Brocade Adds Aruba Technology to Acclaimed Subscription Program

Brocade has entered an agreement with Aruba Networks (News - Alert) to offer the latter company’s wireless networking technology as part of the Brocade Network Subscription program. The two-year-old initiative offers networking technology to customers on a pay-as-you-go basis, granting businesses access to the solutions they need with maximum flexibility and scalability but minimal upfront costs. The addition of Aruba Networks’ technology will likely expand Brocade’s (News - Alert) customer base to businesses who may have not considered it previously.

“This innovative network subscription model enables Aruba's and Brocade's joint channel partners and customers to benefit from additional flexibility,” said John DiLullo, Executive Vice President of Aruba Networks. “As organizations strive to deliver always-on network services to their employees and customers, their ability to cost-efficiently acquire the necessary infrastructure at the right time is critical to their success. Aruba and Brocade have delivered a solution that scales on demand as customer requirements change, resulting in an attractive option when selecting the right network infrastructure.”

The previous model only offered Brocade product lines, but after this agreement the additional solutions include Aruba’s gigabit Wireless LAN 802.11ac Mobility Controllers and Access Points, ClearPass Access Management, AirWave (News - Alert) Network Management and Meridian Apps. Brocade noted that Aruba solutions can only be procured through its subscription program if the transaction is also substantially comprised of Brocade products.

“Today, customers are seeking innovative technologies to drive their businesses forward and to service an increasingly demanding end user audience,” said Jeff Lindholm, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Brocade. “But one of the key limitations stifling this effort is the capital funding process. Budgets are being squeezed more than ever before, so organizations – particularly those in state and local government and education – are looking for the channel and vendors to deliver innovative ways to procure and deploy solutions. Brocade and Aruba recognize this, and today's announcement illustrates our joint commitment to helping organizations realize tomorrow's network today, and to deliver limitless scalability.”

The collaboration between these two companies continues their dedication to solving some of the major challenges presented to enterprise networking efforts, including the rise of mobile computing, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives, cloud computing and Software-Defined Networking (SDN). In addition, this unique business model provides flexibility that is essential for enterprises and service providers transitioning to the New IP for next-generation networking.