Aruba Adds High-Performance, Stackable Switches to its Instant On Portfolio

Aruba’s new 1960 Switch Series expands the Instant On wired portfolio to offer Class 4 and Class 6 PoE support, 10GbE uplink connectivity and stacking capabilities along with flexible management via local Web GUI or through Cloud management

In the past 18 months, small and medium businesses (SMBs) have experienced a distinct shift in the demands of their day-to-day operations, and it’s taken a toll on legacy networking technology.

SMBs in industries like retail, hospitality, healthcare, and training centers have found their customers, IT personnel, and employees engaging both onsite and online, often using multiple devices across disparate spaces, all on a single network. With increased reliance on digital technology, it’s now more important than ever for these businesses to adopt a simpler and smarter networking solution to stay competitive and keep customers happy.

Today, Aruba is announcing the new 1960 Switch Series, an expansion of the Aruba Instant On portfolio built with the needs of SMBs in mind. The unified, cloud-based management solution scales across wired and wireless platforms. It packs a punch with easy-to-use, business-grade features coupled with robust network management capabilities. And it’s tailored to support the high bandwidth devices that growing businesses need to scale operations.

Do More by Getting More

The Aruba Instant On 1960 Switch Series is an advanced, smart-managed, stackable switch solution with the following key features:

· Two (2) 24- port and two (2) 48-port models in PoE and Non-PoE configurations and a 12 port 10-Gigabit aggregation switch (available in all 5 SKU’s)

· Access switches come with two (2) 10GBASE-T and two (2) 10G SFP+ uplink ports for reliable connectivity to servers and network storage devices.

· Aggregation switch comes with twelve (12) 10G Base-T and four (4) SFP+ ports providing 10G connectivity to servers and network storage devices while offering connectivity to access switches -

· PoE models - up to 30W PoE power delivery is available for Class 4 PoE devices like access points, and up to 60W PoE power delivery is available for Class 6 PoE devices such as pan-tilt zoom cameras..

· The 24-port and 48-port PoE models come with a power budget of 370W and 600W respectively to support the latest IoT devices.

The 1960 switch series also provides stacking capabilities - up to four (4) 1960 switches can be stacked together and managed through one single management IP address, simplifying network operations. Stacking can be managed locally or through the cloud, offering greater flexibility to set up and manage the stack with the Instant On mobile app. And because the app provides intuitive recommendations to help easily configure and manage stack members, there’s no need to be an IT expert.

What’s even better - cloud-managed stacking ensures that stacking capabilities will continue to function in the local mode, even when internet connectivity is lost.

Additionally, the Instant On 1960 series includes a luggage tag that helps with easy cloud onboarding through the app. The switches can be deployed using two management modes – Instant On cloud-management (access via mobile app and/or web portal) and the local web GUI with improved UX, all at no extra cost.

Small businesses, from family healthcare facilities to mom-and-pop retailers with little to no IT experience, can now rely on the Aruba Instant On 1960 family of switches to scale their businesses and stay ahead in an increasingly dynamic and unpredictable business environment.

Robust Networking Has Small Businesses Covered

Connectivity, management, and great customer experiences are important to any small business

● Professional Offices: When starting to outfit small offices, business owners face thousands of decisions that are competing for their time. Luckily, they’ve laid the groundwork for success with high performance desktops, high-end servers and storage, and a wireless network that can handle the plethora of devices. The Aruba Instant On 1960 Switch Series supports hybrid stacking, allows aggregator switches to stack with 1960 access switches, and connects servers, storage devices and PoE devices spread across floors.

● Retail Stores and Cafés: Customers at restaurants and cafés want to browse the internet, check email and stream videos while dining or lounging with a latte. In addition to offering seamless Wi-Fi across the site, businesses need a reliable wired connection to power cameras and media servers that connect IP TV and digital signage. Instant On 1960 switches come with 1G and 10G ports to power a wide range of PoE devices.

● Healthcare Clinics: While frontline health workers are turning to telehealth, mobile sites, and drive-thru testing to provide patient care, IT’s job is equally vital in enabling the success of these services. To ensure uninterrupted critical communications and patient care, healthcare clinics need a reliable network to support bandwidth-intensive applications, such as telehealth and mobile sites. Instant On 1960 provides Class 6 PoE support that delivers power to biometric sensors, LED smart lights and CCTV surveillance cameras. The switches also come with 10G uplinks for applications that require higher bandwidth and resolution, like medical imaging.

● Learning Centers: Independent training centers must continuously deal with increasing student numbers and deliver an optimal learning experience, whether in the classroom or remotely. Fast, secure, and affordable connectivity is critical for teachers and students to easily access online labs and assignments. Aruba Instant On 1960 switches provide seamless connectivity to interactive projectors and access points with 10G uplinks that deliver high-speed connectivity to campus portals and online coursework.

When deployed with Aruba Instant On APs, the 1960 Switch Series delivers a complete wired and wireless networking solution, all centrally managed through Instant On mobile app – allowing small businesses to not only optimize their network investment today, but also to prepare for future growth.

Since its introduction, Aruba’s mission with Instant On has been to give small businesses the tools and technology to deliver exceptional wired and wireless user experiences to their customers and improved efficiencies to their employees through world-class connectivity solutions. With Instant On, small businesses now have the simplicity, security, and intelligence they need to grow and thrive.

The Aruba Instant On 1960 switches are available for order now from your trusted partners.

Amol Mitra, VP & GM, Global Small and Medium Business