Let’s put our last 18 years into context. Think back to the early 2000s. Moore’s Law was in full force, doubling semiconductor capacity and performance every two years. For nimble and upcoming vendors (most of whom were startups), enormous gains came from just the hardware perspective—if they were harnessed properly. But remember, back then, wireless network connectivity was a niche, somewhat exotic approach to accessing corporate IT resources. Smart phones and laptops weren’t commonplace, and iPads didn’t exist. 2003 Wi-Fi certified standard was 802.11g, with a mere 54 Mbps performance, and the Wi-Fi nomenclature was yet to be adopted. Most edge switches were pushing at best 100 MB of throughput, and segmentation/security was operationally very cumbersome. There was no guarantee the wired and wireless networking marketing would grow to what it is today. All this adds up to enormous opportunity for a market leader to stumble: misread the market, bet on wrong technology, underestimate competitors, or simply rest on their laurels.
At HPE (Aruba), we are very proud to have been recognized in the report as a Leader for the 18th consecutive time. We were positioned based on our Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute among other vendors.
Gartner® has mentioned how remote clients are using the connectivity that is available, such as public internet, in conjunction with cloud-based zero trust network access (ZTNA) services to provide security, visibility and flexibility in an as-a-service model. We believe this means our customers can:
- Simplify how they provision, configure, and maintain networks through a single point of visibility and control across wired, wireless, WAN, and data center connectivity—from the edge to the cloud—with HPE Aruba Networking Central.
- Increase network uptime, reliability, and security with switching solutions such as in-service software upgrades (ISSUs) for switch stacks and Layer 7 application control on access ports.
- Dramatically improve the network team and end user experiences with innovative AI-powered network management solutions, with AI capabilities included in the foundation license of Central. Native AI features embedded in every aspect of network management—from planning and installation to troubleshooting and optimization—have become a core part of the day to day lives of our customers.
Recognized among the 2nd highest ranked vendors in the Critical Capabilities report
The companion Gartner® research to the Magic Quadrant is the Critical Capabilities Report. In the 5 Use Cases in the report, HPE (Aruba) was tied for #1 vendor for Branch Offices and SMBs, and the 2nd highest ranked vendor in the other 4 use cases in the 2024 Critical Capabilities for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure. We believe this reflects continued innovation in solutions that address key customer needs:
- Zero Trust Security—Increase security with built-in support for Cloud NAC, universal policy, and EVPN/VxLAN access enforcement for corporate networks—bolstered by our acquisition of Axis Security for cloud-native SSE solutions including ZTNA, CASB, SWG, FWaaS, and Digital Experience Management.
- AI-powered network management—Reduce the time to install, manage, and troubleshoot enterprise networks with our highly accurate AI solutions built on a data lake fed by 120,000+ customer accounts and millions of network devices.
- Private 5G—Bring Private 5G into the enterprise wireless space as part of an integrated, cloud-managed solution—enabled by our acquisition of Athonet. Wireless no longer means just Wi-Fi as use cases requiring broad geographic coverage and low latency start to introduce Private 5G into corporate networks.
- Data Center—Optimize with a consistent set of security, AI, and switch management services that span the edge to the cloud with Central. With the migration of cloud-based workloads back on premises, data center switching in now part of the overall enterprise network.
Customer-first, customer-last
At the heart of maintaining this level of innovation is continued adherence to our core principle of ‘customer first, customer last’. While many organizations claim this, it’s often not backed up by data.
In the latest 2023 Gartner Peer Insights™ Voice of the Customer for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure, 97% of HPE Aruba Networking respondents would be willing to recommend our solutions based on 127 overall reviews as of March 2023, and we have received a Customers’ Choice distinction. ‘’Vendors placed in the upper-right quadrant of the “Voice of the Customer” quadrants are recognized with the Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice distinction, denoted with a Customers’ Choice badge. The recognized vendors meet or exceed both the market average Overall Experience and the market average User Interest and Adoption”.
For Gartner clients, the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ and Critical Capabilities research identifies and then analyzes the most relevant providers and their products in a market.
It reminds us that nothing stands still and that only the most innovative and forward-looking vendors will remain relevant in the market. We believe that the Magic Quadrant shows that HPE (Aruba) is still very much an innovative player in the industry, and the Voice of the Customer report gives us the great feedback that we’re continuing to surprise and delight customers.
We’re honored by this expert and customer recognition and are excited to continue helping our customers succeed.
HPE Aruba Networking’s 18 times of placement includes HPE (Aruba) in the Magic Quadrant for Wired & Wireless LAN Infrastructure from 2015-2024 (9 years, report not published in 2023), Aruba Networks in the same Magic Quadrant from 2012-2014 (3 years) and in the Magic Quadrant for Wireless LAN Infrastructure from 2006-2011 (5 years, report not published in 2009). Aruba Wireless Networks in the Magic Quadrant for Wireless LAN Infrastructure, 2005: Leaders and Challengers.
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