Aruba Instant Reviews

It's a networking product for switching and Wi-Fi.

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. 

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.

It's not suited for larger companies.

The product is a little expensive.

My experience in networking is more than 16 years, and with Aruba Instant, I have almost seven years.

I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. 

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. 

For small and medium businesses, home, and small hotels, it's ten. But not for enterprises.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

I would recommend using it! Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

The solution is used for guest user login for wireless, secure connectivity for internal and guest users, and user experience.

Aruba Instant is a cloud-managed solution that can be managed from the cloud.

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.

I have been using Aruba Instant for five to six years.

Aruba Instant is a stable solution.

You can scale the solution based on your requirements.

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.

The solution provides a good return on investment in terms of user experience.

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.

I use the solution for managing switches remotely.

It is a good solution. It is straightforward.

The security features must be improved.

I have been using the solution for six years.

I rate the tool’s stability a ten out of ten.

I rate the tool’s scalability a nine out of ten. We have more than 2000 users.

I am satisfied with the technical support.

Positive

I rate the ease of setup a ten out of ten. The deployment is easy. It takes a few minutes to deploy the tool.

The product is reasonably priced.

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.

In my company, we use Aruba Instant since it is a very light product for installations, and it provides summaries, making it a good choice for customers.

The product works well in terms of mobility. When users want to migrate from one location to another, they face no problems with connectivity.

In my opinion, Aruba offers nice products.

The support offered by Aruba is slow. For improvement, I would like Aruba to offer faster support to users and more customization options.

I have been using Aruba Instant for seven years. I might update the product for access points supported by Aruba. In our company, old access points have not been updated since they have reached the end of life. My company is a reseller of Aruba products.

The product's stability is good. Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten since its scalability is good.

The product's installation procedure went very well, and there was only very small troubleshooting required because of some compatibility issues of the product with the tools from other vendors. Aruba works very well with devices from the same vendor. Sometimes, when our company wants to connect Aruba to devices from other vendors, we face some minor issues which are not very problematic.

My clients use the solution in small locations like shops, warehouses, and similar places. The number of uses of the solution depends upon the number of access points at those locations.

Around 20 of my clients use Aruba Instant. My company serves small and medium enterprises.

The solution's technical support is very nice. I rate the technical support a nine out of ten.

Positive

On a scale of one to ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy, I rate the initial setup a nine since it was an easy and straightforward process.

The solution is deployed on-premises.

I rate the product's price a five on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive. It offers good relations between functionality, compatibility, reasonable price, and a range of nice products.

I rate the overall product an eight out of ten.

For us, it was a way of getting in the door without having to buy a controller. I used Aruba Instant with a bunch of schools.

If you don't need heavy-duty filtering and things like that, it's a cheap solution. And, you have central management, and it works. So the customer automatically picks a virtual controller and controls all the IAPs within that enterprise.

Lately, Aruba has tried to provide central management for these IAPs, but none of my customers will set up that way. So, if you buy IAPs today for three months, you can get central management from it through Aruba's cloud.

Every product can be improved. It's a catch-22. If you want something better, then you opt for a controller solution. For example, in a school setting, you would want to segregate the teachers from the students. Additionally, you don't want the students accessing inappropriate websites. Moreover, you need to separate the servers where they store sensitive information. Aruba Instant does a fine job with these requirements.

However, in a corporate environment or a larger network, where more advanced filtering or MAC-based filtering is needed, I don't think the IAPs would be sufficient. The solution might not connect in a real enterprise setup.

I have been using the solution since it was out on the market. I grew with this product.

The customer support is good.

Positive

The initial setup is easy. When people say something is complex, it usually means they are not familiar with it. If you put your mind to it, it's manageable.

It's each classroom has an IAP. So you only have to get the first one. Once you get the first one, the other nineteen are just plug-and-play. You upgrade to the level of software you want it to be, and then you configure it.

So, you configure the first one, test it, and if it meets your requirements, you just plug in the rest of them, and they replicate the settings from the first one. It's as simple as that.

The deployment takes four hours to a day. The initial setup involves cabling personnel and individuals responsible for mounting the access points on the ceiling. However, when it comes to configuration, one person can handle it.

The maintenance is no big deal. Because you go on there, you log into the virtual controller. And if it's a new version, it tells you to download it. So you download, you upgrade the first one, then automatically, that upgrades all your IAPs.

The pricing is good. If you buy an IAP and later decide to switch to a controller solution, you don't have to discard your existing access points. You can simply convert them and pay for the licensing. It's a convenient option they offer.

However, the first generation, they weren't as flexible. So, they have become more flexible.

For small businesses or educational institutions like schools, I would definitely recommend considering it.

If it's a true enterprise environment, it may not be suitable. It also depends on how well they have their act together. If they prioritize security and strict control, then a controller-based solution would be more appropriate.

For example, hospitals generally opt for a controller-based solution. However, many hospitals have satellite offices or smaller locations, and Aruba Instant can be easily implemented there.

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. It works, it is fast, and it does the job.

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.

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. 

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.

I've been using the solution for a year and a half now. 

The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze.

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. 

I haven't tried any technical support. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

The security features cover everything and more. It definitely meets our requirements.

For some people, price is a concern.

I use both Aruba Instant and Instant On, I have been using it for a year. 

It's stable. Only planned downtimes, months ahead, and it's timed so it doesn't even affect people. They don't even know.

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.

Positive

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.

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.

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.

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.

I primarily use the solution for my WiFi.

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. 

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. 

I've been using the solution for a year and a half. 

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. 

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.

I've never contacted technical support.

I have not really used another solution, aside from an offering from my ISP. 

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.

I handled the setup myself. I did not need any outside assistance. Everything I needed was in the box. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.