There’s more to networking than just hooking up computers. These days, networking means running sensors, devices and a host of other goodies. This gives companies the power to interact with customers and the world as things happen. With this power comes a need for a new perspective on networks, according to Partha Narasimhan (pictured), chief technical officer, Aruba, at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.

“Wireless does a lot more than getting rid of the cables. Wireless enables mobility,” Narasimhan said during the HPE Discover conference event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During the event, he spoke with John Furrier (@furrier) and Dave Vellante (@dvellante), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE’s mobile live-streaming studio. (* Disclosure below.)

HPE announces new switch series for cutting-edge networking

Wireless networking gives companies the ability to observe things in the world, either around customers or people at work. The next step is to gather context on what these people are doing. Businesses can then combine context and observation to create new experiences and enhance existing processes, according to Narasimhan.

Running these new capabilities on legacy network designs is not very efficient, he added. To get modern performance for cutting-edge capability, HPE has announced the Aruba 8400 Switch Series. This new hardware is built for mobility and the Internet of Things.

The 8400 Series is designed around today’s use cases and allows admins to deploy networks without worrying about the old ways of configuring and monitoring switches, Narasimhan explained. A software engine in the switch allows for programmability and visibility into the network. Combined with a Network Analytics Engine, admins can extend and enhance the powers of the switch.

This is important, because programmability is key for IoT. Networks must confine and monitor these devices, because they represent an ongoing security risk, Narasimhan stated. Doing that without sacrificing quality and security through the network as a whole will require custom solutions, especially if things need to be transparent for the user.

“People think Wi-fi should just connect and work,” Narasimhan said.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s independent editorial coverage of HPE Discover US 2017. (* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for HPE Discover US 2017. Neither Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. nor other sponsors have editorial control on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE