Aruba Instant and Cisco Meraki MR Wireless compete in the wireless networking market. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless seems to have an advantage due to its advanced features justifying its cost over Aruba Instant's attractive pricing and support.
Features: Aruba Instant provides adaptive wireless capabilities, scalability, and strong performance. Meanwhile, Cisco Meraki MR Wireless offers cloud management, robust security features, and integration with other Meraki products, providing a more feature-rich solution.
Room for Improvement: Aruba Instant can enhance its cloud integration and simplify setup. Expanding advanced security features would also benefit users. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless could improve cost efficiency, refine its learning curve for advanced settings, and enhance offline management capabilities.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Meraki MR Wireless offers easy deployment with its cloud-based management platform, which simplifies control and monitoring. Aruba Instant is user-friendly but requires more expertise for initial setup and lacks comprehensive cloud integration. Cisco Meraki is often preferred for its exceptional customer service and streamlined deployment process.
Pricing and ROI: Aruba Instant is cost-effective, appealing to budget-conscious buyers with a decent ROI. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless, demanding a higher initial investment, promises a higher ROI through its extensive features and management ease. The investment often caters to those seeking long-term value and advanced functionalities.
Overall, it's a fair pricing and good in terms of cost-effectiveness or ROI.
This singular point is important because one wants something that is not just cost-effective but also something that can be supported and troubleshot with skilled people familiar with the technology.
Giving me a view of unauthorized users attempting to access the environment, which I can easily track from the Meraki dashboard, allowing me to reject such traffic as and when needed.
If it is not cloud managed, there's a 30 to 40% reduction in manpower.
The technical support from Aruba is of high quality, and I would rate it a ten.
I rate Aruba TAC as a 9 out of 10.
Cisco's technical support is the best.
Raising a tech call can be a convoluted mechanism, which impacts my rating.
Among our tickets, 50% receive proper support and guidance, while the remaining 50% do not receive adequate attention.
I find Aruba Instant to be highly scalable.
Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is easier to deploy or manage multiple access points via the same Meraki dashboard cloud.
I have seen a customer scale from three branch offices to approximately ninety-seven, and it scaled without issues.
Policy-based routing is not available in Cisco Meraki MR Wireless, but it is available in Nexus and other products.
Aruba is a known name in the market providing sufficient support for all these products.
I have not seen any glitches, bugs, or stability problems with Cisco Meraki MR Wireless.
Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is a 99% stable and reliable solution.
Once Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is installed, it is very reliable and lasts for a long time.
Some features are not listed in the cloud management platform and still require offline access, so enhancing the cloud management features would be better for us.
An important missing feature is the console port, which allows direct management without the cloud.
In my opinion, what should be improved in Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is that the AP should initially get configured irrespective of the internet connectivity.
My main concern is that Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is overpriced, has limited functionality, and the hardware is not prepared for any further improvements in terms of features.
Cost is also an area for improvement, as feedback from some customers indicates that for the same amount of value received from alternative solutions, Cisco Meraki MR Wireless could be priced better.
We do not sell very expensive devices as we move to other products.
However, when compared to entry-level market segments, the price is higher.
The cost of Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is high; the price of one AP to the end customer is approximately 50,000 INR.
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing was very straightforward with no complex licensing requirements; just one single subscription based license on the APs is what is outstanding, making pricing and licensing pretty easy.
I would rate pricing an eight, as the retail prices are rather high, but if we go as a known customer to Meraki, there are some nice discounts.
The most beneficial features for network management are the price and the cloud console.
I highly value Aruba Instant for its ClearPass feature, which is an exceptional product for network access control and works as a NAC solution.
The most valuable feature of Aruba Instant On is that it is cloud-managed, making it easy to manage multiple locations in a single dashboard.
Regarding security features Air Marshal and WIPS, they help with protecting my network, as we use enterprise protocols, so it meets our standards.
Easy deployment and configuration is the biggest feature that I really appreciate about the solution, plus it allows me to implement basic access-based controls, which gives me the feasibility of having secured connectivity.
Everything can be done remotely, including deployment, provisioning, and troubleshooting from the cloud.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco Meraki MR Wireless | 1.7% |
| Aruba Instant | 2.7% |
| Other | 95.6% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 31 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 7 |
| Large Enterprise | 14 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 6 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 2 |
| Large Enterprise | 6 |
Aruba Instant offers efficient and secure WLAN access for small to medium-sized businesses, featuring simple setup and management for environments like offices and schools.
Aruba Instant stands out with a focus on easy installation and robust network management. Its features include cloud management, application visibility, seamless roaming, and strong security measures, making it a suitable choice for small to medium-sized businesses. Developers appreciate its role-based access and ability to manage multiple access points efficiently. With Bluetooth connectivity, virtual controller functionality, and ClearPass integration, it adapts well to different business requirements. However, enhancements in troubleshooting, documentation, connectivity, and security features would benefit users. Its role in providing WLAN access across various access points is invaluable for entities like cafes and schools.
What are the key features of Aruba Instant?Aruba Instant is a favored choice in industries like hospitality, education, and office environments, due to its adaptability and ease of management. Its ability to provide seamless connectivity and secure access makes it ideal for businesses scaling their network infrastructure, ensuring efficient management and reliable WLAN access.
Cisco Meraki MR Wireless offers a robust wireless connectivity solution designed for scalability and ease of deployment, making it suitable for modern enterprises seeking reliable network performance.
With its cloud-managed structure, Cisco Meraki MR Wireless provides comprehensive visibility and control over wireless environments, catering to diverse locations and user counts. Its seamless integration simplifies network management, crucial for data-driven decisions in enterprises. The system's configuration and maintenance are streamlined via the intuitive dashboard, ensuring users can optimize performance with minimal effort.
What are the important features of Cisco Meraki MR Wireless?Healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and retail environments favor Cisco Meraki MR Wireless for its robust security and ease of management in environments demanding reliable connectivity. Its ability to handle high-density environments with minimal latency makes it an asset in education. Retail chains utilize comprehensive analytics to optimize in-store experiences and operations.
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