: Suitable for expanding network requirements.
Ease of Configuration: Rapid deployment and setup capabilities.
Technical Support: Access to comprehensive and excellent support.
Reliability: Proven stability and performance in diverse applications.

Aruba Switches are implemented in industries like education, healthcare, and hospitality, serving as crucial components in network infrastructures. They support applications such as ERP systems, VLAN setups, and Wi-Fi access points, being deployed in office, data center, and campus networks. Known for affordability and reliability, they provide connectivity and power over Ethernet capabilities, meeting the needs of both small and large enterprises.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Nokia Ethernet Service Switch delivers high availability, interoperability with open standards, and advanced traffic management, aimed at enhancing network operations for organizations managing complex systems.

Offering a robust infrastructure, Nokia Ethernet Service Switch focuses on streamlining network efficiency through features like superior data aggregation and device utilization. Users note its powerful capabilities, but mention a need for improved configuration simplicity and comprehensive documentation. Users seek better integration with a unified monitoring system, open licenses to reduce management overhead, and improved collaboration with AMI vendors. While it handles scalability and reliability effectively, there is room for improvements in segment routing and cloud integration.

What features define Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?

Interoperability: Aligns with open standards for seamless integration.
High Availability: Ensures continuous network service.
Traffic Management: Advanced tools for efficient network traffic handling.
Data Aggregation: Combines data streams for optimized use.
Scalability: Adapts to changes in network demand.
Telecom Portal Compliance: Meets industry standards for network operations.

Which benefits or ROI should users consider?

Network Efficiency: Enhanced performance through better traffic and device management.
Reliability: Trusted uptime with lesser downtime risks.
Market Enhancement: Compliance with telecom standards boosts market credibility.
Cost Management: Open licenses offer more economical network management.

Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is widely implemented in control systems for electric and gas grids, integrating seamlessly with EMSS and enhancing network power capacity for effective traffic management. Users value its role as a mobile gateway and in facilitating network upgrades or rollouts, often transitioning from other providers to optimize network operations.

Nokia

Sample Customers

Purdue University

Information Not Available

Aruba Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch