Aerohive Aims to Address Bifurcated Mobile Computing Market

There are really two distinct types of use cases for mobile computing. The most common involves providing basic connectivity to access, for example, email. The other involves the management of custom applications that require access to specific amounts of network bandwidth to insure a quality end-user experience.

In recognition of that fact, Aerohive Networks this week launched an Aerohive Connect program under which it is making access points available to IT organizations starting at a base price of $229 per access point.

Abby Hassel Strong, director of product marketing for Aerohive Networks, says it’s become apparent that there are many cloud-based management features in its previous offering that many organizations simply don’t need. To accommodate what is essentially a bifurcated mobile computing market, Aerohive has set up Aerohive Connect as a lower-end complement to an Aerohive Select service that provides IT organizations with more granular control over the wireless network via a management platform hosted in the cloud.

“Aerohive Connect provides many organizations with what they need today,” says Strong. “But it can also get them to the next phase.”

Mobile computing has become a significant management challenge because advances in the devices are outpacing the rate at which wireless networks can be depreciated. By lowering the cost of acquiring access points, Aerohive Networks in effect is also making it less expensive to upgrade these access points as demand for bandwidth increases, at a time when more video is being consumed on these devices than ever.

Of course, organizations may not be willing just yet to think in terms of access points as essentially becoming disposable networking gear. But at the very least, Aerohive Networks is looking to reduce the financial pain associated with having that conversation.