Aruba Channel Chief Says Bye-Bye To HP

Aruba Networks channel chief Karl Soderlund has left the building.

Soderlund, formerly vice president of worldwide channels and alliances at Aruba, a Hewlett-Packard subsidiary, has joined security specialist Imperva. Soderlund's departure from Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Aruba comes just weeks after Aruba's John DiLullo, executive vice president of sales and services, jumped ship to F5 Networks.

"I'm surprised, because everything I've heard was, HP was going to let Aruba run pretty much as a standalone entity," said an executive from a solution provider that partners with Aruba who did not wish to be named. "We remain unsure in terms of future changes under HP. Since we are not an HP partner, we're worried about getting lost in the shuffle."

[Related: CRN Exclusive: Aerohive CEO On HP Aruba 'Strong-Arm' Tactics, WiFi 'Haves' And 'Have-Nots']

HP closed its $3 billion acquisition of the wireless networking specialist Aruba in May. Within HP's networking business, Aruba's mobility solution is led by CEO and President Dominic Orr and CTO Keerti Melkote, reporting to Antonio Neri, leader of HP Enterprise Group.

"You will be working with the same Aruba," wrote Orr in a letter to partners shortly after the acquisition was unveiled.

Soderlund is Imperva's new vice president of worldwide channels and alliances, responsible for transforming the channel and alliance program, according to a news release. He is slated to both expand relationships with existing service providers, distributors and VARs and add new partners to support the company's growth.

Soderlund is an industry veteran with nearly two decades of executive experience working for companies like Cisco, Fortinet and Avaya.

In an interview with CRN, David Flynn, CEO of Aerohive Networks, a competitor to HP, alleged that Aruba partners are not receiving deal registration on switches if they don't sell Aruba together with HP.

When contacted by CRN, HP declined to specifically comment on the deal registration allegations regarding the HP Aruba deal.

"A 90 day integration plan is underway. Once we reconcile our broad product lines from the wireless and switched edge to the data center, we will articulate specific details to our channel partners and customers," said HP in a statement.

Two Aruba partners who CRN spoke with said they have not seen HP display the deal registration allegations, but wouldn't be surprised if it was true.

"I haven't heard that yet, but it wouldn't be surprising, since Aruba is now HP -- they own them," said a solution provider and Aruba partner who wanted to remain anonymous. "It does go against what they have been saying about Aruba being run on its own, though."

PUBLISHED AUG. 20, 2015