HPE Aruba launches high-capacity Wi-Fi 7 access points

HPE Aruba Networking has announced the launch of its new high-capacity Wi-Fi 7 access points, providing up to 30% greater wireless traffic capacity compared to other products in the market. The access points have been specifically designed to cater to the demanding requirements of enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications, significantly improving security and maximising performance.

One of the key innovations introduced in these access points is robust IoT support with hardware integration for multiple protocols and an easy-to-use system for device onboarding. Improved features also include policy-based access control, state-of-the-art encryption for enhanced security, and precision location-aware services for real-time, immersive, and industrial uses.

This achievement in HPE's journey to superior connectivity is underpinned by the company's patented ultra tri-band hardware technology. This technology makes full use of the 5GHz and 6GHz bands to eliminate contention between them automatically and continuously, allowing the new Wi-Fi 7 APs to exceed the standards set by the competition.

Stuart Strickland, Wireless Chief Technology officer at HPE Aruba Networking, commented, "Our Wi-Fi 7 APs go far beyond improvements in performance and efficiency to become an intelligent IoT hub, securing the network, distributing the workload, characterising the environment, and providing a foundation for business and operational analytics."

The new access points are managed by HPE Aruba Networking Central, eliminating the need to build an IoT network overlay by providing embedded hardware support for a broad range of IoT devices, such as Zigbee and Bluetooth, or through dual USB interfaces. By capturing and utilising data from IoT devices, HPE technology partners can assist businesses in delivering real-time business insights and creating AI data lakes.

Chris DePuy, Principal Analyst at 650 Group, stated, "With the enormous growth in IoT devices, the demand for ubiquitous security, and the need for backward compatibility to accommodate legacy devices, Wi-Fi 7 provides the processing power, flexibility, speed, reliability, and capacity that today's enterprises are seeking when making network upgrade decisions."

The HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series Campus APs include features like greater Wi-Fi performance for high-demand use cases, enhanced wireless security, elimination of IoT overlay networks, wider support for IoT protocols, and precision location services. They are also the first to leverage the new Wi-Fi location standard, providing accuracy within one metre for real-time, immersive, and industrial use cases.

The HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series Access Points will be available globally from July 2024 and include a limited lifetime warranty. The device is also equipped with an AI-powered, dynamic power-saving mode to help reduce businesses' energy footprint and costs.