HPE Aruba Instant IAP-305 - wireless access point
Mfg # IAP-305-US
CDW # 4337414
| UNSPSC 43222640
Know your gear
The entry-level Aruba 300 Series Wave 2 access points deliver high performance and superb user experience for medium density environments. Featuring MU-MIMO capability, Aruba advanced ClientMatch radio management, and integrated Aruba Beacons, the 300 Series enables an all wireless digital work environment in a cost-effective manner. The entry-level 300 Series brings an always-on wireless network experience with the performance required for enterprises. It is ideal for cost-sensitive medium density environments across verticals. It provides simultaneous data transmission to multiple devices (up to two), maximizing data throughput and improving network efficiency.
The 300 Series includes the enhanced ClientMatch technology that extends the client steering technology with MU-MIMO client awareness. It automatically identifies MU-MIMO capable mobile devices and steers those devices to the closest MU-MIMO capable Aruba access point. By grouping MU-MIMO capable mobile devices together, the network starts taking advantage of the simultaneous transmission to these devices, increasing its overall capacity. These dynamic roaming policies that are based on device types, help customers achieve great WLAN performance in a mixed device environment during the technology transition period. The 300 Series also has an integrated Bluetooth Aruba Beacon that simplifies the remote management of a network of largescale battery-powered Aruba Beacons while also providing advanced location and indoor wayfinding, and proximity-based push notification capabilities.
The 300 Series includes the enhanced ClientMatch technology that extends the client steering technology with MU-MIMO client awareness. It automatically identifies MU-MIMO capable mobile devices and steers those devices to the closest MU-MIMO capable Aruba access point. By grouping MU-MIMO capable mobile devices together, the network starts taking advantage of the simultaneous transmission to these devices, increasing its overall capacity. These dynamic roaming policies that are based on device types, help customers achieve great WLAN performance in a mixed device environment during the technology transition period. The 300 Series also has an integrated Bluetooth Aruba Beacon that simplifies the remote management of a network of largescale battery-powered Aruba Beacons while also providing advanced location and indoor wayfinding, and proximity-based push notification capabilities.
Enhance your purchase
HPE Aruba Instant IAP-305 - wireless access point is rated
4.50 out of
5 by
32.
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bjorn Bell from
Easy network management, Aruba Instant AI and offers security features
What is our primary use case?
It's just the perks that we get with everything in terms of the equipment, such as client tracking and GPS coverage. There's a whole lot of perks to Aruba.
How has it helped my organization?
We have seen one hundred percent improvement in terms of network management. Network management is so easy.
Aruba Instant AI, for one. It's like skipping your level-one technicians and going straight to two or three. It tells you what's wrong and helps you fix it. That's just one of the benefits.
It's all embedded in the controller itself.
What is most valuable?
The security features cover everything and more. It definitely meets our requirements.
What needs improvement?
For some people, price is a concern.
For how long have I used the solution?
I use both Aruba Instant and Instant On, I have been using it for a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable. Only planned downtimes, months ahead, and it's timed so it doesn't even affect people. They don't even know.
How are customer service and support?
Whenever you need it, they pick up the phone. They help you then and there. If there's a project that you're stuck with, they literally walk you through everything. I've never had better service.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
Once you have a fundamental understanding of WLAN, it's easy. It's just the control and everything. Depending on the type of person you are, it's just learning it.
It all depends on the person. It took me a week; it took others two months. At the end of the day, it just depends on how much you're willing to sacrifice and learn.
So it depends on the case.
Besides syntax, which is a global thing across all brands. But there's no need to even use it because it gives you everything you need already, which fixes nine out of ten problems.
What was our ROI?
It's a tool that does what it needs to do, and it benefits the company. It keeps costs down because you don't need to worry about having level-one support; you can skip straight to level two and level three. I think that's a real cost factor for companies.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
At the end of the day, that is obviously a big thing in the industry where, for some people, price is a concern. That's where you have Aruba Instant On, but there are different factors to consider with certain things.
So, it is a little bit more on the pricey side. But in terms of what you're getting, I personally would rather pay that little bit more and get what I need because I know what I'm getting, as opposed to going for something cheaper that's not as manageable and doesn't give as much. So I'm one hundred percent satisfied with this tool.
What other advice do I have?
It's practical. It does what it needs to do. At the end of the day, it's a tool. It serves its purpose. I literally could not ask for better. Compared to Unifi and Ruckus, it's in a whole different world.
I would recommend it to other people because I know the benefits. It depends on what suits their needs, whether it's in the enterprise range or a normal home range. The benefits you're getting from both of them, it does vary slightly, but it is worth it. I would recommend it. I would justify the costs more.
Overall, I would rate it a ten out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-07-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Subhashis Sahoo from
Provides good seamless connectivity, user experience, performance, and reliability
What is our primary use case?
The solution is used for guest user login for wireless, secure connectivity for internal and guest users, and user experience.
What is most valuable?
Aruba Instant is a cloud-managed solution that can be managed from the cloud.
What needs improvement?
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.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba Instant for five to six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba Instant is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
You can scale the solution based on your requirements.
What about the implementation team?
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.
What was our ROI?
The solution provides a good return on investment in terms of user experience.
What other advice do I have?
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.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-06-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Aslam Khabou from
Has robust security features and blocks unauthorized connections
What is our primary use case?
I use Aruba Instant for Wireless LAN and CCTV solutions.
How has it helped my organization?
My organisation hasn’t noticed any cost reduction since implementing Aruba Instant. However, there has been a significant time reduction in pushing orders.
What is most valuable?
The simplicity of the dashboard is one of the most valuable features. It's easy to use, and manage and the security features are robust. We can block unauthorized connections and create secure SSIDs.
What needs improvement?
We have faced delay in customer support which has affected our business performance. So the customer support needs to be prompt in their responses.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba Instant for the past four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability a ten out of ten, since it is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very swift and easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a six out of ten.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We considered a lot of products before choosing Aruba Instant. We went ahead with Aruba Instant due to it being cheaper than Cisco and Fortinet.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the product an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Date published: 2024-06-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Anchal Verma from
Suitable for for customers moving from unmanaged to managed networks, with full visibility on a central console and a user-friendly interface
What is our primary use case?
It's a networking product for switching and Wi-Fi.
How has it helped my organization?
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.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
It's not suited for larger companies.
The product is a little expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
My experience in networking is more than 16 years, and with Aruba Instant, I have almost seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
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.
How are customer service and support?
For small and medium businesses, home, and small hotels, it's ten. But not for enterprises.
How was the initial setup?
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.
What was our ROI?
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.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
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.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
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.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend using it! Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Date published: 2024-06-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
JigneshPatel1 from
With an easy setup phase, it is also easy to use and manage
What is our primary use case?
use this for Ware house management, and Office wireless LAN network
How has it helped my organization?
The benefit from the use of the product in my company stems from the fact that the work in my company is going on smoothly, and it ensures that my employees don't suffer from the devices in our environment.
What needs improvement?
The product's high cost is an area where improvements are required.
Additional features are not required in the product. If people want a product with extra features for a complex setup, they can go for Aruba since it provides many functionalities.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba Instant for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Good
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Around 70 people in my company use the product.
The tool is used daily in my office since most of our work is carried out with the help of the wireless connectivity provided by the product.
My company plans to increase the usage of the product if there is an increase in the number of branches of our office in the near future.
The scalability options and their impact on organizational growth are dependent on user requirements. You can go for 50 licenses of the product if you want 50 access points in your environment. You can go for 1,000 licenses of the product if you want 1,000 access points in your environment according to how requirement is grown up.
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted the product's support team for product replacement purposes due to some hardware failures.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase was straightforward, considering that the tool offers a ZTP feature.
The product's deployment phase consists of a PnP process, where if you have management controller access, it becomes easy to use if you configure the controller part very well. You just need to fix the accessories and plug in the cable to complete the product's deployment process.
What about the implementation team?
The product is deployed at my branch locations, each being hundreds of kilometers away from one another. I seek the help of a consultant to install the toll at my branch offices. After the deployment process, the people in my office can configure the tool as per our requirements.
What was our ROI?
The products from Aruba are good, but it is costly.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Aruba is a little bit costlier than Cambium Networks.
The product is costly since I have to purchase the hardware and the warranties separately. I need to pay the license cost to Aruba Central if I want to be able to manage the product. Aruba Central keeps increasing the prices. I purchased the license for five years. Two years ago, I paid INR 12,000 for Aruba Central AP Foundation, but now, I will have to pay double the amount, which comes up to INR 24,000, making it a costly product. The product's partners are not very supportive of the pricing part of the tool.
What other advice do I have?
In my company's daily operations, I use it in the supply chain area at our branch level, which has a 100 by 100-meter area.
The product functions in a normal manner for my company's network performance. With Aruba Instant, there would be no issue if you set the product in your place with a proper engineering process. I found failures in two or three faulty devices.
I have not observed the tool's beneficial features for my company's network management since it works fine.
ZTP is good if you properly configure the controller and set the product through a proper configuration process. A layperson can fix the access points in his environment or office since the product can be easily managed with well-configured controllers.
Those who want a product that can be used in a complex setup along with security and a segregated network environment should choose Aruba Instant.
I rate the tool a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-03-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Alessandro Salvadori from
Comes at a good price and has a good cloud console
What is our primary use case?
We usually sell Aruba Instant where there is no need for more than four or five switches. It is generally recommended for very small companies where we don't need more than three or four switches.
How has it helped my organization?
We are using it only for very small companies. We have had a reduction in time, but it is not that significant.
What is most valuable?
The most beneficial features for network management are the price and the cloud console.
What needs improvement?
An important missing feature is the console port, which allows direct management without the cloud. This would be useful for situations where there is a connection issue or problem with the switch.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been dealing with Aruba Instant for almost three years since it was sold in Italy.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is not powerful enough and lacks features recommended for larger dimensions, making it unsuitable for big companies with requirements like 100 access points.
How are customer service and support?
We have never used their support except for damages and returns, and it works adequately. We do not have extensive experience to comment further.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before using Aruba Instant, we were selling TP Link products. However, they did not have a cloud console. TP Link was similar from the pricing perspective, but lacked this feature.
What was our ROI?
Our customers often do not know what brand they are using, so I do not have detailed information about the ROI impact.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing costs depend on the product. The smaller switch is around one hundred and twenty euros. We do not sell very expensive devices as we move to other products.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We previously used TP Link, but they lacked a cloud console.
What other advice do I have?
I usually recommend Aruba Instant for small companies. However, for big companies, such as manufacturing companies with many access points, it is not the right product since it is not powerful enough and lacks the necessary features.
I would rate Aruba Instant eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2024-11-26T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Marija Lakic from
A satisfactory solution with a straightforward setup
What is our primary use case?
Our company has about 25 access points, and they integrate Aruba Instant. We have authentication integrated with Windows in the main controller for each employee. We also have a guest net portal.
What is most valuable?
We like that we can assign our employees based on authentication over Windows in the main controller. We couldn't do that with Cisco, so we switched to Aruba for that feature. Other solutions have end of life for devices, but Aruba does not. Cisco becomes completely useless at the end of life.
What needs improvement?
There is an issue with flooding to the Aruba access point on the ports. The flooding comes from the file transfer, but the two hosts that do the file transfers are on wire, not a wireless connection. So it's strange that we can see that graphic on the access point. We still don't know what is causing the issue. It may be a setting in Aruba, but we don't know. So we are trying to resolve the issue first before contacting technical support.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for about three years, and I believe we're using version 8.0.9.2. It is deployed on-premises.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Apart from some of the issues we are currently facing, the solution is stable, and we are satisfied.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution, and we have about 120 users and clients connected to wireless daily and management of the networks are done within by company.
How are customer service and support?
We have not contacted technical support before.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward, and the deployment was completed in-house.
What was our ROI?
We have a return on investment.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other solutions before choosing Aruba Instant. We attended a presentation by Aruba, spoke with some Aruba engineers and then decided to try the solution.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution a nine out of ten, and I would recommend this solution to others.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-08-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Arvind Yadav from
Useful management, high performance, and helpful support
What is our primary use case?
We use a mixture of deployment models. Sometimes it's hybrid, on-premise, or on the cloud.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Aruba Instant are management and performance.
What needs improvement?
Aruba Instant can improve by increasing the gigabit range of the switch or by adding additional management features and tools. It can be helpful.
In a future release, there could be some improvements in the dashboards. At this time dashboards are only available with a wizard.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Aruba Instant within the last 12 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found Aruba Instant to be stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Aruba Instant is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is perfectly fine because we have an in-house team that is comfortable with Aruba Instant. As for Aruba Instant technical support, it is perfect.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have previously used other solutions, such as SEIM and Cisco. I have found the features in Aruba Instant to be better than in SEIM or Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
Aruba Instant installation was simple.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Some aspect of the price of Aruba Instant is very economical because if the customer is requiring more features the customer needs to pay a higher amount.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Aruba Instant a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:partner
Date published: 2022-05-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Mal Hadi from
Fair pricing and reliable with good notifications
What is our primary use case?
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.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
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.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for a year and a half now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
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.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't tried any technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
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.
How was the initial setup?
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.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
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.
What other advice do I have?
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.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-12-21T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bala Chandran from
It's cheaper than competing solutions and simpler to deploy
What is our primary use case?
We deploy Aruba Instant for customers on a project basis.
What needs improvement?
The network planner could be improved. You should be able to import a floor plan, and the application should suggest the optimal placement of your devices.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used Aruba Instant for the last couple of years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We mostly use Aruba for medium-sized companies, but it could work at the enterprise level.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've worked with other products, but I prefer Aruba because of its cost and simplicity.
How was the initial setup?
Aruba Instant is effortless to set up. That's one reason we use it. It isn't complicated at all.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Aruba Instant is slightly cheaper than other solutions in the same category.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Aruba Instant nine out of 10. I recommend planning before you deploy Aruba to map out the ideal location for all your devices.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2023-04-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
FranklinSanguina from
Easy to manage with a good user experience and excellent flexibility
What is our primary use case?
I primarily use the solution for my WiFi.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
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.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for a year and a half.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
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.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
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.
How are customer service and support?
I've never contacted technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not really used another solution, aside from an offering from my ISP.
How was the initial setup?
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.
What about the implementation team?
I handled the setup myself. I did not need any outside assistance. Everything I needed was in the box.
What was our ROI?
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.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
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.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
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.
What other advice do I have?
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.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.Partner
Date published: 2023-03-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Sreejesh S from
A secure and stable solution on a minimum budget
What is our primary use case?
One of my government customers has multiple offices across the city, while their IT team is stationed in their central office. So we positioned Aruba wireless solutions across all their offices, and their IT team was able to access and operate APs from their central office.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Aruba Instant is its cloud capability, which allows us to manage it through the cloud. All management payloads can be accessed from anywhere, even through our hand-held devices when our IT person is traveling somewhere. When it comes to Aruba Instant, we are getting a more secure and stable solution on a minimum budget.
What needs improvement?
It would be better if Aruba Instant could provide more security for customers.
It would be better if Aruba Instant could provide a graphical prioritization of application data or application bandwidth.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Aruba Instant since its launch, especially in my region.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Compared with the normal Aruba series, Aruba Instant provides easy deployment and a wide range of coverage. However, there is some latency issue when accessing high latency applications like SAP, SAP HANA, and the Aruba Wi-Fi network.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Aruba Instant is a scalable solution.
What about the implementation team?
To deploy Aruba Instant, we first have to create our portal or customer portal and then deploy APs or profiles in the central or cloud console. Discovering APs might take some time, especially from a remote site.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
In my region right now, Aruba Instant comes with a default two-year cloud access license. From the third year, we have to renew the solution.
What other advice do I have?
It is not at all difficult to maintain Aruba Instant. I always suggest Aruba Instant, which comes with a three-year subscription or licensing features, because most government customers require a minimum three years upfront license and warranty for all their procurements.
Overall, I rate Aruba Instant a ten out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2023-05-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jusip Rumulo from
The solution is easy to configure and has a responsive support team, but it needs to enhance its security features
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution in our regional offices.
What is most valuable?
The solution is useful for costing purposes. The product is easy to configure. We do not need a controller to have a complete network setup.
What needs improvement?
Some features like DHCP that were available in the original Aruba controller are not available in Aruba Instant. The tool needs to enhance its security features.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for more than three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. We have 1000 to 1500 users in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
I have had no problem with the support team so far. The team always responds on time if we raise any request or ticket.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very easy. Deploying ten to twenty access points will take an hour or less than an hour.
What about the implementation team?
I am an engineer. I can install the solution. To deploy the tool, we must connect with the Wi-Fi, do the default setups, and assign it to Aruba controllers. We can adapt from the controller for the rest of the access points. We need five people to deploy and maintain the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There’s no licensing required to use the tool. We have to renew the maintenance agreement, though.
What other advice do I have?
Even new users or IT personnel can easily manage the deployment of the solution. There are no hassles regarding billing configuration or Wi-Fi signaling. Aruba Instant’s Virtual Controller is very helpful and easy to manage. Overall, I rate the tool seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Implementer
Date published: 2023-08-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Dmitry Spomza from
Easy to use and serves as a virtual controller, so you don't need to buy other equipment to manage all your access points
What is our primary use case?
We use Aruba Instant for sending logins to Aruba AirWave. We also use Aruba Instant with Aruba Mobility Controller for access points, particularly over one hundred access points.
What is most valuable?
What I like best about Aruba Instant is that it serves as a virtual controller, so you don't need to buy other equipment to manage all your access points.
I also like that the solution is easy to use.
What needs improvement?
Aruba Instant is a simple and scalable solution that works well, but the costs you incur from access points could be cheaper.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been working with Aruba Instant for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I found Aruba Instant stable, so I'm giving it a ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Aruba Instant is a very scalable product, making it a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
We encountered a minor issue with Aruba Instant, so we contacted Aruba support. They resolved the problem, and they were helpful and quick to respond.
How was the initial setup?
Aruba Instant is very easy to set up. Setup-wise, it's a ten.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
In terms of costs, Aruba Instant is cheap because it doesn't require a license, but you'll incur charges for the access points. Access point charges could be more affordable.
What other advice do I have?
Aruba Instant can either have a cloud or on-premise deployment. However, in my company, it's deployed on-prem.
At most, my company has between three hundred and five hundred Aruba Instant users.
Two to three network engineers handle the deployment and maintenance of the solution.
I recommend Aruba Instant to other people.
My rating for Aruba Instant is ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2023-01-29T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Dhenj Prasetyo from
Though the solution is quick to set up and not complex to use, it needs to improve its MSP portal
What is most valuable?
I like that the solution is not complex.
What needs improvement?
Aruba Instant has limitations. It uses a different portal and has limitations from the customer side as it's not refined for MSP. The limitation is that the device registers at one customer site because it's only limited to the fee. If it's more than the fee, we have to put another location for the customer, so it's quite a struggle during the monitoring phase.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used Aruba Instant for three to four years. We use AP32 and AP25.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba Instant's stability has been quite good. I rate it eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have more than 100 customers.
How was the initial setup?
It took five to ten minutes to deploy the solution.
What about the implementation team?
The solution was implemented in-house. We had 11 technical staff members during deployment. They were engineers and developers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Some in the hospitality industry use the solution because it's cheaper and doesn't require licenses.
What other advice do I have?
Customers cannot add more SSIBs or different VLANs. But maybe the solution is designed not to do that because it is for small businesses. Do not use the solution for enterprises.
I rate Aruba Instant a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-08-31T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jigar Kapadi from
A stable and affordable solution that is easy to configure and provides excellent technical support
What is our primary use case?
I use the solution for managing switches remotely.
What is most valuable?
It is a good solution. It is straightforward.
What needs improvement?
The security features must be improved.
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?
I rate the tool’s stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability a nine out of ten. We have more than 2000 users.
How are customer service and support?
I am satisfied with the technical support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
I rate the ease of setup a ten out of ten. The deployment is easy. It takes a few minutes to deploy the tool.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product is reasonably priced.
What other advice do I have?
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.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-11-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Abdelfattah Bencheikh from
An affordable solution with good security
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Aruba Instant is security.
What needs improvement?
Aruba Instant should not have a limit on users for future releases.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the solution for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution's stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
My company has 15 users for the product. I rate the tool's scalability a ten out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We chose Aruba Instant because of its price and service.
How was the initial setup?
Aruba Instant's deployment is easy and takes eight hours to complete.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Aruba Instant is affordable.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Date published: 2023-10-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Trevor Fernandes from
Useful as access points but improvement is needed in support
What is our primary use case?
We use Aruba Instant as our access point for various purposes, including data, and throughout the office. As we expand, we plan to implement it in our warehouse for connectivity.
What is most valuable?
The tool's most valuable feature is Captive Portal, which we employ for our guest network. It enables us to create a separate virtual subnet for guests, ensuring their network traffic remains isolated from our office network. Another valuable feature is its role-based access control. This functionality allows us to assign different access privileges to users based on their roles within the organization.
What needs improvement?
The tool's support quality has changed since HPE acquired it. It is also impossible to tell the log dates.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for nine years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool's scalability an eight out of ten. My company has 250 users.
How are customer service and support?
Previously, our interaction and follow-up were mainly with Aruba, the original manufacturer of Aruba Instant. However, since support has transitioned to HPE following Aruba's acquisition, the level of support has not been as satisfactory. While Aruba had its dedicated support system and community, these resources have been integrated into HP's support structure, which has impacted the quality of service we receive.
How was the initial setup?
Aruba Instant's deployment is easy. I implemented the device registration process by registering one device and then broadcasting that configuration to all other devices. This automated the configuration setup for all devices.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product has increased its pricing by at least 30 percent.
What other advice do I have?
Previously, when Aruba was a standalone company, we enjoyed excellent support as they were our partners. However, over the past nine years, Aruba underwent a significant change when it was acquired by HPE. This acquisition took place approximately four or five years ago. Following this transition, Aruba is no longer our partner, and we prefer to work with our partners. I rate it a nine out of ten.
Aruba Instant can be one of the best solutions for small businesses or users because of its virtual controller feature. Unlike many other products where you must purchase a separate controller hardware or software, Aruba Instant includes a virtual controller within the device.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-02-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
JesseMachill from
Has an easy initial setup process, but there could be more security features
What is most valuable?
The product is cost-effective. It is easy to use, manage, and implement. It can be installed with an app on the phone as well. It is built and designed for users who do not have the necessary skills to implement enterprise cloud networks.
What needs improvement?
The product could have more security features integrated into enterprise data. They could provide a centralized system to manage switches incorporated into multiple branches.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Aruba Instant for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the product’s stability a seven out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We can only incorporate about 27 IPs and switches in a particular bandwidth. It needs to be more scalable. It is suitable for small and medium businesses. I rate the product’s scalability a four out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy. We have deployed physical infrastructure on-premises, managed via the cloud. It took us a few minutes to complete the process.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the product’s pricing a two out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Aruba Instant a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2023-11-30T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Naveen A from
Improved our organization because there is local accessibility, and the manageability is much easier
What is our primary use case?
We prefer to use this solution for smaller organizations.
For private customers, generally we prefer a private cloud. If it's a government-based company, like central government and government-based companies, they prefer on-prem.
There are six people using this solution in our environment.
How has it helped my organization?
It has improved our organization because it's local management, and the access point has the same ability to have controller functionality. Obviously, one is the price. There is local accessibility, and the manageability is much easier.
What is most valuable?
The cost is low, and there is controller-less architecture.
What needs improvement?
I think they're missing roadmaps to the partners and the customers. They're releasing the products, but there are no quick updates to the partners and the customers.
They need to communicate better with the partners when it comes to training.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used this solution for about six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support was good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used a different solution and switched because of a customer requirement, not a specific technical reason. Some customers ask for Aruba.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy. Deployment takes a day. We used five or six people for deployment.
What was our ROI?
We saw ROI from this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost was affordable.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution 8 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:partner
Date published: 2022-05-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Wilson Salas from
It's simple to deploy and use
What is our primary use case?
I designed a data center for a client, and we used Aruba to develop all the solutions.
What is most valuable?
Aruba Instant is simple to deploy and use.
What needs improvement?
My biggest problem with Aruba Instant was the DHCP implementation. The DHCP server needs to ping an IP address to connect to the internet. In some cases, we don't have a DHCP server in the network, and it was really a problem.
Aruba should also add the ability to configure the stack. There is a series in many switches. I don't remember the series that permits this type of configuration, but I think that the stacking configuration will be an advantage for switches that are critical in the business section.
How are customer service and support?
I work with Aruba technical support to deliver the product to our clients. We have to work after hours, nights, and weekends.
How was the initial setup?
Implementing Aruba Instant is straightforward. You can configure it with Aruba's web browser interface or a cell phone app from the App Store or Google Store.
It's a good solution for small businesses because it's easy to figure out. It's simple to set Aruba up in any configuration, like link aggregation or static loads. It's suitable for less complicated configurations, whereas Cisco devices are bigger and more difficult to implement.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Aruba Instant eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-06-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Xavier Gillon from
Very stable and scalable; straightforward deployment with great customer support
What is our primary use case?
I'm the director of information technology at a school and we use this solution for our Wifi. We are customers of Aruba.
What is most valuable?
The easy setup means that the initial deployment becomes the master access point and everything else follows automatically. As you plug your wifi access points in, and it picks up the network, it will look for the master wifi access point that will work as the controller. It's great.
What needs improvement?
Although you don't have to purchase a subscription for the Aruba cloud controller, it's a lot better to have all of your access points in the cloud, so you can manage them without accessing the master access point itself. Integration between the two is pricey and that would be my one complaint about this product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven't had any issues with stability. If you configure it to auto update, there won't be any problems. I haven't had any issues with the access points.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
As long as you have your serial number, the technical support is good. They'll work with you to configure and help you through any issues. They'll look at the backend and tell you what's going on with it as well. You don't have to have a lot of knowledge about the system to use it.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We switched to Aruba Instant around 2015 when HPE purchased Aruba and they discontinued Pro Curve.
How was the initial setup?
If there are no special requirements and you're using it out of the box, it's very easy to deploy and maintain.
What other advice do I have?
It's important to know your physical environment so that when ordering particular access points, you're getting what works for your environment, whether the location is a modern building or something older.
I rate this solution 10 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-06-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Luca Brunetta from
Reliable, easy to expand, and helps improve functionality
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for our wireless network.
How has it helped my organization?
It has improved the functionality of our company. It is quite handy.
What is most valuable?
Aruba Instant is very useful. Even if you just have one device you can create a larger network with just a few configurations.
You don't have to deal with licenses.
What needs improvement?
There is one particular thing that I see that needs improvement. It is a software characteristic, and it is during the reboot. During the startup of the AP, the AP tells you that you are using the wrong password. However, I have realized that this is not true. The AP sees that it's not ready to get the login, and it replies you wrote a wrong password, yet that is not true. The real issue is that the AP is not ready. You get the right login, if you wait five minutes with the same password, it will work. The login is successful. This "wrong password" message should be "Wait, the AP is rebooting."
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is relatively stable. We had some bugs on some occasions, however, after you are configured, the system is quite stable. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product can scale. It is definitely good. You just have to add a similar AP sourcing the same version and same model. My wireless networks are quite small, so I don't have more than 100 APs.
The amount of people using it under us is 300 people.
We are integrators, so in the next month, we are going to install some other instant systems.
How are customer service and support?
I've dealt with technical support. How well the response is depends. In general, I feel good with the support and with the professionality and their ability as well. The one thing that I want to be improved is the engineers.
They have to read the entire description. I usually write all of the parameters, for example, the version, my devices, and a description of my infrastructure. And then I received an email, "Please, tell me the version. Please, add a particular file." Yet when I open a case, I add this information from the beginning. They just have to read and get the information. I'd estimate that in at least 50% of the cases, the technicians do not read the notes I send at all.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup depends on the configuration that the user wants. The instant infrastructure is relatively straightforward, however, it depends on the environment - including what kind of antenna you have to use if you have an external antenna. The web configuration is quite straightforward depending on the configuration.
We only need three or four people for the installation and the configuration. Once it depends on the environment.
What about the implementation team?
My company is a system integrator, so we install devices.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's not easy for me to talk about the cost since I am a technician. I'd rate it a two out of five in terms of affordability. It's more on the expensive side. There might be some extra costs involved depending on the infrastructure.
What other advice do I have?
We are an integrator, and we have many customers. Then we have a partnership with the distributors, with the sellers.
We work with Aruba devices and Aruba Access Points and Switches. We work with Access Point using Instant Infrastructure, Wireless Controller, or Aruba Central.
There is some confusion about using the website due to the integration with HP. Sometimes you have to go to the HP website and sometimes to Aruba. Also, now, there is the integration with HP GreenLake and you have to log in to an HPE website and then go to the Aruba portal, which is quite confusing. This confuses me. There are too many portals, and it just jumps from one to the other. It's not so handy.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-08-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Sergey Astakhov from
The setup is straightforward and the product is easily deployed
What is our primary use case?
The product is used for user segmentation, server segmentation, WiFi segmentation, and printer server segmentation.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of this product is that it is easily deployed.
What needs improvement?
The product can be improved by adding a clear interface. You can use the Web Green interface however an interface similar to Cisco Catalyst 29 that allows the user to simply configure the product would be useful.
I would like to see clear interface coverage for older models such as 1930.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for one and a half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable. There has been no need for reconfiguration or re-setup.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable. It has the ability to connect to other sites.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Cisco Catalyst 29.
How was the initial setup?
It was a straightforward setup.
I built a duplicate network on the product that allowed me to replace all the Cisco equipment by simply unplugging the cables from Cisco and plugging them into the new product. The total setup time was about 15 days.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was done in-house.
What other advice do I have?
I give the product a nine out of ten.
The product comes with all the necessary technical documentation for support. Only one person is required for maintenance.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-09-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
TarasPoprawa from
Has a user friendly interface and is stable, scalable, and easy to install
What is our primary use case?
Our clients use it as a Wi-Fi access point.
What is most valuable?
The installation is very simple.
We've limited the security feature, which I found valuable, and that allows two separate networks, one for the company and one for a guest network. During installation, it is very easy at that point to divide it.
The connection to it through the interface is nice and easy, and everything can be done through the interface.
What needs improvement?
The only issue we've had is getting equipment supplies. The availability of the APs that I want to use has been an issue. It took almost two months to get them the first time. I've ordered a few more for another client, and they're still on back order. It has been over a month now.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been working with this solution for about a month and have installed it for two clients so far.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
So far, it's been very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We deal mostly with small businesses, and for them, I think it's an easy solution with easy deployment and scalability. It is very easily scalable.
We plan to use Aruba Instant as our solution for small businesses.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support was adequate when we did our first installation. We contacted them just to make sure that we were doing it properly, and they were very knowledgeable. It was great.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
One client used a basic ASUS router.
One of the clients switched because their previous solution was done, and the other did so because they were expanding their warehouse and wanted something more.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward and very simple. The deployment was done in a few hours.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented it ourselves for our clients.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's a one time cost, including the upgrades, but you have to pay on a yearly basis if you want support.
The price is in the middle in comparison to that of competitors' products.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We looked mainly at Ruckus, but Aruba Instant On's interface was nice and user friendly as well.
What other advice do I have?
Aruba Instant On is a good solution for small businesses. I would rate it at eight on a scale from one to ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Date published: 2022-06-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ahmed Hawary from
Offers quality wireless connection for small businesses
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution as an SMB. Cafe's, small offices, restaurants, etc. are able to use Aruba Instant for wireless connection.
What is most valuable?
We like being able to merge Aruba Instant to mobile via Bluetooth. You are also able to perform a lot of functions remotely such as creating an SSID IP.
What needs improvement?
I think that the next release should offer IP phone security/firewall.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this product since it was released about two or so years ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba Instant is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Aruba Instant is a scalable solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-03-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1734498 from
Fair price, works very well, and is perfect for customers with many small sites
What is our primary use case?
We propose it to our customers for Wireless LAN. Internally, in our company, we use Cisco.
We have many customers, and we implement wireless systems with Aruba, Cisco, and Extreme. There are many customers that use Instant Cluster, and we have customers that use it on-premise. It depends on the people working at the customer side.
What is most valuable?
It is very cheap. I can use the access points without an additional license.
I can implement it at small sites, and I can also implement it at mid-sized locations. It is very flexible. It is really nice and useful for customers who have many small sites.
What needs improvement?
It is good as it is. If anything, its reporting could be improved.
At the moment, I don't see any new features that we really need.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for about eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable. It works very well.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I don't know about their support. It is working fine, and I have had no problem with it.
If I need any information, I can take the help of the Aruba Community. I have access to all the resources on Aruba, and I can search for information if I need to implement things that are not normal and that are not base configuration. I can find everything about Aruba.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy. I like its setup. It is done in an hour.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is not expensive. Its price is fair. You get many features with the normal licensing. If I look at Cisco, it is very expensive if I need similar things.
What other advice do I have?
It is working very well at the moment. I see no problem with it, but it has its own use case. I can't use it everywhere. It is not suitable for a big campus area. I would need a controller-based system such as Aruba Controller.
I would rate it an eight out of 10. It is very good, and I like it.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:partner
Date published: 2022-02-25T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
JEGAN N from
Cloud-managed solution that's good for small businesses
What is our primary use case?
I primarily use Aruba Instant to deploy the wireless end in smaller offices.
What is most valuable?
Aruba Instant's best feature is the ability to manage it in the cloud.
What needs improvement?
Aruba Instant's visibility, firewalling, L3 functionality, and DHCP services could all be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Aruba Instant for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Because Aruba Instant is cloud-only, it doesn't work if the internet goes down. When this happens, the device reboots and loses the local configuration, which means the LAN goes down.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Aruba Instant has limited scalability, with a recommended maximum of 100 users.
How are customer service and support?
Aruba's support is good, and we've had no issues with it.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward and easy to manage, even through mobile.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Aruba Instant is a free subscription with a limited lifetime warranty.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Aruba Instant for small businesses but not for enterprise. I would give it a rating of eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2023-01-31T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
SanketWalekar from
Allows network monitoring through mobile devices and also has enhanced security features like Pre-shared Keys
What is our primary use case?
There are setups where instant switches will be present, mostly around two or three, and as part of the same setup, five to ten APs will be there; this setup needs to be implemented in one of the environments of our company's customers using Aruba Instant.
The customers of our organization might also have multiple PSKs and additional radius in their internet, so as part of the company, we need to integrate Aruba Instant accordingly, and especially for any personal SSID, it needs to operate through Aruba Instant.
What is most valuable?
Aruba Instant is cloud-based, and thus, it improves wireless network performance on cloud platforms. The solution allows network monitoring through devices like mobiles and desktops, which is a feasible option. The tool also has Bluetooth settings so a user can deploy Aruba Instant through a serial number or the Bluetooth option.
Aruba Instant allows users to monitor the number of connected clients and AP status in the network at any given time on the cloud dashboard. The aforementioned feature is highly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses in the customer's environment.
What needs improvement?
The wireless coverage provided by Aruba Instant should be increased. The APs are used heavily in a mid-scale business, so increasing the coverage can be beneficial. The traffic capacity of the solution can also be expanded including increase in the number of clients and radius.
Aruba Instant can integrate a few features similar to ClearPass in future versions so that small businesses can grow and avoid the need to shift toward traditional APs.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba Instant for a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability of the solution an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool provides scalability through enhanced performance, high speed functionality and Wi-Fi certification. Aruba Instant also supports Wi-Fi 6 standard and there is also a 25% data increase on AP22. The product also provides an improved throughput and the AP22 capacity has been increased with a maximum of active devices around 50 to 70.
The product also consumes less power in comparison to other traditional solutions, so small businesses can highly benefit from it. I would rate the scalability of Aruba Instant an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate the customer support as six out of ten. The support team is helpful, but when a major issue arises with the solution, there is a wide delay in response and resolution. In a few instances, professionals from our organization had to wait an hour to avail of support.
Sometimes, from customer support, it's communicated that the engineer is not available at their end, and there will be a delay of a couple of hours to get a hold of the individual. Once the engineer becomes available, the individual provides an ideal solution to the technical problems.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The solution can be easily deployed. I have personally deployed Aruba Instant for five to six customers of our organization and they are using it properly. There are about eight to ten engineers in the technical team for Aruba Instant in our organization.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten. The product is competitively priced with other OEM solutions.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have used other similar solutions to Aruba Instant in my prior company.
What other advice do I have?
Aruba Instant provides security features including the latest protocols and Pre-shared Keys. The aforementioned keys are available in Aruba Instant with multiple PSK functionalities, including WPA2 and WPA3 so that authentications can be carried out. Aruba Instant also offers firewall features, for instance in the SSID the firewall can be configured to help clients determine what to use and what not.
The solutions support WPA3 enterprise, which uses a 192-bit minimum security level suite. Aruba Instant also provides WPA2 PSK with password authentication.
Aruba Instant supports AI-driven projects in our organization through automated insights, including details of what users are doing on the network, signal strength details, alerts, events and other AI Assist features. I would rate the product an eight out of ten.
Aruba Instant should also provide console access to the AP so that small businesses can receive assistance with troubleshooting. In few occasions, small businesses don't want a traditional AP because they have a limited capacity of only 50 to 60 users.
Small businesses thus prefer an instant one, to quickly power it on and use it. If small businesses want to authenticate through Clear Pass, then the authentication gets stuck and a complex process of operating through traditional AP needs to be followed.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Date published: 2024-05-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
MaheshSankhe from
Offers seamless switching between wireless connections, providing high mobility for users and very reliable
What is our primary use case?
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.
How has it helped my organization?
The product is quite reliable. The hardware is solid, and the RF coverage is superb.
What is most valuable?
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.
For how long have I used the solution?
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.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
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.
How are customer service and support?
I've installed over a thousand access points and the support has been reliable.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
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.
What was our ROI?
Our customers see an ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's not too expensive. It is somewhere between the middle, the expensive, and the cheap.
The pricing is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2023-12-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
SreepadSrivatsa from
Robust solution for SMBs and offers plug-and-play deployment
What is most valuable?
I like the Instant On switches and the AP22
What needs improvement?
For on-premises, I would rate the scalability a seven out of ten. For on-prem, if I want to integrate two more controls, and I want to extend my network , and add a couple of access points that need to be integrated with my network, I have to do the configurations and all. So that will be each and every time, as and when the users expand, the Wi-Fi solution expands; I need to do the configuration settings on all other controllers.
There is room for improvement in scalability for the on-premises deployment model.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the solution for the past eight years. Currently, I work with the latest version of the solution.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is highly stable. I rate it a perfect ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the solution is a perfect ten on the cloud. I have positioned it for enterprise, and I have also positioned it for medium and small businesses.
For on-premises, I would rate the scalability a seven out of ten. For on-prem, if I want to integrate two more controls, and I want to extend my network , and add a couple of access points that need to be integrated with my network, I have to do the configurations and all. So that will be each and every time, as and when the users expand, the Wi-Fi solution expands; I need to do the configuration settings on all other controllers.
But if it is in the cloud, if it's on the cloud, I just need to add the control. I just need to add the MAC ID; that will be easy for us to extend it.
How was the initial setup?
I would rate your experience with the initial setup a nine out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.
The deployment model also depends on the customer inputs. We usually prefer to go with Amazon Cloud if they already have an existing Azure.
The deployment duration depends on the customer to the customer; it varies. It depends on the architecture, number of flows, number of access points, and users, too. Because it is based on the number of users, if the architecture is huge, it may take up to one month. Sometimes, it may finish in just two days. It depends on the users.
What was our ROI?
The ROI is visible. This product is a day-to-day requirement for the customers. Most of the customers will come up with their laptops or BYOD devices. All those things. So it's a mandatory thing for them to set up the network and to run their show.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a five out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
If a Small and Medium Business (SMB) customer wants a plug-and-play deployment, we recommend considering Aruba Instant.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2023-12-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Maulik-Shah from
A reliable and simple solution that has content filtering feature but improvement is needed in stability and scalability
What is our primary use case?
We use the tool everywhere for WiFi.
What is most valuable?
I find network management features related to monitoring Wi-Fi usage and visited sites particularly valuable. Content filtering is also important to prevent access to malicious or inappropriate websites. It is reliable and simple.
What needs improvement?
I believe there's room for improvement in monitoring, especially when troubleshooting issues. Currently, there's limited intelligence around monitoring. It needs to improve stability and scalability.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for five years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
My company has 5000 users for Aruba Instant.
How are customer service and support?
We procure it through our supplier, so we don't directly contact the vendor ourselves.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is straightforward and doesn't take long. With a standard setup process, you enroll it, and it starts working quickly. The deployment process involves registering the AP to a specific site within Aruba Central. Once registered, it automatically downloads the configuration.
What was our ROI?
While I don't have specific numbers, I can say that the return on investment has been positive. We've been using it for five years, and we had to implement it in the year before that. So overall, we've seen good returns, although I don't have the exact figures available.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The tool's pricing is neither cheap nor expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the overall product a six out of ten. Based on my experience, I can't provide a recommendation as we are considering transitioning to another product. We currently use it alongside Juniper, and Juniper has acquired Mist, so they are moving towards a unified product.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-04-25T00:00:00-04:00