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Alvin Castro and Thomas Munzer highlight how the integration of Aruba and Juniper Mist has unified their strategies around Infrastructure as Code. The core of their philosophy is a 100% REST API approach, ensuring that every function available in the user interface is also accessible via open APIs. This enables deep integration with orchestration tools like Terraform and Ansible, as well as ITSM platforms like ServiceNow and Slack. By maintaining this consistent API-first strategy across both Aruba Central and Mist, HPE provides a robust foundation for DevOps and NetOps teams to automate complex network deployments and management tasks seamlessly.
The technical centerpiece of the presentation is the introduction of Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers for both Mist and Central. Castro describes MCP as the “USB-C for AI applications,” providing a universal abstraction layer that allows corporate-approved Large Language Models (LLMs) to securely interface with live network data. This allows users to prosecute complex queries, such as troubleshooting a specific user’s connectivity issues or identifying configuration optimizations, using their own AI environments. This architecture transforms standard APIs into a universal language of intelligence, enabling agents to communicate with each other while keeping the end user in control of their own AI tokens and costs.
While MCP provides a powerful shim for external AI tools, the speakers emphasize that HPE’s native AI solutions, such as Marvis and Networking Copilot, remain the most efficient and secure way to interact with the network. Native tools utilize curated skills and guardrails that provide faster, more accurate outcomes without the per-token costs associated with external LLMs. The presentation concludes by reinforcing the “one team, one vision” commitment, noting that Mobility Field Day serves as a critical internal milestone for measuring progress. By merging the strengths of Aruba and Mist under a common self-driving network umbrella, HPE aims to deliver a consistent, autonomous experience for all customers, regardless of their starting hardware or management platform.
Personnel: Alvin Castro, Thomas Munzer
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