Extreme Networks wireless offerings increased following the Enterasys acquisition in 2013 and later, Aerohive. To unify all disparate elements and centralize control of the network all the way to the branch, ExtremeCloud SD-WAN is Extreme Networks' solution for simplicity and control.
Aruba Networks is a product that is broadly available and there are many implementation partners available to design and implement the infrastructure for you. Aruba Networks is great if you are looking for a partner that offers a broad range of devices. It can keep a multi-location infrastructure simple once the management interface is set up. Aruba is less appropriate if you want to do a simple setup with a few devices where you want to be up and running quickly. The management interface can be a hassle to set up and if you want Azure integration you are better off contacting an implementation partner that has dealt with this before.
I can say that as an infrastructure analyst I can have absolute control over the wireless network with the Aerohive Wireless WLAN architecture. We manage the network via the Web from anywhere and we have, from a graphical interface, a view and status of all installed access points. We receive notifications when an issue arises and we've already been able to resolve the case. The prices are very good and it has a very modern and compact appearance and design. We recommend technical support also to avoid future hardware issues.
Aruba Networks Wireless WAN stacks really well against its other competitors for its features, ease of implementation, and administration. The pricing is very competitive with great vendor support and excellent documentation. The centralized management feature is really good as it provides a single pane of glass for all administrative items.
Since 2003/04, I've evaluated, used, configured, and set up dozens of Wifi networks and none has had the capabilities and complex abilities that Aerohive offers as a solution. During the evaluation period, it was a clear standout from an office and business environment due to the advanced configuration options and security settings that were required.
