Aruba ESP

Why do you need next-generation network platform?

A network platform is the layer of the IT infrastructure at which Wi-Fi, switching and WAN stop being three separate products with three separate consoles. The decision is not which of them is best on its own, but whether one policy and one view of the estate are worth giving up the freedom to choose each piece separately.

An access policy maintained separately for Wi-Fi, switching and WAN drifts apart at every change you do not repeat in three places. Traditional siloed management of Wi-Fi, switching, and WAN generates delays, configuration errors, and security gaps. With growing number of IoT devices and hybrid work model, the problem escalates.

Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform) unifies the whole network estate — Wi-Fi, switching and WAN — under one policy model. AIOps correlates telemetry from all three, so a problem is described once instead of being chased across three consoles, and Zero Trust segmentation applies from edge to cloud.

How does it work?

AI-Native Architecture

Platform uses artificial intelligence in every aspect:

• Automatic anomaly detection before user reports
• Predictive analysis identifying problems before they occur
• Intelligent troubleshooting with fix recommendations
• Continuous learning from global deployment network

Unified Infrastructure

One platform for all network domains:

• Wi-Fi (Access Points) and LAN (CX Switches)
• SD-WAN (EdgeConnect) for branches
• NAC (ClearPass) for access control
• Common policies and automation

Zero Trust Security

Security built into architecture:

• Dynamic Segmentation per user and device
• Policy Enforcement at every network point
• Automatic threat isolation
• SIEM/SOAR ecosystem integration

Main Features

AIOps

• Automatic Wi-Fi network RF optimization
• Multi-source event correlation
• Proactive alerts with root cause analysis
• Performance benchmarking against similar networks

Cloud Management

• Aruba Central as single pane of glass
• Zero Touch Provisioning
• Multi-tenant architecture
• API-first design for automation

Location Services

• Asset tracking with up to 1 meter precision
• Space and people flow analytics
• Geofencing and notifications
• Building system integration

Security

• WPA3 Enterprise on Wi-Fi
• Layer 2 MACsec
• Encrypted tunnels for SD-WAN
• Client Insights with IoT profiling

Platform Components

Aruba Central: Cloud-native management console with AIOps

Access Points: Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 with AI-driven RF

CX Switches: Switches with AOS-CX and Network Analytics Engine

EdgeConnect SD-WAN: WAN optimization with SASE

ClearPass: Network Access Control and policy enforcement

Who is it for?

• Enterprise and campuses seeking unified network management
• Organizations with high security requirements (Zero Trust)
• Companies with distributed locations and remote workers
• Environments with large number of IoT devices requiring segmentation

Benefits

For IT: one place to diagnose problems, routine task automation, single dashboard

For security: Zero Trust without additional tools, automatic segmentation, full visibility

For business: Lower TCO, faster new site deployment, digital transformation support

Specifications

Architecture	AI-native, cloud-managed
Deployment	SaaS, on-premise, hybrid
Integrations	HPE GreenLake, SIEM, ITSM, SOAR
Certifications	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR ready

FAQ

How does Aruba ESP differ from competitors? ESP is the first AI-native platform - AI is not an add-on, but the foundation of architecture. Competitors add AI to existing solutions.

Do I need to replace entire infrastructure? No. ESP supports phased migration. You can start with one component (e.g., Wi-Fi) and expand.

How does licensing work? Subscription per device or per site. Aruba Central is required for full AIOps functionality.

Does ESP work with devices from other vendors? ClearPass and monitoring support multi-vendor. Full AIOps functionality requires Aruba devices.

How does deployment work? Zero Touch Provisioning - devices configure themselves automatically after network connection.

Is platform available on-premise? Yes. Aruba Central is available as SaaS and on-premise (Aruba Central On-Premises).

How does ESP integrate with HPE GreenLake? ESP is part of HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform, enabling unified IT management.

What are Zero Trust requirements? ClearPass Policy Manager for NAC, Dynamic Segmentation on switches and APs with PEF.

Is trial version available? Yes, Aruba offers trial programs for enterprise. nFlo as a partner provides deployment support.

What about support? HPE Foundation Care with 24/7 options. nFlo as authorized partner offers local support and training.