HPE’s Aruba is looking to enable channel partners with new network-as-a-service (NaaS) and cloud-based managed services that provide enterprises with new network procurement and consumption models.
According to the vendor, the new software-based Mobile First Platform removes unpredictability in both IT operations and spending. It aims to replace much of the capital expenditures typically required in new and upgraded networking gear with operational expenditures through subscription-based services.
It’s all being driven by the company’s cloud, software-defined networking (SDN) and cloud-managed wireless LAN (WLAN) offerings. For Aruba and its partners, the combination of technologies addresses a more than US$10 billion by 2018 (based on IDC estimates).
“The cloud paradigm has driven an expectation of being able to buy technology as a service on an as-needed basis,” said Peter Cellarius, vice president of business and corporate development at Aruba, in a statement. “Network-as-a-service addresses this market shift with a fundamentally new way to acquire and consume communications services. Starting with an initial group of alliances today, we will be expanding our breadth of subscription offerings to make them available to an increasingly broad base of customers.”
The managed service element of the announcement comes in the form of Aruba Central, a subscription-based network services offering that’s hosted in the public cloud. Aruba Central was designed with multi-tenancy in mind and features a built-in managed services portal for partners to organize the services they’re offering customers.
Aruba Central is essentially a turnkey operation that enables channel partners to build a recurring revenue stream around network services and increase margin opportunities, the company noted in its announcement. The services available through Aruba Central include wired, wireless and branch office VPN.
Partners can take the offerings to customers as a way for them to keep up with rapidly changing networking technology while also reducing costs. According to Aruba, the NaaS and managed services provide enterprise customers with improved network scalability and flexibility.
“NaaS enables a company to scale its network capabilities with the always changing demands placed upon it by the business,” said Shawn Lund, managing director of Deloitte Consulting LLP, an Aruba partner.