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Business

HPE Aruba Networking Unveils Powerful Wi-Fi 7 APs to Supercharge Enterprise Connectivity

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HPE Aruba Networking is looking to set the bar higher for enterprise Wi-Fi with the launch of its new Wi-Fi 7 access points (APs). These next-generation solutions deliver up to 30% more capacity compared to competitors, ensuring seamless connectivity for demanding applications like AI and the ever-growing Internet of Things (IoT) landscape.

HPE Aruba Networking’s 730 series APs leverage the company’s proven track record as an industry leader proven by its 18-time Gartner Magic Quadrant leadership position. These new APs leverage patented ultra tri-band (UTB) hardware technology unlocking exceptional performance by optimizing both 5GHz and 6GHz bands. This helps eliminate channel interference for smoother data flow.

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“As businesses embrace data-driven modernization, reliable, secure, and high-performance connectivity is crucial,” says Mark Ablett, Vice President of Asia Pacific and Japan at HPE Aruba Networking. “Our Wi-Fi 7 APs, managed by HPE Aruba Networking Central, empower organizations to achieve optimal network capabilities, bolster operational efficiency, and safeguard their digital environment.”

AI-ready IoT Integration

The HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series eliminates the need for separate IoT network overlays. Built-in support for a wide range of IoT protocols like Zigbee and Bluetooth, alongside dual USB interfaces, provides a secure and versatile platform for connecting an expanding array of devices at the network edge.

The surge in IoT devices presents a rich data source for AI training and analysis. HPE’s extensive ecosystem of over 350 technology partners empowers organizations to capture, secure, and leverage this data to generate real-time business insights and build robust AI data lakes. These insights can be used to fuel predictive maintenance, digital twin implementations, and personalized customer experiences.

“Today’s enterprises require optimized connectivity and smart investments in their wireless infrastructure,” says Chris DePuy, principal analyst at 650 Group. “Wi-Fi 7 delivers the processing power, flexibility, speed, reliability, and capacity organizations need to navigate the explosion of IoT devices, ubiquitous security demands, and backward compatibility with legacy equipment.”

Feature Rich, Secure and Sustainable

HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series APs bring more than just new technology to the table. It builds on the secure, reliable framework which has been a hallmark of HPE Aruba’s portfolio since its inception. The new 730 series promises enhanced performance with UTB filtering that eliminates channel interference for maximized performance and capacity. It also enables simultaneous utilization of both 5GHz and 6GHz bands.

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Aside from this, the new routers come with advanced security. This allows admins to better manage access through policy-based access controls and Layer 7 application firewalls that build upon a robust security foundation. New features include link-level encryption (MACsec) for wired-level data protection on the AP and a personal wireless network mode for secure user device onboarding.

The new APs utilize HPE Aruba Networking Central’s IoT Operations dashboard. This simplifies device onboarding and removes the need for high-overhead vendor-specific overlays. The APs function as connectors and local processing elements for direct communication with third-party IoT services. They also come with dual dedicated Bluetooth and Zigbee radios that cater to high-density IoT environments. The built-in dual USB ports offer robust connectivity for diverse IoT devices using proprietary protocols. Integrated, non-permanent external antennas also optimize performance in challenging RF environments.

HPE Aruba’s 730 series APs come with Increased SDRAM and Flash memory compared to previous models. This allows application-specific containers to run on the APs themselves, streamlining data transmissions and enabling local processing for faster response to real-time conditions.

The 730 Series leverages the new Wi-Fi location standard for improved location-aware services with one-meter precision, ideal for real-time, immersive, and industrial use cases. It also supports the IEEE 802.11az standard and facilitates self-location networks. Additional features include a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, a barometric sensor for floor-level mapping, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.4 for bi-directional IoT location data to enhance user engagement and asset tracking.

The 730 series is built with sustainability in mind. The outlined features are further enhanced by an AI-powered dynamic power save mode. This allows organizations to be sustainability-oriented by reducing energy consumption.

Availability and Management

The HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series Access Points will be generally available globally in July 2024 and come with a limited lifetime warranty. Management is facilitated through HPE Aruba Networking Central, offered as a subscription, either as a standalone SaaS solution or included as part of an HPE GreenLake (NaaS) subscription via the HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform.

Business, News

Aruba Introduces ESP (Edge Services Platform), A Sixth Sense for Networks

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When it comes to networking there’s a myriad of considerations that go into securing, deploying and even managing the network. This is further exacerbated when it comes to large networks with the current perimeter of safety being disintegrated with BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices) and even with distance work cultures. Corporations and even homes are left with a huge gap that they have had to fill with multiple solutions which sometimes just don’t coalesce.

Aruba has been hard at work developing a solution that will help companies be forward thinking while keeping their security in check. Their new ESP (Edge Services Platform) allows companies to adopt policies such as BYOD without compromising their network security and without them having to dedicate human and large financial resources in managing and administering network access. ESP essentially empowers the network with an AI-driven sixth sense that provides actionable insights for network administrators while taking the bulk of menial tasks off their to-do lists.

Meet Aruba ESP

The Aruba ESP framework essentially consists of three principal components: AI Ops, a unified infrastructure and Zero Trust Network Security. These components work in tandem to deliver increased network reliability and security. With a cohesive approach, Aruba has managed to build an offering that is able to be implemented at scale and even with smaller businesses. In fact, ESP is able to be deployed according to client needs over a period of time.

The AI Ops component of ESP works to help with identifying, segmenting and remediate network issues. With Aruba’s implementation of AI Ops, the network is able to analyse and segment the network to isolate and protect company assets while allowing employees and guests to access the network with their own devices. It also proactively monitors the network for any security risks such as infected devices or even probable attackers to prevent any downtime. Even if there is downtime, AI Ops will allow Aruba’s ESP to automatically heal and repair the network which will, in the best scenarios, negate possible downtime.

Introducing Aruba ESP

The Edge Services Platform is also a turnkey solution for corporations that allows the consolidation of their networking solution on one unified platform. Running on their already proven Aruba Central network management solution, ESP is able to provide administrators with a cloud native solution to manage everything from switching, Wi-Fi and SD-WAN across their campus network. The single, unified interface also allows them to have a one-stop platform to identify and deal with potential networking issues which may arise. This together with the analytics and insights from AI Ops simplifies the process identifying, isolating and fixing network issues. What’s more, Aruba’s ESP is brand agnostic allowing devices and services from other vendors to be seamlessly integrated into the network.

ESP adopts a Zero Trust approach to network security. However, it doesn’t just segment the network. Instead, it uses built-in, role based access technology that will enable Dynamic Segmentation. This simply means that the platform is able to identify and isolate devices dynamically as they enter the network. It uses an AI model that has been trained to identify certain parameter and automatically assign or isolate devices to help prevent potential security risks or breaches. This approach allows companies to be forward looking while keeping their assets and data safe from intrusion; empowering remote work and BYOD policies which have been proven to increase productivity.

Source: Aruba

Aruba’s ESP heavily leverages telemetry and insights derived from the company’s many years in providing networking solutions and hardware to deliver an ever evolving, rapidly adapting solution that can be deployed according the needs and constraints of their customers. That said, ESP isn’t just reliant of Aruba’s data and telemetry, it evolves with the company and learns from the data and telemetry that is natively derived from the organisation and its policies. Aruba ESP will be available for current platforms including Amazon Web Services.