Aruba Airwave vs HPE Intelligent Management Center comparison

Aruba Airwave and HPE Intelligent Management Center are both solutions in the Network Management Applications category. Aruba Airwave is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.1, while HPE Intelligent Management Center is ranked #7 with an average rating of 9.0. Aruba Airwave holds a 3.8% mindshare in NMA, compared to HPE Intelligent Management Center’s 4.9% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Aruba Airwave users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of HPE Intelligent Management Center users who would recommend it.

Aruba Airwave

Read 26 Aruba Airwave reviews

1,354 Views
1,205 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

HPE Intelligent Management ...

Read 7 HPE Intelligent Management Center reviews

1,208 Views
1,136 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Aruba Airwave

HPE Intelligent Management ...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 2, 2025

Aruba Airwave and HPE Intelligent Management Center are competitors in network management. While Aruba distinguishes itself with pricing and support, HPE is regarded as a better choice for extensive network features, offering significant benefits to tech buyers.

Features: Aruba Airwave offers excellent visibility into network performance, simplifies troubleshooting with its Live Heat Map, and supports zero-touch provisioning. It also boasts multivendor interoperability, which is beneficial for managing equipment from various brands. HPE Intelligent Management Center features comprehensive analytics, infrastructure monitoring, and a user-friendly interface, providing a vast range of management options including automation and application monitoring, which are valuable for complex setups.

Room for Improvement: Aruba Airwave could benefit from enhanced reporting customization, improved integration with certain non-Aruba devices, and better visualization tools for data representation. HPE Intelligent Management Center might need to offer more straightforward deployment processes, increased user support for the initial setup, and optimization for mid-sized network environments, which can be resource-intensive.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba Airwave is praised for its simple and resource-light deployment model, which minimizes setup time and effort. Its customer service is noted for being supportive. In contrast, HPE Intelligent Management Center involves a more complex deployment due to its broad feature set, though its customer service is responsive and provides substantial support during the setup phase.

Pricing and ROI: Aruba Airwave is generally cheaper to implement, making it attractive for those with budget constraints and offers a quicker ROI. HPE Intelligent Management Center, though more expensive initially, delivers a more robust ROI with its wide array of features and long-term operational benefits, making it a preferred choice for organizations seeking comprehensive network management solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Airwave vs. HPE Intelligent Management Center Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Airwave vs. HPE Intelligent Management Center

February 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Airwave

Ranking in Network Management Applications

6th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

HPE Intelligent Management ...

Ranking in Network Management Applications

7th

Average Rating

7.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Network Management Applications category, the mindshare of Aruba Airwave is 3.8%, down from 7.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE Intelligent Management Center is 4.9%, down from 5.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Management Applications Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Aruba Airwave	3.8%
HPE Intelligent Management Center	4.9%
Other	91.3%

Network Management Applications

Featured Reviews

Edward Zeng

Senior Network Engineer at Auckland University of Technology

Troubleshooting obstacles occur but technical support excels

My general opinion on Aruba Airwave is that it's acceptable, but it's not ideal because we are accustomed to Cisco. We didn't use Aruba much, but once you set it up, you probably don't need to worry about it too much. The version we are using is quite old now, probably around version four. I can't remember the version exactly because a lot of the products require Aruba Central, but we haven't used Aruba Central yet. I face challenges with Aruba Airwave, particularly with troubleshooting. When someone has a problem, we try troubleshooting, but the end-to-end users' messages show some details that are not always up-to-date, and sometimes the information from the GUI is not exactly aligned with what's on the website. If Aruba Airwave can apply AI capabilities, that would be even more perfect. I'd appreciate integration with Aruba Central; it would be great if they could incorporate it into Airwave.

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Muhammad_Faisal

Manager ITSM at Lucky Cement Limited

Achieve seamless network and link monitoring with comprehensive device management

The most valuable function is that the IMC takes an entire backup of my network devices, and I can also redeploy them. The really beneficial feature is the link monitoring. I had checked Check Point's product, however, my requirements are better fulfilled by IMC. The main feature is that IMC automatically configures the device for my use. I have over 200 features in my network, and IMC manages the complete environment. Automation is good, but I mainly use it for monitoring. I am too satisfied with this product.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution's initial setup process is straightforward."

"What I like best about Aruba Airwave is its orchestration feature because it saves configuration time. I also like that it allows you to do ZTP installations for new Aruba equipment."

"One of the main advantages is its ability to draw building floor plans and analyze Wi-Fi signal behavior in real-time."

"The most valuable features of the solution are its dashboard and simplicity."

"The most beneficial feature for network monitoring in Aruba Airwave is the Live Heat Map. It helps identify interferences, coverage issues, and user connectivity issues. The device management capability of Aruba Airwave is good. It provides end-to-end visibility from the user to the access point, the switch, and the internet breakout. From a monitoring, management, and orchestration standpoint, it is very effective and can manage any scale of deployment."

"It contains valuable features for engineers to C-level executives, who want visibility, performance, statistics, and a platform which can take action for them without manual intervention, saving time and money."

"I would rate the stability a nine out of ten."

"Aruba Airwave provides a robust solution for monitoring and configuring Wi-Fi networks."

More Aruba Airwave pros

"It's a very complete product with a lot of functionality."

"The most valuable feature is the interface and its ease of use."

"The most valuable function is that the IMC takes an entire backup of my network devices, and I can also redeploy them."

"The most useful feature is infrastructure monitoring including switches and servers."

"One of the notable advantages is its ability to provide quick responses, especially in critical situations."

Cons

"The main challenge we've faced with Aruba Airwave is its high cost, especially regarding high availability and failover licenses, which can be relatively expensive for customers. As for recommendations for improvement, considering that Aruba is planning to retire Airwave soon and introduce a new solution, it's crucial that the new product meets or exceeds the current Airwave's feature set. Customers expect a seamless transition without losing any functionality, so Aruba needs to ensure that the new solution is ready with all the essential features and capabilities from day one to avoid any gaps or dissatisfaction among users and partners."

"When attempting to copy a floor plan, it does not copy well, so I often have to redraw the walls. It's somewhat annoying since other Wi-Fi design software we use is easier for drawing walls and including floor plans."

"The tool's expensive nature is an area of concern where improvements are required."

"Cost is always a big issue for partners."

"Its pricing and support could be improved."

"I am not deeply familiar with the solution, so if I mention a feature, it might already exist, yet I may be unaware of it."

"We sometimes have problems with troubleshooting between the GUI and the CLI manipulation."

"When upgrading hardware, there were technical issues with network interfaces and Red Hat, which required escalation to developers."

More Aruba Airwave cons

"I face the issue with the integration with links on Fortinet Firewall."

"One notable deficiency is the lack of online support for the product."

"HPE Intelligent Management Center is a bit slow."

"The integration with other network devices needs improvement."

"I would like to see additional modules included."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool is expensive. If one is bad or expensive, and ten is very good or cheap, I rate the product's price as a six."

"It's device-based licensing. One device requires one license."

"The cost is perfect because the devices have a lifetime warranty, and the licensing is good as well."

"The licensing is on an yearly basis."

"The licensing cost for Aruba Airwave increased from $72 to $210 within a few months. It would be better if the pricing for the solution were cheaper."

"Aruba Airwave is an expensive solution."

"Run a 90 day free Proof of Concept (PoC) for each product by implementing and using it fully in your environment. This way you will be educated on its features, functionality, and manageability."

"It is an expensive solution."

More Aruba Airwave pricing and cost advice

"There are licensing costs and they are quite expensive."

"The price of this solution is not at all cheap, but it's reasonable compared to SolarWinds."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Government

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

12%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	14

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

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

I think the solution is quite affordable.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Aruba Airwave?

They have other sensors which can manage and control all the sites. There is an IoT component where we can restrict internet services such as Facebook and YouTube. These things can also be managed....

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Aruba Airwave?

For Aruba Airwave, I am using the wireless devices for the Wi-Fi for the full company with access points. This is the top product I feel, and I see in the Gartner also. It is a good product and eas...

See all answers

What needs improvement with HPE Intelligent Management Center?

I face the issue with the integration with links on Fortinet Firewall. This will be sorted out with the help of IMC, and now I have a modem dialing as per my needs.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for HPE Intelligent Management Center?

I am using this solution for network monitoring, links monitoring, and complete monitoring of my infrastructure. I also deploy FortiVAF, FortiAnalyzer, and FortiManager as part of a complete securi...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering HPE Intelligent Management Center?

I rate the overall solution nine out of ten.

See all answers

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Huawei eSight vs Aruba Airwave

Compared 6% of the time

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Compared 27% of the time

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Compared 8% of the time

ExtremeCloud IQ vs HPE Intelligent Management Center

Compared 8% of the time

Fortinet FortiManager vs HPE Intelligent Management Center

Compared 8% of the time

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Compared 8% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Airwave

February 2026

Download Aruba Airwave product report

Buyer's Guide

Network Management Applications

January 2026

HPE Intelligent Management Center report

Download HPE Intelligent Management Center product report

Also Known As

No data available

HPE IMC

Overview

Offering granular visibility into wired and wireless networks, AirWave is the only management platform designed with mobile devices and apps in mind. By proactively monitoring the health and performance of all things connected, AirWave lets IT gain the insights they need to support the digital workplace.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

HPE Intelligent Management Center (IMC) is a comprehensive management platform that was built from the ground up to support the Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Security (FCAPS) model. It provides features and functions that are designed for comprehensive management of the network infrastructure. IMC was designed to provide the following functions:

Supports the ITIL operational center of excellence IT practices model.
Uses a single-pane management paradigm to enable end-to-end business management of IT services

Provides scalability by supporting distributed and hierarchical system architectures, through additional operating system and database support.

Uses an SOA model to provide full resource, service, and user management.
Enables integration of traditionally separate management tools using a modular design.
Enables enterprises to expand their infrastructure management in scale and to seamlessly accommodate new technologies at the same time.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Sample Customers

Henkel, University of Findlay, University of Minnesota Duluth, University of Iowa

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Airwave vs. HPE Intelligent Management Center

February 2026

Free Report: Aruba Airwave vs. HPE Intelligent Management Center

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