All systems go as Aruba expands partner reach

Westcon attracted a good turn-out last week for a partner update session from Aruba Networks, one of Westcon’s key vendor partners who are renowned for their wireless and mobility solutions.

Enjoying a growing reputation and rising profile within the wireless industry, the networking vendor now addresses very different verticals encompassing very different requirements.

"Here at Aruba we are in the best position we've ever been," the company's ANZ Partner Manager Bruce Nixon told a room full of partners.

“As a company we’re growing in maturity and now we can sit in front of partners, regardless of the size of customers they serve, and provide a solution for that is well suited commercially and delivers an enterprise quality user experience.

"We've learnt many lessons working within the large scale enterprise space, and as a result we're in a position to address the needs of any partner going forward."

Aside from offering an encouraging market update at the event, Nixon delved into the finer details of Aruba's arsenal - an arsenal which is garnering greater ammunition as the company progresses.

Cloud Wi-Fi

Designed for real business, Aruba's Cloud Wi-Fi tests at 10x faster than other cloud Wi-Fi solutions when connecting many mobile devices at once, a feature Nixon claimed offers "unsurpassed uptime with unmatched affordability."

"We understand the cloud," insisted Nixon, who introduced Aruba Central to the room.

"Designed as a software-as-a-service subscription in the cloud, Aruba Central gives you streamlined management for multiple Aruba Instant wireless networks."

With the Aruba cloud Wi-Fi solution, Nixon insisted all user control and data traffic stay local within the Instant WLAN, with network management information going to Aruba Central in the cloud.

"This design means you have no management appliances to install and maintain, locally or in the datacenter, which keeps costs low," he said.

"Plus, your network stays available, since you have all the functionality you need locally, with no dependence on WAN links."

Instant 4.0

Instant 4.0 for example, the fourth major release of the Instant product, demonstrates a level of thinking no longer confined to the IT savvy among the industry.

"We've significantly dumbed down the process of installing Aruba Instant," said Nixon, who claimed the company adopted a consumer based approach during development. "From a technology perspective we've done everything possible to simplify the product.

"In essence, don’t need to be certified to use the Aruba Instant product.”

Offering best-in-class Wi-Fi for mobile devices, apps and services, Nixon was quick to detail the growing benefits of Instant 4.0 - allowing customers to deploy any number of Aruba Instant APs to create Wi-Fi networks of any size – indoors and outdoors.

"And if you don’t have Ethernet cabling in that remote corner of the building, Aruba Instant can automatically mesh with other APs over the air," Nixon added.

Such was the interactive nature of the event, a hands on demo of Aruba Instant was performed, offering a clear indication of what partners can expect of the product.

Going forward

Founded in 2002, the Aruba Networks which entered the network infrastructure scene over a decade ago is now a shadow of its former self - in all the right ways.

"Aruba is a different company even to what it was three or four years ago," admitted Nixon, who claimed Aruba ClearPass to be a key pointer into the direction in which the company is heading as a mobility solutions provider.

Offering one place to manage all things BYOD, Nixon explained that ClearPass Access Management System lets you create and enforce polices that extend across the network to devices and applications.

"This gives you total control over mobility services and a simple way to rollout BYOD," Nixon added.

From one integrated platform, ClearPass enables you to manage network policies, securely onboard and manage devices, admit guest users, and even secure, distribute and manage mobile work apps.

"Best of all, it works on any network," Nixon added.

With ClearPass providing a definitive guide to BYOD, Nixon's vision, along with that of the entire company, is no different.

For Aruba is a company focused on producing highly secure solutions, capable of meeting the demands of businesses large or small - a philosophy which has so far paid dividends in the industry.

“Westcon Group, the world's leading specialty value added distributor of advanced network technology solutions is partnering with Aruba to distribute their solutions to the New Zealand market.

To find out more about how Westcon Group and Aruba can best meet your business needs, such as assistance to deliver a proof of concept or taking advantage of our promotional offers then please contact Shaun Graham from Westcon today at shaun.graham@westcongroup.co.nz.