Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Aruba has introduced a new private 5G portfolio designed specifically for enterprise use, providing a streamlined configuration that includes everything needed to deploy a private 4G/5G network.
A private 5G network employs the same network solutions, encoding schemes, and often the same spectrum as public 5G. The key difference is its exclusivity to a single organization, enhancing security and availability for specific locations such as campuses or hospitals.
The new HPE Aruba Networking Enterprise Private 5G portfolio comprises a 4G/5G core, HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers, SIM/eSIM cards, 4G/5G small cells, and a unified dashboard. The new 4G/5G small cell radios from HPE provide indoor/outdoor coverage without requiring integration with third-party management tools.
“We’ve simplified the dashboard to resemble Wi-Fi, using familiar terminology and interface, making it easier for network administrators to manage,” said Gayle Levin, head of wireless product marketing at HPE Aruba Networking.
This setup enables communications service providers to swiftly deploy private 5G networks for their customers. The goal is to facilitate the deployment of enterprise private 5G across large and remote sites in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, public venues, and education, Levin explained.
The integration follows HPE’s 2023 acquisition of private cellular technology provider Athonet. HPE’s private 5G portfolio is built around Athonet’s core and includes cloud-native and automated subscriber management, deployment management, core monitoring, and radio monitoring. Future plans include integration with HPE Aruba Networking Central.
HPE’s approach mirrors other private 5G strategies, like Nokia’s, by offering a full stack that includes its own core (Athonet) along with radio and orchestration layer elements, noted analyst Will Townsend of Moor Insights & Strategy.
A significant aspect of HPE’s strategy is its market approach – providing enterprises that already use its enterprise Wi-Fi access points, routers, and switches with an easy way to extend into private 5G networking for operational technology (OT) and other environments ideally suited for cellular, Townsend added.
