1. The goal of diabetic control is for HBA1C below 7.0. This can be achieved with or without insulin pump.
2). All patients will have occasional hypoglycemia when using insulin;it is acceptable to have 1-2 episodes per week. The tighter control will create more hypoglycemia eposodes. The severity of hypoglycemia also matters, as prolonged hypoglycemia less than 40s can cause serious damages to the brain.
3). Comprehensive treatment with exercise, diet and insulin can normally achieve the goal of HBA1C. You need a good doctor to adjust your insulin based your own testings of glucose (4 times a day). A combination of long acting insulin and short acting pre-meal insulins are required. Stay away from sliding scale insulin.
4). Insulin pump may help achieve the goal of HbA1C, if managed properly, may have less frequent hypoglycemia. But it cannot avoid the need for self testing of glucose. The pump provides with a basal rate, and a push of insulin before each meal. Ppumps all have the above basic function, some pump may give a better mornitoring of the glucose, you can print out a measured glucose curve over a certain period of time which may help your doctor adjuct your setting.