New ADTRAN Enterprise-Class Wi-Fi Offering Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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1. What has changed?
   1. Dramatically reduced access point pricing now available – ADTRAN’s powerful enterprise-class APs are now available at market disruptive pricing (up to 75% lower than typical enterprise-class APs and licenses). In addition, Express Cloud, along with access to ADTRAN’s interactive support community, are now included with the purchase of new ADTRAN 2000 and 3000 series APs.
   2. New Express Cloud offering - Targeted at micro (<10 employees) and small business (10 to 100 employees) with up to 25 access points, Express Cloud provides the power and simplicity of 100% cloud-managed Wi-Fi without required subscriptions, licenses, or on-premises controllers. It includes a “just right” feature set focused on robust enterprise connectivity and security as well as access to ADTRAN’s interactive support community. Customers can upgrade to elevate the experience with ADTRAN enhanced support (telephone support (ProCare) or telephone support and next business day advanced hardware replacement (ProCare NBD)) or to ADTRAN Elite Cloud which includes both advanced features and ADTRAN enhanced support. Express Cloud, along with access to ADTRAN’s interactive support community is now included with the purchase of new ADTRAN 2000 and 3000 series APs.
   3. ProCloud and ProCloud Plus become Elite Cloud and Elite Cloud Plus – ADTRAN’s award winning cloud-managed Wi-Fi Solution formerly known as ProCloud targeted at medium Business (100-500 employees) and large enterprise (500+ employees) is replaced by Elite Cloud. While descriptions have changed, part numbers remain the same. Elite Cloud includes everything in Express Cloud as well as advanced features and ADTRAN enhanced support. Elite Cloud Plus adds day to day operations such as automatic ticket generation, problem resolution and move, add, change, delete (MACD) related configuration changes.
   4. vWLAN License becomes Elite On-Premises Perpetual License – The ADTRAN vWLAN License required per AP when deploying management/control in the private cloud on-premises or a service provider data center is replaced by the Elite On-Premises Perpetual License and is no longer available for free. Elite On-Premises provides the same advanced features as Elite Cloud, offering unparalleled flexibility in deployment options. While the description has changed and it is no longer free, the part number remains the same. With the dramatically reduced access point pricing, existing medium/enterprise customers using the license will continue to pay the same and in many cases less for the combined AP and license. This allows ADTRAN to now offer the same reliable, powerful enterprise-class AP hardware it has always provided to medium/enterprise customers, with a simplified feature set (Express Cloud), to more cost conscious micro and small business customers. Value for more advanced features has shifted from the now lower cost hardware (APs) to software. This also positions ADTRAN strategically for emerging white box networking trends. Elite On-Premises requires ADTRAN enhanced support (ProCare or ProCare NBD).
   5. Onsite hardware replacement part numbers are discontinued – In the interest of solution simplification, rarely purchased onsite AP hardware replacement part numbers have been discontinued with the exception of ProCloud Plus OST, now known as Elite Cloud Plus OST. These discontinued part numbers were described as ProCare 7x24x4, ProCare NBD OST, ProCloud 7x24x4 and ProCloud OST. 7x24 support and next business day remote advanced hardware replacement options remain available. At renewal, customers with onsite AP hardware replacement that are not using Elite Cloud Plus OST will need to move to next business day remote advanced hardware replacement (ProCare NBD or Elite Cloud) which include 7x24 support. We also encourage customers to check with their local ADTRAN partner as to if the partner might offer a local onsite option.
2. When do these changes take effect?
   1. Changes initially announced in September with interim updates in between took effect 01/01/2019.
3. With the unparalleled flexibility of feature sets and support/deployment/licensing models from ADTRAN, what options should I choose to meet the unique needs and budget of my organization?           
   1. Do you need simple, robust enterprise-class Wi-Fi connectivity and security with a just right feature set without required subscriptions or licenses for micro (<10 employees) and small business (10-100 employees)?
      • Choose your AP type and use it with the included Express Cloud and interactive support community.
        • Does the Express Cloud feature set meet your needs but you require telephone support or telephone support and next business day remote advanced hardware replacement?
          • Add on enhanced support (telephone support (ProCare) or telephone support and next business day advanced hardware replacement (ProCare NBD)).
   2. Do you need more advanced features, 99.99% cloud uptime SLA, telephone support with SLAs and next business day advanced hardware replacement for medium (100-500 employees) or large enterprise (500+ employees)?
      • Choose your AP and go with Elite Cloud
        • Want ADTRAN to manage the Wi-Fi network for you by performing day to day operations such as automatic ticket generation, problem resolution and move, add, change, delete (MACD) related configuration changes?
          • Choose your AP and go with Elite Cloud Plus or Elite Cloud Plus OST if onsite AP hardware replacement is needed.
   3. Do you need management/control in the private cloud on-premises or your service provider’s data center?
      • Choose your AP and go with Elite On-Premises Perpetual License and ProCare or ProCare NBD. Download the free Management and Control Virtual Appliance for VMware or KVM.
4. How do I know which AP to choose?
   1. Is the opportunity cost conscious/value driven with low to medium client density?
      • Go with the AP 2020
   2. Is the opportunity performance driven with medium to high client density?
      • Go with the AP 2030. Note while the AP 2030 includes internal antennas the AP 2035 is available with external antenna connectors for specialized deployments.
   3. Is the opportunity for an outdoor deployment?
      • Go with the AP 2135 and appropriate antennas for the application.
   4. Is the opportunity performance driven, mission critical, more cutting edge with high to very high client density?
      • Go with the AP 3040. Note while the AP 3040 includes internal antennas the AP 3045 is available with external antenna connectors for specialized deployments.
5. If Express Cloud is now included with the purchase of new ADTRAN 2000 and 3000 series APs, how do I get access to the Express Cloud?
   1. Go to https://adtran.com/cloud, provide the requested information to create a new account and you will receive cloud access information/credentials via email within one business day. For further information on creating an Express Cloud account see Creating an Express Cloud Account.
6. Is there a limit or maximum number of access points supported by Express Cloud?
   1. Express Cloud is limited to a maximum of 25 access points.
7. Can I call into ADTRAN Technical Support with Express Cloud?
   1. Express Cloud support is via the ADTRAN interactive support community unless you have upgraded to ADTRAN enhanced support (ProCare or ProCare NBD) within 30 days from the date the APs being covered were originally purchased. 
8. If I can’t call into ADTRAN Technical support with Express Cloud unless I have upgraded to ADTRAN enhanced support, how do I get a product with a hardware defect repaired or replaced?
   1. Submit an RMA Request. This requires you create an ADTRAN.com account. Without enhanced support/extended warranty (ProCloud NBD) you will need to return the unit to ADTRAN for repair/replacement.   
9. Can I upgrade Express Cloud to ADTRAN enhanced support (ProCare or ProCare NBD) after the initial AP purchase?
   1. Optional telephone support (ProCare) or telephone support and advanced hardware replacement (ProCare NBD) for Express Cloud must be purchased within 30 days from the date the APs being covered were originally purchased. If added 30 days after AP purchase, APs must be verified in good working order by the support team and support must be back dated to 30 days from the date the APs being covered were originally purchased.
10. Historically enhanced support (ProCare or ProCare NBD) or ProCloud which includes enhanced support was required to be purchased with each AP. Is this still required?
    1. With Express Cloud you can leverage the ADTRAN interactive support community if that suites your needs or optionally upgrade to enhanced support within 30 days of AP purchase if telephone support or next business day advanced hardware replacement is required. Elite On-Premises deployments continue to require ADTRAN enhanced support be purchased with each AP (within 30 days). Elite Cloud includes ADTRAN enhanced support. 
11. Can I upgrade from Express Cloud to Elite Cloud after the initial AP purchase?
    1. Yes, however APs must be verified in good working order by the support team prior to upgrade.
12. Can I upgrade from Express Cloud, Elite Cloud or Elite On-Premises to Elite Cloud Plus where ADTRAN performs day to day operations for me such as automatic ticket generation, problem resolution and move, add, change, delete (MACD) related configuration changes?
    1. Yes, however Elite Cloud Plus requires Elite Cloud Plus Onboarding Base and Onboarding per AP or ProStart install (remote or onsite) prior to hand off and acceptance by ADTRAN Network Operations Center for day to day operations. Onboarding fees are waived if the network is installed by ADTRAN ProStart.
13. Does Express Cloud support older ADTRAN Bluesocket 1800 and 1900 series 11n APs?
    1. No. Express Cloud supports ADTRAN 2000 and 3000 series 11ac APs.
14. I currently use ProCloud now referred to as Elite Cloud, can I move to Express Cloud?
    1. Express Cloud includes a right sized feature set for micro and small businesses and interactive community support while Elite Cloud includes a more advanced feature set, 99.99% cloud uptime SLA, telephone support with priority SLA and next business day advanced hardware replacement. If the Express Cloud feature set, support model and SLAs meet your needs and you have 2000 and 3000 series 11ac APs, you could certainly downgrade to Express Cloud but note that the 18XX/19XX 11n series APs are not supported.
15. I currently have management and control running in my own cloud using the vWLAN License now referred to as the Elite On-Premises Perpetual License, can I move to Express Cloud?
    1. Express Cloud includes a right sized feature set for micro and small businesses and interactive community support while the Elite On-Premises Perpetual License includes a more advanced feature set and requires telephone support with priority SLA or telephone support with priority SLA and next business day advanced hardware replacement. If the Express Cloud feature set and support model and SLAs meet your needs and you have 2000 and 3000 series 11ac APs, you could certainly downgrade to Express Cloud but note that the 18XX/19XX 11n series APs are not supported.
16. Is Express Cloud multi-tenanted. For example, if I’m a Managed Service Provider (MSP) can I manage multiple customers?
    1. Yes. If the MSP wants to see all of their customer networks/tenants(domains) they would use the same MSP email address when creating subsequent accounts at https://adtran.com/cloud. If you use an email address that already has an account, you will essentially be creating a new domain under that existing account. For further information on
17. What are the feature differences between Express Cloud and Elite Cloud or Elite On-Premises?
    1. 
18. What are the cloud and services differences between Express Cloud, Elite Cloud and Elite Cloud Plus?
    1. 
19. I have noticed in the cloud comparison that Elite Cloud has a 99.99% cloud uptime Service Level Agreement (SLA) but Express Cloud does not. Will my APs continue to function if the connection to the cloud is down?
    1. Yes. If the connection between the AP and cloud is down or the cloud itself is down, existing clients connected to APs will continue to be able to pass traffic and new WPA2PSK and Open SSID clients will continue to be able to connect.