HP Aruba Empowers Smart Venues

Previously Published to TMC Net’s IoT Evolution

Provider of next-generation enterprise networking solutions, Hewlett Packard’s enterprise company, Aruba, delivers IT solutions meant to empower organizations. Serving the now generation of mobile-savvy users by creating cloud-based business apps for “every aspect of their work and personal lives.” Aruba recently announced the “next wave” of the Aruba Mobile Engagement solution. Aruba also announced the inception of the a new app developer partnership program, “encouraging innovation at the pace of mobility.”

Designed for integration with multi-vendor Wi-Fi networks and beacon analytics, location-based mobile solutions will be providing organizations with a deeper understanding of their internal users, whether an employee or a customer, allowing them to better engage with specific more effectively. In-venue, locational triggers will allow businesses to directly interact with the consumer base, enhancing customer experiences through brand engagement strategies. This will impact vendor potential and expand opportunities for revenue growth.

Accelerating innovation in location-based mobile technologies, Aruba has also partnered with promising vendors, who have been creating amazing new features and applications for integration within the “Meridian Mobile App Platform” for developers. This, powered by Aruba Beacons and Aruba Mobile Engagement, has also led to the satisfaction of an existing customer base in the early stages of adoption. For vendors currently using these technologies, the results have been almost game changing.

Aruba Beacons are paired with Bluetooth radio technologies in combination with a Wi-Fi client, to allow cloud-based beacon management throughout multi-vendor networks and through secure Wi-Fi connections. Aruba Sensors, newly merging into the Internet of Things (IoT) scene, are enterprise-grade focal points that relay battery life data, power settings and beacon location through management and monitoring of data. Cost effective, Aruba Sensors easily integrate into pre-existing IT networks. The also transmit vendor information through the beacons to mobile devices, based on consumer preferences.

Directly interacting with customers, enterprise businesses are able to communicate important information straight-to-device, through location-based triggers and the customer’s proximity to an Aruba Beacon. Analytics will be transmitted to a central location via Aruba Sensors, which measure the customer’s behavior and interaction with the brand, based on certain proximities. This data is considered valuable business intelligences that will allow the brand and mobile developers to transform in meeting the growing needs of each consumer.  

Growing in demand and popularity, technologies are being deployed and integrated at larger scales than before. This increases complexity and challenge. The Aruba Meridian platform is designed to power an unlimited amount of location-based applications at any one given time. Even with all infrastructure aligned and capable of handling heavy-duty activity, complexity and speed, creativity poses as a limitation in process.

This inspired the new application partnership program, allowing vendors to create apps for venues that streamline productivity, check-in processes and create efficiency for customers as they enter venues with a specific purpose. These efficiencies save time, money and confusion. They also allow for better communication between teams, consumers and the venue, itself.

“Our booking system, combined with the Meridian Mobile App platform, provides a complete solution with visibility into meeting room availability, their amenities, and the location and directions,” states Sam Dunn, CEO of Robin. “Together we’re helping people find the right tools, at the right time, so they can do better work.”

Partnering with other enterprise mobile developers, Aruba is given more freedom to focus on the “how to make it all work” element behind these new possibilities. Many of these partners already had solutions but needed a system like Aruba to put them to use. Aruba’s infrastructure is protected and highly secure, meaning user data will remain private. In a recent statement by the company, “Aruba estimates approximately 48 hours of time savings in a 1,000 beacon deployment during a single maintenance window.” Connecting various vendors to one system allows increased efficiency in management of systems and reduces overall IT costs through the utilization of this one central unit.