Posted by HONG KONG, CHINA : Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) company today 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.
The influx of mobile and IoT devices, greater reliance on cloud-based applications, and shrinking IT budgets are having a profound impact on IT organizations. Branch operators also face increased complexity and inefficiencies with a multiplicity of different tools for managing the network and security from different vendors.
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.
According to Kenneth Ma, Director and GM – Hong Kong and Macau, Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, retail, hospitality, and healthcare organizations with multiple locations need to manage a lot of complexity in their branch environments with a limited IT presence. This is exacerbated by cloud services that impact the WAN infrastructure, as well as new IoT devices that are straining IT security and management capabilities.
“Aruba’s Software Defined Branch solution brings together SD-WAN with WLAN, LAN, and security under a single, software-defined framework for policy and segmentation. This simplifies IT operations as organisations can now manage their entire branch network from Aruba Central cloud management while enabling non-technical teams to onboard new networks. Overall, Aruba’s SD-Branch delivers an extensive ecosystem of best-of-breed technology partners and provides IT with a better end-to-end branch experience,” said Ma.
Key benefits of the Aruba SD-Branch solution include:
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: 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.