On the occasion of the retail event NRF 2025, HPE is presenting new Aruba Networking solutions. Together, they aim to provide the retail sector with an offering that makes them resilient. Thus, HPE Aruba is increasingly delivering targeted retail offerings.
HPE is highlighting the gold mine which the retail sector is sitting on. “IoT is literally everywhere,” it concludes, and all these devices, from air conditioning sensors to robots checking inventory shelves, are producing heaps of valuable data. The company cites that personalized advertising and in-store analytics can lead to big profits. HPE’s conclusion appears to be that there is enough reason to build out a targeted retail offering. As a result, the company now has a story to serve all sides of this business.
A narrative focused on one vertical is not necessarily common to HPE. Anyone browsing the HPE website, for instance, will not see a division into neat divisions like retail, heavy industry or telecom. Incidentally, the new announcements are also suitable for parties outside retail, but the explanation revolves around this sector specifically.
Above all, available
Ultimately, many sensors aren’t exactly worth much if the network making use of them is offline. A dedicated private 5G network from HPE Aruba Networking is intended to deliver a wide range of options for complex or large enterprise environments, but it must also have a good backup to become truly resilient. Organizations can now deploy the new 100 Series Cellular Bridge for this purpose, although the use cases are manifold and go beyond redundancy. For example, the series is also suitable for temporary locations.
Connectivity is made redundant because the Cellular Bridge relies on radio access, not fibre-optic cables. Consequently, critical functions such as processing credit card transactions can be maintained even when trouble arises in the main network.
Thus, we’re getting closer to understanding what “retail-ready” means according to HPE Aruba. However, retailers have more requirements than just the prevention of downtime. Sometimes, equipment is forced to operate in even the smallest of spaces, such as network switches. The new HPE Aruba Networking CX 8325H is an 18-port switch of halved width with less stringent power and cooling requirements. They are designed to connect to HPE ProLiant DL145 Gen 11 servers for edge computing.
In addition, HPE is introducing a new access point, the 750 Series. These should secure, process, and deliver real-time IoT data for the fastest retail AI insights. Finally, HPE is enhancing the Aruba Networking Central AI Insights with more functionality. This platform should improve the performance of Wi-Fi networks outdoors and pick up on unusual IoT behaviour, thus detecting a potential cyber threat early.
Processing IoT traffic locally is more efficient than sending all raw data to another location. Access points can, therefore, communicate directly with third-party retail applications through the comprehensive HPE Aruba Networking Central IoT Operations dashboard.
IoT as a weakness
HPE rightly notes that IoT devices are often the weak spot in an enterprise network. As a result, they are frequently the open door through which hackers walk. Nevertheless, they are critical for optimizing restockings and improving customer service in a modern retail setting. HPE Aruba Networking Central AI Insights is a useful tool for keeping them in line.
Also read: HPE Aruba fights AI with AI in its security and observability tools
“Retailers facing challenges in warehousing, inventory control, and omnichannel fulfilment need comprehensive and secure connectivity to enable digital modernization and enhance customer experiences,” said Stuart Strickland, wireless chief technology officer, HPE Aruba Networking. “HPE’s networking solutions bring real-time IoT data processing and AI inferencing closer to the source of data generation to fuel omnichannel shopping strategies that increase revenue.”
Limited resources
Another benefit of this connectivity is a greater amount of visibility into branches elsewhere. As the retail world has fewer and fewer IT experts in-house, the remaining staff must cover an ever more significant number of locations. HPE cites that Aruba Networking’s offering integrates with HPE GreenLake Cloud and ProLiant servers to avoid pricey physical visits from service personnel. As such, it covers much of retailers’ IT requirements and needs.
Tip: HPE Aruba thinks of the network as a security solution
Thankfully, retailers don’t have to rely solely on customization. HPE, for example, is trying to make Aruba Central simpler and more manageable across the board. Based on our conversation with EMEA CTO and Vice President of Systems Engineering Dobias van Ingen, you can read about exactly what this development of “Aruba Central Next Gen” looks like here.