Dell expands Wi-Fi reseller deal with Aruba

Dell  plans to actively market and support WLAN products from Aruba Networks for the midsize and small enterprise market. Previously Dell was a reseller only, leaving marketing and support functions to Aruba.

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The equipment, including controllers, access points and network management products such as Aruba's Airwave Wireless Management Suite, will be offered under Dell's PowerConnect label of enterprise networking gear. The PowerConnect W logo will feature "powered by Aruba Networks" on the WLAN products.

The lineup includes Aruba's full line of 802.11n access points, from the introductory models to the more recent 3x3 MIMO models, and the W-3000 series of WLAN controllers. Dell has been an Aruba reseller for the past two years, in selected markets. With the new agreement, Dell will be marketing the WLAN solution much more widely, according to Larry Hart, Dell's worldwide head of marketing for networking.

Aruba has been training Dell sales and tech support staff. By yearend, some 2,100 Dell employees will have gone through the Aruba training.