HPE unveils new AI-ready switches & WiFi 7 for enterprises
Hewlett Packard Enterprise has announced an expansion of its HPE Aruba Networking wired and wireless portfolio with new hardware and enhanced capabilities, including the introduction of CX 10K distributed services switches.
The newly launched HPE Aruba Networking CX 10040 distributed services switch is designed to double the scale and performance of its predecessor within the company's networking and security solutions portfolio. The switch incorporates a built-in programmable data processing unit (DPU) from AMD Pensando, aiming to offload security and network services to free up system resources for more complex artificial intelligence (AI) workload processing.
In addition to the CX 10040, HPE Aruba Networking has unveiled four new CX 6300M campus networking switches. These switches are intended to support faster data speeds for enterprise Internet of Things (IoT), AI, and high-performance computing scenarios while occupying a more compact physical footprint within enterprise environments.
HPE Aruba Networking has also added WiFi 7 access points (APs) and related capabilities that are positioned to improve AI-driven indoor and outdoor connectivity. These new devices are designed to support high-quality data, voice, and video communication services, catering to a range of enterprise needs.
Phil Mottram, Executive Vice President and General Manager, HPE Aruba Networking, said, "Data-fueled AI, IoT, and other high-performance applications are driving unprecedented demands for enterprises to provide cost-effective connectivity, no matter where devices and users are or how they access the network. HPE is again raising the bar with innovations that simplify data centre and overall server connectivity at ten times the scale and performance and one-third the cost of traditional enterprise solutions."
Soni Jiandani, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Networking Technology and Solutions Group, AMD, stated, "As AI and data-driven applications continue to transform every industry, the need for scalable, compliant, and high-performance networking has never been greater. Together with HPE and the HPE Aruba Networking CX 10040 platform, we're delivering cutting-edge solutions that combine AMD's advanced, programmable DPU and software technology with HPE's data centre networking—enabling secure, scalable services for datacentre and colocation deployments that support the world's largest enterprises at a fraction of the cost of legacy solutions."
HPE Aruba Networking's CX 10040 smart switch utilises an AMD Pensando DPU to enhance performance, supporting the increasing needs of AI-driven computing while retaining built-in firewalling, in-line encryption, and precision telemetry. This combination is expected to increase security, provide greater observability, and enable more efficient server operation within data centres.
The latest CX 6300 series campus switches offer encryption protocols, precision timing, and application recognition and control, commonly referred to as ARC. This is intended to let enterprises meet various data security, bandwidth, and service level agreement (SLA) requirements on a single switch. The new models are constructed with a small footprint to maximise capacity and performance in demanding network environments.
New WiFi 7 access points include the HPE Aruba Networking 720 and 740 Series for indoor connectivity, and the 760 Series for both indoor and outdoor or industrial use cases. These access points feature network slicing capability, specifically dynamic application prioritisation, which is said to support real-time computing requirements for AI and cloud-delivered applications. The 760 Series is built with flexible radio and antenna configuration options for diverse deployment scenarios.
Application-aware networking is now available on the HPE Aruba Networking CX 5420 and 6200 series switches. This allows enterprises to implement specific network policies more granularly, helping ensure data related to AI, IoT, and high-performance computing meets pre-defined SLAs across the entire network.
The company is also rolling out enhancements to its management platform, HPE Aruba Networking Central, which provides AI-powered network management with secure visibility, control, and analytics across campus and data centre environments.
For virtualisation management, HPE Morpheus VM Essentials integration with HPE Aruba CX 10000 Switch Series aims to help organisations unify orchestration of virtual and physical network and security services. This includes distributed firewalling and microsegmentation across multiple server types, with the objective of easing migration to an open virtualisation model.
Recent updates from HPE include increased integration between HPE Aruba Networking Central and HPE OpsRamp for third-party device monitoring, as well as the introduction of the HPE Networking Instant On Secure Gateway targeting small and medium businesses. The company has also launched the HPE Aruba Networking CX 10000 QuickStart Service to support accelerated deployment of its distributed services switches.
