Look for QoS, SNMP, VLAN and IGMP Snooping Features in Switches

As more industrial devices with built-in Ethernet capabilities are introduced, industrial networks increasingly need better tools for directing signal traffic.

"With the growing size and complexity of Ethernet networks in industrial applications, traffic management is very important," explains Andre Jordao, product manager—network connectivity, Weidmüller North America (www.weidmuller.com). "In many cases, by using managed switches with features such as QoS (quality of service), VLAN (virtual local area network) and IGMP snooping (for Ethernet/IP), networks would work more reliably. These tools are very important in mitigating the traffic in industrial applications."

QoS is used to prioritize messages, VLAN allows users to create subsections in the network that are isolated even though they’re on the same infrastructure equipment, and IGMP snooping routes multicast and broadcast traffic, explains Jordao. "Without these tools, networks are not as responsive and certainly not deterministic as is typically needed in industrial applications," he says. "As more devices are put on the same network, and since Ethernet is used for controlling and monitoring more applications, it is critical to look at the network equipment more carefully to make sure that they run properly."

The demand for industrial Ethernet switches is expected to increase, predicts Scott Killian, global director, presales solutions, Sixnet (www.sixnet.com). "In order to proactively manage and control data and voice traffic across the network, organizations will need rugged industrial-grade switches packaged with enterprise-class networking functionality," he says. "These switches are able to seamlessly prioritize network traffic to meet quality-of-service levels while providing advanced security to protect customer data."

Managed Ethernet software with VLAN capabilities enables networks to be segmented into separate traffic domains for added security and efficiency, says Jim Krachenfels, marketing manager, GarrettCom (www.garrettcom.com). "Ethernet switches might also be networked to provide redundancy via the use of dual-homing ports, whereby one port switches from standby to active status in milliseconds," he says. "Industrial device information can now be accessed securely and remotely over the Internet."

More industrial devices with Ethernet capability will mean more installed nodes on industrial control networks, explains Arun Sinha, director of business development, Opto 22 (www.opto22.com). "This might have some effect on the speed and performance of the network, but, at the same time, industrial Ethernet networks are keeping pace and becoming fast enough to where those concerns are less of an issue," says Sinha. "But as the number of nodes increases in a specific industrial application, the amount of data also increases, and there might be times when network latency becomes an issue, especially in high-speed applications. In cases such as this, managed switches will play even more of a key role."

	GIGABIT ETHERNET Mach1040 Gigabit Ethernet switch is a 19-in. rack-mount Layer-2 switch with 16 front- or rear-facing Gigabit Ethernet RJ45/SFP combo ports. The small-form factor pluggable ports support 100 Mbps and Gigabit transceivers. The rear-facing option provides a cleaner look and restricts unauthorized access to the cabling. Four ports are available with power over Ethernet. Belden 719/217-2299 www.hirschmann-usa.com
	STRIDE SWITCH Stride line includes industrial-grade unmanaged Ethernet switches and media converters with aluminum housings. Designed for -40 to 85 °C)\ applications, the plug-and-play devices automatically determine and remember devices connected to each port and only route messages through the appropriate ports. AutomationDirect 770/889-2858 www.automationdirect.com/ethernet
	POE SWITCH EKI-2528PAI ruggedized eight-port unmanaged power-over-Ethernet (PoE) switch has eight 10/100BaseTX Ethernet ports, four of which can supply power to PoE-compliant devices. With an internal dc-to-dc converter, 24 Vdc input power is boosted to the 48 Vdc required for powering PoE-compliant devices. Packaged in a DIN-rail mount metal chassis, the switch has redundant power inputs, 4,000 Vdc Ethernet ESD protection and power line surge (EFT) protection of 3,000 Vdc. Advantech Industrial Automation Group 800/205-7940 www.advantech.com/ea
	ETHERNET SWITCH Seven-port 852-104 100BaseTX + 2-Slot 100BaseFX industrial managed Ethernet switch provides multiple configuration methods, alarm contact to signal errors via email, event monitoring/reporting and port testing. The switch provides XPress Ring and Jet Ring redundancy technologies for networking convenience and reliability. Wago 800/din-rail www.wago.us/products/31745.htm
	MODULARITY AND DENSITY Scalance XR-324 managed industrial Ethernet switches in a 19-in. rack housing connect to 24 Vdc or 110–230 Vac and integrate plant floor networks with enterprise networks via a Gigabit backbone. Each slot in the switch can accommodate a selection of two-port electrical or optical media modules available with single-mode or multimode fiber. Siemens Industry 800/964-4114 www.usa.siemens.com/automation
	STRATIX SWITCH Stratix 8300 Layer 3 managed switch provides VLAN and subnet routing capability using Cisco technology and allow users to integrate multiple cell zones across the plant and connect with manufacturing and enterprise-level networks. Rockwell Automation 800/223-5354 www.ab.com/networks/switches
	DIN-RAIL SWITCH Eight and 12-port EL DIN-rail switches are designed to combine flexibility, redundancy and ruggedness with enterprise-class features for harsh environments. The switches are IEC 61850 and IEEE 1613 compliant, enable DIN-rail mounting and offer security and management features. They provide port flexibility through several fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options and are fully field-configurable. Sixnet 518/877-5173 www.sixnet.com
	WAVE LINE Wave Line unmanaged industrial Ethernet switches have an operating temperature rating of -20 to 60 °C and offer multiple fiber ports. Each switch is designed as a simple plug-and-play device. The switches include port configurations of both RJ45 copper and fiberoptic connections. Weidmüller 800/849-9343 www.weidmuller.com
	REDUNDANT, RELIABLE Magnum ESD42 and PESD42 Dual-Homing Edge Switches have an extra level of redundancy with two independent connection points to a network. Two of the six Ethernet ports are reserved for connecting the switch into the upstream network, and a backup connection is activated on failure in the primary. GarrettCom 510/438-9071 www.garrettcom.com/dhtb.pdf
	MANAGED AND UNMANAGED Unmanaged Ethernet switches support four- or eight-pin M12 twisted-pair cableand four- and five-pin 7/8-16UN power cable. The four-pin switch is suitable for EtherNet/IP applications with both managed and unmanaged options, while the eight-pin switch is suitable for standard Ethernet applications. The switches support 10/100 BaseT with twisted pair cable. Turck 800/544-7769 www.turck.us
	PLAY WELL TOGETHER N-Tron708TX managed switch features port trunking and port mirroring. IGMP snooping capabilities enable multicast messaging management by filtering, forwarding and reducing network traffic among devices automatically, with no user configuration. This is designed to speed project deployment and eliminate configuration errors. Opto 22 800/321-6786 www.opto22.com
	NARROW HOUSING SFNT unmanaged switches operate between -40 and 75 °C. Five- and eight-port versions are available for 10/100 Mbps and multimode fiber with SC and ST connections. Its narrow housing makes it suitable for control cabinets and junction boxes. The switches support Layer 1 port locks and cable locks and can process and prioritize quality-of-service messages. Phoenix Contact 800/322-3225 www.phoenixcontact.com/sfn
	SKORPION ROUTER Skorpion IP (EIPR) industrial-grade router/switch has such a stateful firewall, port forwarding, network address translation (NAT), port address translation (PAT) and dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) on both the LAN and WAN sides. The switch’s built-in firewall provides security by allowing an industrial network to communicate through the IT network to the Internet, while blocking unwanted communications from the IT network. Contemporary Controls 630/963-7070 www.ccontrols.com
	ROUTE MESSAGES NE1A-EDR01 Ethernet/IP-DeviceNet routers are UL-listed and allow the operating condition of a DeviceNet safety system to be configured and monitored from a general-purpose Ethernet device. An ED router makes it possible to program controllers and slaves from a network configurator running on a PC connected to an Ethernet or EtherNet/IP network. Omron STI 800/479-3658 www.sti.com
	FOG FUNCTIONALITY NETernity CP921RC-30x 6U CompactPCI 24-port Gigabit Ethernet switch is a fully managed Layer 2/3+ switch with support for future-proof IPv6 switching and routing. New functionality includes failover groups (FOG), a feature designed to support redundancy links across backplanes from nodes to switches, redundant switches and redundant links to external networks. GE Intelligent Platforms 44 (0) 1327 322821 www.ge-ip.com
	DIRECT LINK Available in five-port and eight-port versions, Brad Direct-Link switches with push/pull connectors produce a seal when connected. The connections are tested to IP69K ratings. Mechanical keying and radial seals are designed to eliminate the risk for operator error. Auto-learning features make each unit plug-and-play and operating temperature ratings range -20 to 75°C. The switches are certified Class I, Div. 2. Molex 630/969-4550 www.molex.com
	SELF-HEALING RING Industrial Gigabit Ethernet switch has a self-healing ring capability compatible with EOTec 2104 industrial Ethernet ring switch (10/100 Mbps). When a fiber or cable break is detected on any of the ring ports, the switch is designed to re-route network traffic in milliseconds. An alarm output, available on the terminal block, can be used to signal error conditions to a PLC or other supervisory devices. The fiber ports offer LC-type connections, and a variety of small form-factor pluggable (SFP) fiber transceivers are available for differing fiber types and lengths. Ultra Electronics 512/434-2830 www.ultra-nspi.com
	VPN FUNCTIONALITY MoRoS industrial routers combine the functions of a modem, router and four-port switch in one DIN rail housing. Security through VPN and a firewall are included in the standard version,and the units support the IPsec protocol and OpenVPN. The device supports the Edge standard for data rates of up to 236 kB/s in GSM mobile radio networks. InSys Microelectronics 49 941 560 061 www.insys-tec.de
	IP67/68 RATING Whale WME-821-M12 industrial 10-port IP67 M12 managed Ethernet switch has eight 10/100BaseT(X) M12 ports and two multi-mode fiber portsthat transmit data up to 2 km with an LC connector. It has redundant self-recovery in less than 10 ms on full load. Ethernet Direct 978/499-9270 www.ethernetdirect.com
	I/O HUB SYSTEM Stand-alone Ethernet hub system is part of the X20 slice I/O series. The modular design of the active hub allows it to be used as a 4x or 6x hub. The smallest version is a solution as a 2x hub for extending Ethernet sections up to 200 m. Besides standard Ethernet, the modular hub system can be expanded with an X20 bus controller module with an integrated 2x hub for Ethernet Powerlink. B&R Industrial Automation 770/772-0400 www.br-automation.com
	SYNC YOUR CLOCKS EL6692 EtherCat bridge terminal improves synchronization for highly complex machines and production lines with numerous EtherCat masters. In the most complex systems, data may have to be exchanged between individual EtherCat systems, or the distributed clocks of different systems may have to be synchronized. The bridge terminal is an ideal solution as it cost-effectively implements these tasks directly in the I/O system. In addition to normal data exchange, the EtherCat bridge permits distributed clock synchronization. Beckhoff Automation 952/890-0000 www.beckhoffautomation.com
	MULTI-PORT JUNCTION BLOCKS M8 multi-port, IP67-rated junction blocks have three-pin M8 connectors (v3 style) in 4-, 6- and 8-port models. They reduce cabling expenses and simplify wiring to allow multiple sensors to be wired to a single block with a single cable run back to a controller. Pepperl+Fuchs 330/486-0001 www.pepperl-fuchs.com
	USB HUBS Four-port and seven-port hubs are USB 2.0-compliant, providing 480 Mbps data rate to the host and are backward-compatible with USB 1.1 and 1.0 devices. Each includes a wall-mount ac adapter that supplies 500 mA to each attached USB peripheral. Both hubs are housed in rugged plastic enclosures. The hubs are supported in Windows, Linux and other USB-aware operating systems. Sealevel Systems 864/843.4343 www.sealevel.com
	ETHERNET/IP TO PROFIBUS Anybus X-gateway connects PC-based OPC-client applications through standard Ethernet networks and the X-gateway to all major fieldbus networks. The OPC connectivity feature is available for 19 industrial Ethernet to fieldbus versions of the X-gateway family with more than 50 combinations to choose from. It enables PC-based OPC DA client application to access data of distributed field devices located in a fieldbus network without the need for a PCI fieldbus interface card. HMS Industrial Networks 312/829-0601 www.anybus.com
	FIRST FISCO FIEDLBUS Route-Master Fieldbus System has a new ATEX approval (FM pending) as a redundant intrinsically safe fieldbus system, permitting the connection of any mix of FISCO and Entity devices. This is the first fieldbus system approval to offer FISCO compatibility and power redundancy. A Route-Master system consists of up to eight trunk isolator modules in a 19-in. rack, each connected to one or more RM100 fieldbus device couplers. Moore Industries-Int'l 818/894-7111 www.miinet.com
	AS-i MODULES VBA-4E4A AS-Interface junction-box modules are 28.65 mm high and deliver 4-in/4-out functionality to support 62 nodes per network. All I/O is powered directly by the AS-Interface module, eliminating the need for an additional power source. Industrial dual-lock mounting strips increase the total mounting height to 35 mm. Removable terminals enable programming and module change-outs, and LED indicators help with troubleshooting.  Pepperl+Fuchs; 330/486-0001; www.pepperl-fuchs.com