Aruba launches Software-Defined Branch Solution

Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, has announced its Software-Defined Branch (SD-Branch) solution, a new approach designed to help customers modernize branch networks for evolving cloud, IoT and mobility requirements. The integration of new cloud-managed SD-WAN, wired and wireless networking solutions, secured with context-based policy enforcement, significantly advances IT professionals’ ability to deliver improved network availability and application performance, while dramatically reducing management time and operational and capital expenditures.

Aruba’s SD-Branch solution integrates new Aruba Branch Gateways with Aruba’s enhanced Aruba Central cloud management platform to provide a single point for SD-WAN, wired and wireless networking and policy enforcement, and to deliver secure, simplified branch connectivity at scale. This purpose-built, unified solution marks a significant advancement beyond pure-play SD-WAN offerings by delivering reduced device footprint, streamlined deployment of large-scale distributed installations, and lower WAN connectivity costs for branch customers.

The key benefits of the Aruba SD-Branch solution include:

* Simplicity at Enterprise Scale: Cloud-based management provides remote, centralized provisioning and management of wired and wireless connections inside the branch, and WAN and Internet connections with SD-WAN infrastructure. This enables IT to quickly implement new services and network changes across large, distributed environments without requiring on-site IT.

* Integrated, Best-in-Class Security: Aruba security solutions offer automated, granular intra-branch and WAN policy enforcement capabilities. New Aruba 360 security exchange technology partners deliver cloud-based firewall and threat protection.

* Optimized Branch Experience: Application, user and device contextual awareness delivers granular QoS within the branch and across the WAN for SaaS, mobile UC, and other remote applications. This simplifies how LAN and WAN traffic is prioritized and routed inside and outside the branches to deliver a consistent experience, regardless of user role, device type or location.

Simplicity at Enterprise Scale: Aruba Central and Infrastructure Enhancements

Aruba’s SD-Branch solution enables IT organizations to effectively manage more branch locations with less staff while leveraging a consistent approach for security and compliance across locations. By integrating and centralizing management while eliminating costly MPLS connectivity, customers can realize savings up to 75% as compared to traditional deployments2.

Aruba Central has been enhanced with new SD-WAN support to provide automated configuration capabilities, granular visibility, and easy-to-use troubleshooting tools. Aruba’s Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) and intuitive mobile app for automated device onboarding, provide nontechnical staff at the branch a plug-and-play experience that eliminates the need for manual onsite configuration and costly, time-consuming truck rolls.

Integrated, Best-in-Class Security and New Cloud Partnerships for Advanced Threat Protection

The rise in mobility, IoT devices and cloud-based applications in the branch requires an automated and comprehensive way of approaching security. Aruba is uniquely positioned to provide user and device context for consistent role-based enforcement across the LAN and WAN. Aruba ClearPass policy manager simplifies and automates how policies are applied across different layers of network and application access removing the need for time-consuming manual configurations.

Optimized Branch Experience: New Aruba Branch Gateway Delivers WAN Insights and Control

Providing improved user experiences starts with delivering unmatched reliability.

By leveraging context to gain insight into the health of an entire distributed branch network – wired, wireless, and WAN – IT organizations can dynamically optimize the user experience in real time before any impact to the business occurs. Embedded in the new Branch Gateway, Aruba’s unique context-awareness capabilities go beyond granular role-based network access and application security to deliver an unmatched Quality of Service (QoS) experience from the LAN to the WAN. This allows IT professionals to satisfy the needs of end-users while simplifying IT operations.