Aruba ESP is a cloud-native platform that automates, unifies and secures the edge network using AI-powered insights1. Unlike some competitors, if Aruba network devices lose connectivity to the cloud, they will continue to provide the same connectivity to users2. This ensures high availability and reliability for mission-critical applications.

Schools lack the budget to obtain a reliable wired and wireless network that can handle the increase in devices and connectivity needs for digital learning environments6. Schools face challenges such as aging infrastructure, limited IT staff, security threats, and diverse user demands that require a robust and scalable network solution that can support digital learning initiatives.

Customers lack the ability to automate the network and orchestrate network provisioning with storage and compute1. Aruba solutions for data center modernization provide a cloud-native operating system, a unified management tool, and an open ecosystem for automation and orchestration1.

One key advantage of Aruba wireless solutions as compared to Cisco Meraki solutions is that Aruba offers integration with an extensive ecosystem while Cisco Meraki offers little third-party integration. Aruba wireless solutions support open standards and APIs that enable seamless integration with third-party applications and services such as security, analytics, location services, IoT platforms, etc. . Cisco Meraki wireless solutions have limited integration options with third-party vendors and require additional hardware or software components to enable some features such as location services or guest access .

According to Aruba’s website1, Aruba Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions are solutions that allow customers to consume Aruba’s technology as a service with HPE GreenLake for Aruba. This means that customers can access Aruba’s entire portfolio of networking, security, and edge services without having to own or manage any hardware or software.

What distinguishes an Aruba SaaS solution from a simple subscription-based solution is that with the SaaS solution, Aruba handles maintaining and updating the software2. This means that customers do not have to worry about software patches, upgrades, or licenses. They also get access to the latest features and innovations from Aruba.

https://www.arubanetworks.com/solutions/naas/

A use case for Aruba Central running in MSP mode is for use by partners selling Aruba Networking as a Service (NaaS) under their own brand. This mode allows partners to create and manage multiple customer accounts and networks from a single dashboard.

The Silver Peak acquisition enhances Aruba’s SD-WAN capabilities by adding a self-driving WAN edge platform that delivers secure access to cloud applications. This enables enterprises to simplify their WAN operations and reduce costs.

You should recommend Aruba User Experience Insight (UXI) for a hotel/convention center that needs to ensure consistent high quality for its mobile services. Aruba UXI is a solution that proactively monitors, troubleshoots, and addresses application and network performance issues1. It consists of hassle-free sensors and a simple-to-use, cloud-based dashboard to assess networks and apps2.

The customer need that indicates that you should propose Aruba Mobility Master as part of an Aruba controller-based solution is the need for always-on wireless connectivity with no downtime [12. Aruba Mobility Master (MM) is a network management system that provides centralized control over wireless LAN controllers (WLCs) and access points (APs)[11][13]. It enables high availability features such as hitless failover, seamless roaming, load balancing, etc.[11][14].

Aruba Central provides simple cloud-based management and Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) for Aruba switches and APs12. This simplifies deploying and managing the infrastructure devices for SMBs.

Asking what types of applications and workloads are experiencing issues can help you qualify a customer for an Aruba wireless solution by identifying their pain points and requirements.

Virtual Switching Framework (VSF) allows customers to combine 5400R switches into a single virtual switch which simplifies management tasks and provides more resilient connectivity12. VSF is a technology that enables two or more Aruba switches to be logically aggregated and managed as a single device with a single IP address1. It also provides faster failover and recovery times than traditional stacking methods2.

According to Aruba’s website1, Aruba AIOps is a solution that uses artificial intelligence and analytics to identify exact root causes of network issues, auto-remediate problems, proactively monitor user experience, tune the network to prevent issues before they occur, and optimize and secure the network using peer benchmarking and prescriptive recommendations2. It is built into Aruba Central, a cloud service that manages networking equipment that runs ArubaOS services3.

One reason that Aruba AIOps is more powerful than many competing solutions is that Aruba has extensive data stores on which to draw, based on tens of thousands of customers over multiple years4. This enables Aruba AIOps to leverage a large amount of anonymized data from diverse network environments and use machine learning algorithms to provide accurate and actionable insights for network operations5.

Aruba micropolicies apply user-aware and IoT-aware policies that adapt to changing conditions1. This provides your customers with advantages such as granular visibility and control over network access, dynamic enforcement of security policies based on user roles and device types, and simplified network management with a single point of configuration1. Aruba micropolicies do not enforce a secure VPN connection for remote users to protect the network from malicious attacks; rather they use encryption and tunneling protocols such as IPsec or GRE to secure traffic between remote devices and gateways2. Aruba micropolicies do not detect malware and attacks with the latest signatures downloaded from Aruba; rather they use solutions such as Aruba IntroSpect UEBA or Aruba ClearPass Device Insight to detect anomalous behavior or compromised devices3. Aruba micropolicies do not provide a backend database for enforcing security issues; rather they use solutions such as Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager or Aruba NetConductor to provide centralized policy management and enforcement4.

Silicon root of trust creates a digital fingerprint in the silicon of ArubaOS switches to ensure they will never boot with compromised hardware3. This is one advantage of Aruba Secure Infrastructure that goes beyond software solutions. Connectivity Health collects and compiles information about switch configuration, protocol, and system state and uses machine learning to compare this information to baseline figures, but this is a feature of Aruba Network Analytics Engine (NAE), which is a software solution4. An Aruba infrastructure does not reduce the likelihood traffic can be intercepted with centralized encryption and deep packet inspection; rather it encrypts traffic at every hop using standards-based protocols such as IPSec VPNs3. Aruba controlled APs maintain a distributed policy engine that defines who and what devices can connect to which data, infrastructure, and applications, but this is also a software solution based on Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager (CPPM).

A common challenge that customers face when using MPLS for their WAN is that MPLS links create an inefficient flow for cloud applications. MPLS links are dedicated circuits that connect branch offices to data centers through service providers’ networks. They provide high reliability and performance but are expensive and inflexible. They also require backhauling traffic from branches to data centers before reaching cloud applications, which adds latency and complexity.QUESTION NO: 118

What distinguishes aruba's as-a-service solutions from other vendors' solutions-as-a-service?A. Aruba focuses on pre-packaged service packages, rather than custom solutions, to simplify the delivery process.B. Aruba came to the market as a service later, which allows it to offer more modern solutions, instead of those built with legacy technology.C. Aruba focuses on solutions such as budget-optimized service and competes primarily on price.D. Aruba has defined technologies for networking as a service (NAAS) and has more mature offerings than competitors

Answer: D

https://www.arubanetworks.com/solutions/naas/

Legacy monitoring tools require IT to manually correlate data to obtain insights, and they offer limited views across virtual and physical resources. This makes it difficult for customers to gain visibility into their data center network performance and troubleshoot issues.

A characteristic that could make a Virtual Mobility Controller (VMC), as opposed to a hardware controller, a good solution for a customer is need for flexibility in moves and changes3. VMC is a software-based controller that runs on x86 virtualized servers3. VMC provides more flexibility than hardware controllers because it can be easily deployed, moved, or scaled up or down according to changing network demands3.

One of the trends that is making it more difficult for customers to secure their networks is customers are connecting more loT devices to their network, and the devices quickly come under attack234. loT devices are internet-connected or network-based devices that can range from smart home appliances to industrial sensors3. These devices can pose security risks by giving cyber criminals access to connected networks and data2. Organizations need to understand how to secure loT devices and recognize the top loT vulnerabilities they face4.

According to Aruba’s website1, AI insights is a feature of Aruba AIOps, which is a solution that integrates artificial intelligence with recommended and automated actions to provide fast response and proactive prediction and prevention of network issues2. One business benefit that Aruba AI insights helps customers to achieve is reducing help desk tickets and time spent on troubleshooting issues that can hamper a business2.

https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/central/2.5.3/content/insights/overview.htm

The topic of improving customer satisfaction scores and the role of mobile apps in their strategy is relevant to Aruba’s location-based service solution and its value proposition.

Virtual Switching Extension (VSX) helps to reduce downtime for a network core of ArubaOS switches, while also providing a simple architecture4. It enables high availability and load balancing across multiple switches without using complex protocols.

Juniper and Mist are still largely separate. Aruba AP and switch solutions are truly unified, with features like Dynamic Segmentation2. Aruba ESP also offers a cloud-native architecture that enables automated network management, edge-to-cloud security, and predictive AI-powered insights2.