Cloud-based management and orchestration platform for Aruba ESP

Because of a shift in computing and the rise of the intelligent Edge, many networking challenges still exist. At the heart of these challenges is that networks are still bound by human scale. These challenges include technology silos hindering agility, the lack of automation and visibility, increasing security threats, lack of seamless access for the hybrid workforce, and economic resource headwinds.

Some interesting statistics outline these challenges:

·        64% of IT organisations use four or more network tools[1]

·        70% of the IT professional’s time is spent trying to identify and diagnose issues[2]

·        80% of organisations found IoT devices they did not install or secure[3]

·        70% of organisations have remote workers who experience IT issues daily or multiple times per week[4]

·        71% of IT budgets are dedicated to ‘running the business’[5].

“Cloud networking is set to overcome many of these challenges. Research shows that half of new network deployments will be managed via the cloud and 42% of businesses have already adopted SD-WAN[6]. In addition, Aruba’s own research shows that IT leaders plan to increase their spending in cloud networking by 38% and AI by 35% because of Covid-19,” says Warren Gordon, ARUBA/HPE Business Unit Manager at Duxbury Networking, local distributors of ARUBA/HPE technology.

“From a networking perspective, after years of lagging behind other IT domains such as compute and storage, the network is starting to catch up in terms of cloud adoption. Companies are realising that in order to maximise the advantages of the cloud, they need a network that is equally nimble, with the right forms of connectivity into and out of cloud data centres, all the way to homes and other remote locations. Hence, we’re seeing a rise in spending on cloud-based networking platforms. According to IDC, overall spending will reach $10-billion on cloud networking by 2022, with upwards of 50% of all new network deployments being managed and delivered through the cloud,” says Gordon.

That figure is being somewhat buoyed by technologies such as SD-WAN, which 42% of companies are already using or are in the process of deploying to increase IT agility, improve user experiences at remote locations, and reduce costs. There is also artificial intelligence and machine learning, which leverage the massive computing power of the cloud to automate and improve decision making for IT and business leaders alike.

“And, as you might imagine, the demand for cloud networking has also increased due to Covid-19. Aruba conducted a survey with 2 400 IT decisions makers. A large proportion of respondents indicated that, despite some economic headwinds, not only are they maintaining their investments in things like cloud networking and AI, but that they’re actually increasing their spending in the near-term. And again, that goes back to the automation, scale, and efficiency that such technologies bring to the network and the larger IT ecosystem. In this case, being able to scale and manage networks from a central location, because traditional approaches to managing networks are no longer sustainable due to travel restrictions, as well as budget or IT resourcing constraints,” he adds.

Aruba’s response to these trends and challenges is Aruba ESP or Edge Services Platform which is based on four core attributes:

·        A unified infrastructure that eliminates silos and streamlines operations by unifying management of all network infrastructure across all business locations.

·        Zero Trust security to simplify the task of securing the edge for users and IoT by eliminating the need for manual, cumbersome VLANs, ACLs, and subnets that are untenable for today’s IT.

·        AIOps, which gives networks a ‘6^th sense’ so customers can resolve issues before they impact the business or at least resolve them faster so business keeps humming.

This is all delivered with As a Service flexibility, which gives organisations greater choice and control over how they consume and pay for technology to accomplish their goals.

“Aruba Central allows the breakdown of silos with unified management and AI operations, using a cloud-native single pane of glass for simplified operation and deployment flexibility across all infrastructures and all network domains. In research undertaken by the Enterprise Strategy Group[7], Aruba ESP has been shown to reduce operational costs by 56% over three years,” says Gordon.

Aruba Central delivers AI- and machine learning-based analytics, and with these insights, customers can preempt issues before they impact end users or the business, while also proactively identifying areas for improvement. This includes a rich set of troubleshooting tools and guided remediation for quick and accurate fixes.

On top of the AI engine, Aruba Central also provides an array of other powerful monitoring capabilities, giving customers broad visibility into key performance indicators and complete operational awareness.

“Security is always top of mind, especially given that the traditional IT perimeter continues to dissolve due to workplace mobility and work-from-home initiatives, along with the proliferation of BYOD and IoT devices on the network. To that end, Aruba Central was designed with security built-in, not bolted on, with capabilities like unified threat management, IDS/IPS, device fingerprinting, and automated policy enforcement for users and devices across both wired and wireless networks,” says Gordon.

With a cloud networking solution like Aruba Central, IT admins have the ability to remotely control, configure, and push necessary changes to all devices in the network from a single management console. Be they access points, switches, branch gateways, or even VPN infrastructure. This means the ability to automate and orchestrate network-wide workflows, dramatically simplifying day 0 to day N operations.

“Another key capability of Aruba Central also involves an element of automation – applying AI-powered insights to surface, preempt, resolve, or even prevent network issues. Generally speaking, nearly 75% of IT’s time is spent trying to track down and resolve these user- and business-impacting issues. So skilled IT staff are continually pulled into reactive firefighting mode to resolve user-reported complaints, and often, the network is the first to be blamed. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is needed to shift IT operations from a reactive to proactive posture.

“The three key components of this AI-powered intelligence are AI Insights, the AI Assist feature and the AI Search feature. With this portfolio of features, Aruba AIOps is able to help redefine IT outcomes by reacting to and resolving issues faster, predicting and preempting issues before they impact the business or users, continuously optimising network performance based on peer benchmarks. And most importantly, it can identify specific root causes, specific recommendations and deliver these outcomes with greater than 95% accuracy,” says Gordon.

Aruba Central powers the hybrid workplace through:

·        Remote Access Points to extend enterprise services to the home.

·        Simple workflow. IT ships an AP to the employee’s home; the employee plugs it in, downloads a configuration from the cloud, and they are ready to go.

·        Alternatively deploying a plug-and-play VPN agent (Aruba VIA software client) that is equally easy for non-IT personnel to install and use.