Umbrellar Connect’s David Howden caught up with Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s NZ country manager Andrew Fox on how the company is helping New Zealand’s contact tracing efforts, and what’s next for the future of the company.

In this chat, Fox explains the path that Aruba has taken over the last 18 years, from its beginnings as a basic wifi company, its acquisition by Hewlett Packard Enterprise in 2015 and where it is headed in the future.

Fox details how Aruba has moved from providing connectivity to adding security to the mix and how that expertise is now being put to use in contact tracing efforts in the Covid-19 pandemic.  “There’s so much you can do with a network than just connecting devices,” he says, explaining how the company keeps people safe but also performing and connected.

For the network expert, the key to contact tracing lies in data sharing and Fox goes into detail to explain what that looks like when fighting a viral disease, using technology to keep people safe.

He also talks about 5G and unveils that Aruba is focusing on a future where AI and machine learning play a crucial role in networks. The future is “all about the AI story,” he tells us.