HPE, BT team for global managed LAN service

As hybrid work continues to evolve, in particular through increasing use of bandwidth-hungry video-collaboration tools, companies are finding that their local area networks (LANs) are struggling to support hybrid workers’ expectations when accessing apps. To address this, BT has announced a partnership with HPE Aruba Networking to launch a new managed LAN service.

With further demands created through workers expecting consistent and reliable Wi-Fi connectivity around the building, the increasing number of connected devices, including internet of things (IoT), adds further complexity and cyber security risks.

BT’s HPE Aruba Networking Managed LAN service is designed to allow customers to securely modernise connectivity to support changing workstyles and keep apace of IoT demands, delivering improved performance, flexibility and control of LANs. It combines BT’s global reach and experience in the design, deployment and management of in-building wired and wireless connectivity, with the latest HPE Aruba Networking LAN solutions.

“It’s clear that legacy in-building networks cannot handle modern hybrid working and IoT devices, never mind what comes next,” said Andrew Small, director of voice and digital work, business, BT Group.

“That’s why we’re expanding customer choice of managed LAN solutions by partnering with HPE Aruba Networking. This will offer the visibility, flexibility and security customers need to deliver productive, trusted wired and wireless connectivity.”

Explaining how the solution will be deployed, BT said it will work collaboratively with the customer to manage costs by providing a staged approach to modernisation with benefits realised at each stage. As a first step, BT will audit the LAN to identify what is already in place, what could be re-used, and what should be replaced. HPE Aruba Networking will then provide interoperable technology that can avoid the need to replace the entire network, with the telco evaluating how to secure and protect connected devices.

This should simplify visibility by giving customers a single dashboard hosted in the cloud, centralising reporting, analytics, security, scalability and resilience in one platform to help customers deliver a consistent end-user experience. It can also identify redundant devices using unnecessary power and automate network and energy optimisation.

“Global customers that are building their connectivity strategies are focusing on modern enterprise networks that are secure, agile, responsive to business needs and simple to operate, while being powerful drivers of transformation,” added Phil Mottram, executive vice-president and general manager of HPE Aruba Networking.

“HPE Aruba Networking is at the forefront of reinventing how customers and partners can consume or deliver business-outcome focused networking, and by integrating our AI, security, automation, and network-as-a-service capabilities, our global managed LAN service with BT is an example of how the network is helping customers achieve their business objectives.”