The new solutions take HPE's networking innovations and combine them with their knowledge of retail to build a better retail network.
Gayle Levin, the wireless spokesperson for HPE Aruba Networking
HPE has made a significant extension of its HPE Aruba Networking technology with the addition of several new devices that significantly enhance the company’s retail portfolio. While these are pitched at the high performance edge computing market, HPE is stressing that they are not SMB devices, and that the company has a separate portfolio for that, Rather, they represent a new perspective and new focus on the higher end secure connectivity market.
“This is all part of the HPE networking portfolio and is not part of our small business group” said Gayle Levin, the wireless spokesperson for HPE Aruba Networking. “The purpose of these devices is to take a fresh look at our portfolio, and unify parts of it, helping the customers manage new connectivity leads with a data-driven approach. Our Instant-on portfolio is the one that is aimed at the SMB space. This is for larger enterprises focused on different things.”
Levin stressed that what HPE is announcing at NRF is highly differentiated.
“Some of the things that we are doing are unique, such as our new fixed wireless and working with one large customer to open stores faster using 5G, using a new Cellular Bridge to provide connectivity,” Levin stated.
One of the new devices is the HPE Aruba Networking 100 Series Cellular Bridge, which provides easy-to-deploy primary or backup WAN access to provide connectivity when fiber or broadband WAN circuits are unavailable or experience failure. This provides better resiliency for mission critical services such as credit card processing, or leveraging radio access rather than fiber access. It can also be used for quick deployment of new or temporary locations, like kiosks or pop-up locations, when delays or costs of cabling a broadband WAN connection are not justifiable.
“It provides high performance edge computing and secure connectivity, and can support newer generation of devices using several bands,” Levin said. It also is one of the solutions that features rogue device detection
Also newly announced is HPE Aruba Networking CX 8325H, which is not a small business server, but is targeted at smaller edge servers. It is new store-friendly, half-width 18-port switch that fits into compact spaces, with lower power and cooling requirements, and connects with the HPE ProLiant DL145 Gen11 server for the edge computing market. It expands HPE Aruba Networking’s private 5G and Wi-Fi wireless solutions, integrating with HPE GreenLake Cloud as well as HPE’s edge compute portfolio, including the ProLiant DL145 Gen11 server.
HPE is also announcing the new HPE Aruba Networking Central AI Insights, It optimizes retail curbside operations by increasing performance of Wi-Fi networks when deployed outdoors and can also detect unusual IoT behavior that indicates a potential security breach.
“It adjusts for security and automatically adjusts settings,” Levin stated, “The rogue detection is not new and we have had that for a bit. However, we have added a lot more IoT capabilities, including the ability of IoT to look at each device and and assess downloads. With AI insights, we have also partnered with a large home improvement store to increase abilities.”
The company has also added HPE Aruba Networking 750 Series wireless access points to secure, process, and deliver IoT data in real-time to power AI retail applications.
“HPE boasts one of the largest IoT partner ecosystems for retail, with several joining HPE at NRF,” Levin stated. “We have pre-built third-party applications from HPE retail partners to enhance capabilities of the access points and improve visibility into IoT applications at the edge. We have started to have broader ecosystems as some people want partners for IoT. Retailers and SIs all leverage our expertise to meet needs with our customers.” HPE is also showcasing new and existing partners and their extensive ecosystem of business solutions, delivered via HPE’s IoT partner portal. It helps build a wide range of retail applications such as real-time video for fraud detection, inventory management and promotion, location analytics, and pricing optimization. These partners include Hanshow , which has developed highly interactive electronic shelf labels (ESL) to facilitate store management to enhance the consumer shopping experience and Simbe, which is recognized for its IoT platform featuring the world’s first autonomous item-scanning robot, to track product location, stock levels, and pricing accuracy. Other new partners include SOLUM, which offers digital shelf labels, electronic signage, and smart facility solutions, VusionGroup, which provides solutions for computer vision AI, IoT asset management, electronic shelf labels, and digital displays, and Zebra Technologies, which delivers hardware, software, and services to support omnichannel retailing including wearable devices, RFID scanners, barcode printers, environmental sensors, and intelligent cabinets.
“Compugen is a key Canadian partner here,” Levin said.
“We are taking our networking innovations and combining them with our knowledge of retail to build a better retail network,” Levin concluded.
