Controllerless Networks

The Dell WSeries is the rebranded wireless device when they used to have contact with Aruba. Since Aruba is with HPE, does anyone know if the Dell WSeries would work with the Aruba IAP devices?  

Would work...maybe.  Supported....No.

That means, if you have any problems, it will not be supported by TAC...

At any time Dell or Aruba can change the behavior to reject images from a different OEM, and that would not be good...

so there's no real solution if someone had Dell WIAP and decided to start buying Aruba IAP, it will not mesh?

The long-term solution is to only purchase one or the other.  They are not guaranteed to work together now or in the future.

that really put a damper in the whole situation...... 

Does anyone know when or if Dell will stop selling Wseries? 

Maybe you can ask Dell?

no one says anything..... >_> 

we are always in the dark.....

Dell will be selling WIAP for 5 more years.

Dell said 5 years, but now they are having issues with inventory and shipment delays for months. 

Thanks for the info.

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@You-Got-IT wrote:

Dell said 5 years, but now they are having issues with inventory and shipment delays for months. 

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I kind of doubt that: Dell announced on April 27th, 2017 the end of sale for the whole w-series (Dell branded Aruba) for July 24th, 2017.

See here: https://community.emc.com/docs/DOC-57728

They will support the devices for another 5 years, but there won't be any sales anymore.

I feel completely lied to on this issue. I asked this question and got it in writing from both parties that the sales would continue until at least 2019. Now my school has to replace every WAP in the system because ARUBA and DELL decided that that they could not talk to each other. The only difference is firmware, and when Dell decided not to continue selling the units they could have pushed a firmware that would make them compatible. Instead both parties want me to start over again with all new hardware. Some of which are not even a year old.

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

please contact your Aruba HPE sales rep.

HPE has a way to move the service from Dell to HPE without buying new hardware

I went ahead and called Aruba Sales. The sales person didn't have much idea on how it works. She eventually asked another college and said there suposely a way to convert the DELL WIAP to Aruba firmware by Aruba support, but we have to purchase the support agreement for the DELL WIAP in order to talk to them. 

I am somewhat skeptical at the moment while I am waiting to hear back from another sales person to send me the quote on how much the support will cost.

I would rather see a KB article or a SKU that specifically show how they can convert the devices using a firmware. Right now...it's just talk.

At the same time, we purchased the devices for 5 years support from Dell. If we purchase the support agreement with Aruba, our dell support will probably voided, which is something our client doesn't want to hear...

We are starting to do testing Unifi on the side because we can't wait forever for the solution and the pricing is more attractive for our clients instead of $400 WIAP, they can get it for $150 Unifi....

Yes, you need to buy new service and Dell won't do any payback.

But it's still a Dell problem since they just stopped selling without noticing the customers (only Partners received a message a few weeks prior EoS).

I'm pretty sure that Dell will not be able to give full support for 5 years from now.

I think DELL needs to reimburse ($$) you the support contract and then you can go ahead and buy the support from HPE, it's really confusing at this point and also could take more time... weeks, months, who knows..