How HPE Is Using AI to Make Networking Smarter
AI is becoming a much bigger part of networking, but for HPE, the focus is less about adding AI for the sake of it and more about making networks easier to manage.
Through Aruba Central, HPE is introducing more AI-powered tools designed to help IT teams spot problems faster, understand what is causing them and, in some cases, prevent issues before users even notice them.
Moving Towards Smarter Networks
HPE’s long-term aim is to create networks that can increasingly monitor, diagnose and optimise themselves.
That doesn’t mean removing people from the process. Instead, AI can take care of more of the repetitive troubleshooting and data analysis, giving network teams clearer information and helping them make decisions faster.
Aruba Central is already moving in this direction by combining network data with AI-powered recommendations and automated checks.
Finding Network Problems Faster
One of the biggest benefits is simpler troubleshooting.
If a user cannot connect to the network, there can be several possible causes, from authentication and DHCP issues to DNS or WiFi problems.
Aruba Central can analyse the different stages of a connection, highlight where the failure is happening and suggest likely causes and next steps. This means less time manually working through different screens and tools to find the problem.
Fixing Problems Before Users Notice
HPE is also using AI to make networking more proactive.
Its Application Experience Predictor can analyse network conditions and identify when a user is likely to experience poor application performance, even before they complain.
It can then help narrow the problem down to areas such as the WiFi connection, the device itself or the wider internet connection. This gives IT teams a chance to investigate and improve the network before it starts affecting more users.
Asking the Network a Question
Networking Copilot is another example of how HPE is making network management more accessible.
Instead of knowing exactly where to look inside Aruba Central, users can ask questions in plain language.
For example, a network administrator could ask about connectivity problems at a site, application performance or a client’s route through the network. Copilot can then use network data and HPE documentation to provide a clearer answer.
This can save experienced engineers time, while also making it easier for newer team members to understand what is happening across the network.
More Useful Recommendations
AI Insights can also look for opportunities to improve the network.
For example, Aruba Central can identify areas with poor wireless coverage, highlight the access points and users being affected and recommend actions such as adjusting transmit power or installing another access point.
It can also flag configuration or security improvements based on the actual network, rather than providing generic advice.
What Does This Mean for Network Teams?
The biggest change is that network management is becoming less reactive.
Instead of waiting for something to go wrong and then searching for the cause, AI can help teams understand their network continuously, identify possible issues earlier and make troubleshooting much quicker.
For HPE, the move towards AI-powered networking is ultimately about giving IT teams better information, reducing repetitive work and helping them keep networks running smoothly with less manual effort.
