Aruba Central Licensing Explained

Aruba's new licensing system aims to streamline the management of all Aruba Central devices. The terms include varying periods of one, three, five, seven, and ten years. This flexibility allows you to pick the most suitable version for your business needs. Aruba's new model has various licensing possibilities for access points, switches, and gateways.

Aruba Central offers a cloud-powered dashboard that allows effortless device management. It streamlines operations by reducing costs and providing one point of control and visibility. You can monitor, configure, and maintain all aspects of your network ranging from branches to data centers.

Overview of Foundation and Advanced Licenses

Aruba has introduced these two essential licensing categories in line with its shift to a cloud-first Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) organization.

Foundation license feature categories include:

Configuration

Aruba enables template and UI-based options, including SSID and IAP VPN to secure company data. Other features are group auto-commit for Instant switches and APs, and configuration audits.

Monitoring and reporting

Aruba Central’s comprehensive monitoring features include real-time network health analytics, client and AP lists, Wi-Fi connectivity dashboards, network topology view, and visual radiofrequency floorplans. Additionally, it provides application visibility, WebCC Firewall rules, audit trail, and UXI sensor integration. Aruba Central gives you access to up to 30 days of monitoring and reporting data, including a year’s worth of historical network summary data.

AI operations

Apart from search and AI assist, other AI-powered features include insights such as Wi-Fi connectivity, AP availability, and wireless quality.

Troubleshooting

Aruba makes it easier to identify and solve problems with features such as network check, packet capture, and CLI commands.

Services

AirGroup is a unique feature that enables seamless compatibility with third-party applications for wired and wireless devices. Examples are Apple’s AirPlay and AirPrint in school or office settings. Other features are RF management and presence analytics services.

Security

Aruba’s WIPS/WIDS feature maintains round-the-clock vigilance to prevent network breaches. It also separates guest and client profiles to minimize the chances of an attack.

API

Aruba Central can manage up to 1000 Northbound API calls per customer daily.

Apart from having all the features of the Foundation license, some Advanced license categories have these additional attributes:

• Monitoring and reporting: AirSlice feature to improve application visibility and prioritization.
• AI operations: AI insights on wireless quality, including transmission optimization, coverage strength, and the impact of outdoor use on Wi-Fi performance. 
• API: A streaming API that sends real-time data about various subscription topics, such as client history and location.

Aruba offers the above licensing options depending on device type.

1. Switches

Aruba Central only offers a Foundation license for switches, which contains all features of the legacy tokens. If you already had a Mobility Access Switch, it would automatically convert to the appropriate version of the Switch Foundation license.

2. Access Points

Aruba provides both license subscriptions for APs. In addition to all aspects of the legacy management tokens, the Foundation license offers extra features that used to be value-added options in the old licensing model. The Advanced AP license contains all the features of the Foundation option, including AI analytics and WLAN services.

3. SD-Branch Gateways

Aruba's licensing model for gateways consists of four Foundation and two Advanced levels. The most basic version of Foundation licensing includes all the features needed to provide functionality for branch deployments. The next level is known as Foundation Base. Although it offers the same features as the basic version, it can support up to 75 devices per branch.

Essential Changes to the Legacy Licensing Model

If you were an Aruba customer under the Device Management model, the dashboard allows you to convert the tokens into the new licensing structure. The more efficient and uniform approach applies to all network-connected devices, including APs, switches, and gateways. The legacy licensing model has the following crucial aspects:

Device management token

This mandatory feature allows you to supervise your devices from the Aruba Central dashboard.

Service token

This token enables the introduction of various value-added services from Aruba Central. They include UCC, Presence Analytics, Cloud Guest, AirGroup, and WebCC.

Subscription key

Valid subscription keys consist of 14 alphanumeric characters for a service token or device management. They allow you to supervise your Aruba Central devices.

Aruba’s new licensing model simplifies the legacy subscription-based approach. The device management tokens for switches and APs and service tokens for APs are no longer available. Instead, they utilize the Advanced and Gateway Foundation licensing options.

Aruba Central’s Supported Devices

Aruba Central's licenses are available for switches, access points, and gateways. The new licensing model's pricing structure varies depending on the devices. It offers support for all IAP and AP models. Other compatible devices include:

• AOS-CX and AOS-Switch models
• The Foundation and Advanced licenses apply to Aruba 70xx, 72xx, and 90xx Series gateways. They don't have device limitations.
• The Gateway Foundation License Base License supports 75 devices. They include the Aruba 7005, 7008, 9004, 9004-LTE, and 9012 models. The last three also support the Security addon of the license.
• The virtual gateway license for cloud-powered platforms is available in 1, 3, and 5-year durations and supports bandwidth requirements of 500 Mbps, 2 Gbps, and 4 Gbps.

You can track the viability of your licenses on the Key Management or License Assignment section of Aruba Central’s Account Home page. You’ll receive notifications any time you exceed the license capacity limits.

Managing License Keys

The first step of managing devices in Aruba Central is adding their corresponding license keys. They can either be evaluation keys with 90-day eligibility or paid license keys. Aruba enables this key by default for trial users and allows you to manage up to 60 devices.

You'll receive alerts at 30, 15, and one day before expiry. To upgrade to a paid account, purchase the relevant license for your AP, switch, or gateway, then navigate to the Aruba Central Account Home page. In the Network Operation section, click on the part that shows the remaining days of your evaluation or trial period.

You’ll receive a prompt to add your new license. Next, click the Add License button to verify the key and activate your account for the relevant period. This upgrade allows you to add new devices and services. The page will display your license validity, with regular reminders starting 90 days before expiry. The renewal process is like buying a new license key.

If you still have legacy Device Management tokens, you can convert them to new licenses on the Key Management page.

Conclusion

Aruba Central offers comprehensive networking device management solutions for your business. At Hummingbird Networks, we help you reap the convenience, flexibility, cost savings, and other benefits surrounding its efficient licensing system. Our highly skilled technicians will help you determine the best devices and licensing options for your business needs. We also have ample experience installing, configuring, and maintaining Aruba's range of networking products. Contact us today for order processing details.