Here are five standout features from the October release of Central that continues to prove how we uplevel the operator experience by delivering streamlined workflows and integrated security.
- Central Network Access Control (NAC) is a cloud-based AAA solution that further enhances network security through authentication, authorization, and visitor access management. Central NAC core features are with our foundational license, while advanced capabilities—like Bring Your Own Certificate (BYOC), third-party network access devices (NADs) support, multiple identity providers (IdPs), and granular policy creation - require an add-on NAC pro license. See the Central ordering guide for details.
- New Security Planet - The sessions feature available through security planet in HPE Aruba Networking Central monitors network traffic, providing insights into data flow, security policy effectiveness, and potential breaches. The Blocked Session chart displays blocked sessions over time in 15-minute intervals, with hover functionality showing session counts for specific timestamps. The expanded view offers detailed summaries of blocked and allowed sessions across Aruba access points, CX switches, and gateways, aiding in comprehensive network security analysis.
- New Configuration Profiles for Security and Resilience - Central introduces two powerful profiles to enhance network control. The RADIUS Proxy Profile (Advanced License) enables Aruba switches and APs to proxy client authentication requests to a central RADIUS server—ideal for large, distributed, or multi-vendor environments where direct server access isn't practical. The Management Interface Profile defines a dedicated management path, ensuring device access remains available even if primary data interfaces fail. Together, these profiles simplify authentication workflows, strengthen network security, and improve operational uptime.
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) now extended to client tag management, rules, and Certificate Management application. Admins can assign granular Create, Read, and Delete (CRD) permissions, with the UI dynamically adapting—showing or hiding elements like the Client Classification card or Create Tag button based on the user roles. In Certificate Management, RBAC defines who can view, create, or delete certificates. This ensures tighter access control, improves operational governance, and reduces the risk of unauthorized changes.
- New AI-powered AP Coverage Resiliency Insight –helps identify coverage gaps that could occur during AP outages leveraging advanced telemetry and spatial analytics. It offers smart recommendations like adjusting transmit power or deploying additional APs and supports all bands (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz), helping neighboring APs compensate for coverage loss. The dashboard provides actionable coverage scores and floorplan views, enabling proactive network management and minimizing user disruption.
- Enhanced Network Visualization with Topology Link Node View – Central now offers a hierarchical tree view showing relationships between Aruba devices and third-party equipment. Supporting both L2 and L3 topologies, it enables detailed path analysis. Users can customize layouts, collapse or expand hierarchy levels, and save views. Integrated health metrics and network insights help streamline troubleshooting, especially at the link level, while its scalability from single sites to global networks improves visibility and simplifies management. Additionally, the new Client Health card delivers real-time connection-type insights, helping admins quickly identify and resolve client issues.
To explore the full list of over 35 distinct features and enhancements in this release, check out the Release Notes.