HP Acquires Aruba Networks

The Top Challenges for Network Engineers in 2015

With wireless networks increasingly being chosen as the preferred mechanism for accessing data both inside and out of the enterprise, it was only a matter of time before Hewlett-Packard expanded its networking portfolio. To that end, HP today announced that it is acquiring Aruba Networks in a deal valued at nearly $3 billion.

Greg Murphy, vice president of business operations for Aruba Networks, says the company’s wireless networking technology complements HP’s base of network switches to lay the foundation for a converged network infrastructure spanning both wired and wireless networks.

In addition, Murphy notes that the Aruba Networks has made significant investments in cloud-based network management software that should complement HP’s investments in Helion cloud infrastructure.

Murphy adds that Aruba has only just begun to extend its reach into small-to-medium enterprises, a move that he expects HP will be able to significantly accelerate.

In terms of competing with networking behemoths such as Cisco, the acquisition of Aruba Networks signals that HP is determined to become a much bigger force in the networking arena at a time when most organizations are starting to figure out that a single control plane that spans wired and wireless networks is definitely the preferred way to go.

After all, once the wireless network becomes the primary user network, it no longer makes sense to manage wireless networks in isolation.