People counting with ArubaOS & ALE
Bumbee Labs counts visitors from the device positions that the Aruba Location Engine (ALE) works out on your ArubaOS network. The location data is anonymised and aggregated, turned into footfall counts, dwell times and movement patterns, and delivered through dashboards and the API. To start, you need ALE running on the network and to give us permission to connect.
No new hardware. We turn the signals from ArubaOS and ALE into analytics.
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Why ArubaOS & ALE + Bumbee Labs
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No new hardware
Bumbee Labs reads location data from the Aruba Location Engine (ALE) on your ArubaOS network, so most venues can start with the equipment they already have.
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Privacy-first
Location signals are anonymised and aggregated into statistics. Nobody is identified.
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One platform
Dwell, movement and counts are delivered through Bumbee Labs dashboards and the open API.
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Sustainable measurement
Reading the location data from ALE needs no new equipment of its own, so nothing extra has to be manufactured or later retired.
Getting started with ArubaOS & ALE
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Connect to the Aruba Location Engine
With ALE running on your ArubaOS network, the engine works out where devices are. Bumbee Labs reads that location data, usually without a new box on site.
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Filter & anonymise
The location signals are filtered for noise, then anonymised and aggregated. Personal data is irrevocably deleted, leaving only statistics.
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Process & calibrate
What remains becomes visitor counts, dwell times, zone correlations and movement flows, calibrated to your venue.
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Deliver
The clean, anonymous metrics go to your dashboards and the API, where your BI tools can use them. Standard metrics arrive the day after the visit.
What you measure with ArubaOS & ALE
Wi-Fi is Bumbee Labs' whole-space method, strongest at covering entire venues and the journeys across them. Typical metrics from an ArubaOS / ALE deployment:
- Visitor count (total) and unique visitors
- Dwell time, per zone and overall
- Visitor paths & flows between zones and between sites
- Zone data & correlation, and anchor positions
- Passers-by and capture rate (passing → entering)
- Peaks & lows and long-run trends
For exact line-crossing in/out and live occupancy at a specific door, pair ALE with cameras or 3D sensors. See the full method-by-method grid.
How does people counting with Aruba ALE and ArubaOS work?
Bumbee Labs reads the location data the Aruba Location Engine (ALE) works out on your ArubaOS network, anonymises and aggregates it, and turns it into visitor counts, dwell times and movement patterns. Whether your estate is badged Aruba or HPE Aruba Networking, the positions come from ALE, so the route is the same.
What you need to start: ALE running on your ArubaOS network, and your permission for Bumbee Labs to read from it. Most venues need no new hardware or site visit, and your network keeps running as it does now.
The same integration supports occupancy monitoring: how many people are in a space, and how that number rises and falls through the day. You can use it to size staffing and test layout changes.
If you manage your access points from the cloud instead, the matching route is people counting with Aruba Central. To see how the method works, read about Wi-Fi people counting.
Curious what this looks like for your venue?
ArubaOS / ALE vs other counting methods
Wi-Fi covers whole spaces and the journeys across them. Pair it with cameras or cellular where you need point precision or wide-area catchment.
| Capability | ArubaOS / ALE (Wi-Fi) | Camera & 3D | Cellular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-space coverage | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Exact in/out at a door | Partial | Yes | No |
| Real-time occupancy | Partial | Yes | No |
| Paths & flows between zones | Yes | Partial | Partial |
| Dwell time | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Catchment / origin | No | No | Yes |
| Uses your existing hardware | Yes | No | Yes |
| Built-in privacy protection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
- Full
- Partial
- Not available
Approved and validated
ALE data is processed by the only footfall method in Europe approved by a data protection authority. No personal data is kept.
We are very happy to announce this partnership with Bumbee Labs to boost our Wireless solutions portfolio and bring what we believe is the future for retail businesses, measured by trustful data. What can't be measured, can't be improved.
Frequently asked questions
Does people counting with ArubaOS and ALE need new hardware?
Usually not. Bumbee Labs reads location data from the Aruba Location Engine (ALE) on your ArubaOS network, so most sites can start without new equipment. Where a site needs more accuracy or coverage, a few extra access points can be added.
Do we need ALE running, or is ArubaOS alone enough?
ALE needs to be running, because Bumbee Labs takes its location data from the Aruba Location Engine (ALE) and not from ArubaOS itself. If you're unsure whether ALE is configured in your environment, book a demo and we'll confirm what is already in place and what, if anything, needs enabling.
What's the difference between ArubaOS / ALE and Aruba Central?
ArubaOS / ALE is the on-prem route, where Bumbee Labs reads the positions ALE computes on your own ArubaOS network. Aruba Central is managed from the cloud. Both routes feed the same Bumbee Labs platform, so the choice depends on how you manage your access points.
Does people counting with ArubaOS and ALE identify individual visitors?
No. Bumbee Labs turns the location data into aggregated, anonymous statistics and irrevocably deletes the personal data along the way, so nobody can be identified from the results.
Is people counting with ArubaOS and ALE GDPR-compliant?
Yes. Bumbee Labs takes the device positions that ALE works out on your ArubaOS network, deletes the personal data in them at source and keeps nothing but aggregated statistics. A European data protection authority has reviewed this method and approved it.