HPE Aruba Networking Delivers Next-Generation Wi-Fi 7 Access Points to Address Security, AI, and IoT Challenges

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) today announced the availability of Wi-Fi 7 access points (APs), which can deliver up to 30% more wireless traffic capacity than competing products over the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s recommended 6GHz band. At the same time, the product enhances cybersecurity capabilities and improves location-based services to connect enterprises' demanding artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), location, and security application needs.

HPE Aruba Networking's new Wi-Fi 7 access points provide a comprehensive edge IT solution that extends user and IoT connectivity, enhances online processing power, improves security, and maximizes performance

As the market leader in enterprise wireless networks and an 18-time Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure, HPE Aruba Networking continues to innovate with the next generation of Wi-Fi 7 access points. Thanks to HPE's patented Super Triband hardware technology, the product leverages the 5GHz and 6GHz bands to automatically and continuously eliminate ineffective contention between bands.

"With more than two decades of leading Wi-Fi innovation, HPE Aruba Networking has been committed to providing customers with reliable, secure, and high-performance connectivity solutions that enable them to achieve their business goals, from immersive fan experiences to automated manufacturing processes." Our new Wi-Fi 7 access points not only deliver powerful performance and efficiency optimization capabilities, but also become intelligent IoT hubs, providing enterprises with network security, load balancing, environmental awareness, and business and operational analytics. ”

The new HPE Aruba Networking access points can be managed through HPE Aruba Networking Central and can be expanded with built-in hardware that supports a wide range of IoT protocols, such as Zigbee and Bluetooth, or expanded via dual USB interfaces, enabling users to achieve extensive IoT coverage without the need for additional reconstruction. The access point provides a secure and reliable connectivity platform for a wide range of IoT devices deployed at the edge of the network, such as cameras, motor sensors, energy sensors, and motion detectors. Thanks to an integrated approach from more than 350 technology partners, enterprises can efficiently collect, protect, transmit, and leverage IoT data for real-time business insights. In addition, the data can be used to train and activate its AI models to power solutions such as predictive maintenance, digital twins, and personalized customer user experiences.

Chris DePuy, Principal Analyst at 650 Group, said, "Optimizing connectivity is a critical task right now. Making smart investments in wireless infrastructure is always a constant for customers as they build future-proof networks and deliver the expected business results. With the proliferation of IoT devices and the need for ubiquitous security and backward compatibility with legacy devices, Wi-Fi 7 provides the processing power needed for enterprise network upgrades with flexibility, speed, reliability, and capacity. ”

With the availability of HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series Campus Access Points, enterprises can maximize the value of their wireless investments by:

· Best-in-class Wi-Fi performance for demanding applications: Super triband filtering eliminates channel interference on adjacent channels in the 5GHz and 6GHz bands, maximizing performance and capacity, and allowing enterprises the flexibility to use dual bands simultaneously.

· Enhanced wireless security: Policy-based access control and Layer 7 application firewalls are built on security-first wireless capabilities, such as HPE Aruba Networking Central Client Insights, which improve IoT visibility, automate dynamic segmentation, and provide role-based access control for users and IoT devices. New additions include new Link-Level Encryption (MACsec*) that extends wired data protection to access points as well as personal wireless network modes, which allow user devices to join the network securely and self-service, for group environments such as university campuses.

· Eliminate IoT duplication coverage area networks: HPE Aruba Networking Central's IoT Operations Dashboard simplifies the onboarding process while allowing access points to act as connectors and edge computing components for IoT devices to communicate directly with third-party IoT services, eliminating the high operational costs associated with vendor-specific duplication of coverage IoT area networks.

· Broader IoT protocol support: Dual-channel dedicated Bluetooth and Zigbee wireless communication technologies support high-density IoT environments, with dual USB ports that leverage proprietary protocols to provide robust connectivity to a wide range of IoT devices. At the same time, the access point is equipped with an integrated dynamic external antenna designed for complex radio frequency (RF) environments.

· Access points as data processing solutions: The new generation of HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series APs are equipped with twice the SDRAM memory and flash memory of previous models, allowing specific applications to be run directly from containers on the access points. This feature simplifies data transfer and local data processing, resulting in faster responses to real-time conditions, such as temperature or motion detection.

· Precise location services: Improved location services that will provide accuracy down to 1 meter for real-time, immersive, and industrial scenarios, and support the IEEE 802.11az standard to help enable self-positioning networks. Additional features include a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver and barometric pressure sensor for floor-level mapping. Combined with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.4 technology, this feature enables bi-directional IoT location data transmission, increasing user engagement and tracking valuable assets to reduce the risk of loss.

· Sustainability and energy saving: AI-driven dynamic energy-saving mode is adopted to help enterprises reduce energy consumption and achieve cost reduction.

HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series APs are scheduled to be available globally in July 2024 and offer a lifetime limited warranty. HPE Aruba Networking Central will manage the HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series Campus Access Points, which will be available on a subscription basis. In addition to being a standalone software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering, HPE Aruba Networking Central is part of the HPE GreenLake (NaaS) subscription service, which can be subscribed to through the HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform.

*MACsec support is expected to be added in October 2024.

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