HPE Aruba Networking is hoping to help enterprise IT teams simplify their operations with a new AI-powered cloud-native network management solution.
HPE Aruba Networking Central has been re-designed to simplify operations and improve productivity by leveraging artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) to reduce manual tasks, so stretched networking teams can focus on more strategic and higher-value projects, the company said.
At the same time, the company announced new Network-as-a-service (NaaS) capabilities for customers and channel partners to acquire, deploy, and manage on the HPE GreenLake platform with a monthly subscription.
Automation and AI Help in Talent Shortage
The launches are part of an overall move to take some pressure off of understaffed and overtaxed IT teams, according to the company, with many enterprises lacking the personnel required to manage multiple networking products and capabilities from multiple vendors. Artificial intelligence is being seen as a tool that can help reduce manual tasks, so stretched networking teams can focus on more strategic and higher-value projects, the company said.
Key features of HPE Aruba Networking Central include:
- Operator-centric design with a simplified user experience to enable more people across all skill levels, featuring entity-centric “solar system” views to promote intuitive navigation and reduce cognitive loads
- A “time-travel” feature for a contextually correlated ‘point-in-time’ view of the network that allows recovery in minutes to a specific point
- Multi-layer physical and logical “sunburst” topology views to transform visualization of large, complex networks
- Intelligent assurance indicators for device health and client experience, enabling rapid first-level triage
- AI-powered full-stack insights for enhanced root cause analysis (RCA), impact assessment, and precise recommendationsDevice-agnostic Day 0 and Day 1 workflows with 100% API support to automate network configurations at scale
Meanwhile, HPE Aruba Networking’s Agile NaaS framework will make it easier for partners to sell and end-user customers to consume, the company asserted.
New service pack capabilities added to HPE GreenLake for Aruba networking enable partners to bundle their design and delivery services for their customers with a monthly NaaS technology subscription, the company said.
Phil Mottram, executive vice president and general manager, HPE Aruba Networking, commented:
“A modernized network is the backbone for powering next-generation digital experiences and enabling new business models.
The evolution of our AIOps in HPE Aruba Networking Central and Agile NaaS represents the next step toward more effectively managing operational complexity, while connecting with ever-expanding workloads from edge to cloud for a seamless hybrid work experience.”
Integration of Axis Security and Athonet
HPE recently announced two acquisitions to expand the HPE Aruba Networking portfolio: Athonet for Private 5G connectivity and Axis Security for comprehensive SASE security solutions.
The Axis Security acquisition closed in March, and its edge-to-cloud security solutions are now integrated with HPE Aruba Networking’s technology and will be on display at the innovation zone at Atmosphere.
The Athonet transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of HPE’s 2023 fiscal year, and HPE will integrate the solutions with the HPE Aruba Networking portfolio and existing telco software following the close of the transaction.
