HPE integrates Athonet private 5G into Aruba enterprise Wi-Fi product

By James Blackman June 3, 2024

Collected at: https://www.rcrwireless.com/20240603/private-5g/hpe-integrates-athonet-private-5g-into-aruba-enterprise-wi-fi-product

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has integrated its Athonet private 4G/5G product, acquired early last year, with its Aruba enterprise Wi-Fi portfolio. It said it is the “only global enterprise infrastructure vendor to provide comprehensive Wi-Fi and private 5G solutions”, and the move makes it simpler for enterprises to purchase, deploy, and manage new private cellular infrastructure. The new combo product is called Enterprise Private 5G; it sits within the Aruba Networking portfolio. It is pitched to enterprise and industrial customers, including via mobile operator channels.

It cited the manufacturing, healthcare, government, and education sectors as candidate venues. The original Athonet private network product features in around 500 enterprise deployments, said HPE. The company was clear to make private 5G out as a complement to common enterprise Wi-Fi (WLAN) solutions, as traditionally offered by the Aruba Networking business. It said 5G offers “productivity and innovation gains”, and an important networking tool for AI data capture and delivery, as a “complement to the cost-effective, high-capacity connectivity provided by Wi-Fi”.

The dual-mode Aruba networking proposition includes the cellular core network, plus servers, small cells, SIM/eSIM cards, and a network management dashboard. HPE said the small cell radios are “from HPE”, and therefore pre-integrated, minimizing engineering works and eliminating the need for separate management tools from third-party vendors. HPE claims simplified cloud-based network management and automation for subscriber management, deployment management, core monitoring, and radio monitoring. 

As it stands, management of its private LTE/5G product remains separate from WLAN management in HPE Aruba Networking Central – although it will be integrated in time. It is unclear about current spectrum support; HPE said: “[It features] interoperability with shared spectrum for private enterprise use: CBRS spectrum in the US, and globally, where regulatory frameworks allow, beginning in 2025.” Enterprises can deploy private cellular in “under 30 minutes with zero touch provisioning and configuration wizards that mask the 3GPP cellular complexity”, said HPE.

Stuart Strickland, wireless chief technology officer at HPE Aruba Networking, said: “Customers are increasingly seeking to deliver wireless coverage in demanding environments, including large outdoor areas, serving fast-moving clients, and providing deterministic access in dedicated spectrum. The complexity of conventional approaches to private cellular networks has held them back… We have uniquely positioned ourselves to enable new applications for private cellular by integrating Athonet core cellular solutions with our traditional strengths in enterprise networking.”

HPE supplied a couple of analyst quotes. 

IDC said: “[This] is a significant step forward to solve… the complexity, cost, control, and management challenges associated with many private network deployments today. HPE Aruba Networking takes a grounded approach focusing on how to most efficiently integrate a private cellular network within an enterprise’s existing IT framework, streamlining network and device management through the use of familiar tools, as well as dynamically assigning and preserving device policy across 4G/5G, Wi-Fi, and wired LAN networks.”

Analysys Mason said: “Many private network solutions are too complex, even for large enterprises with internal network expertise. We expect customers to embrace solutions that can make private networks easier to deploy and manage.”