Medicine Cabinet for Network Wellness

Feb. 1, 2013
The essential tasks for maintaining industrial network health - from inventory and audit to capacity planning and security measures. A must-read for network administrators.
About the Author

Jim Montague is the executive editor for Control. Email him at [email protected].

Here's a list of many of the most important tasks needed to ensure the basic health of an industrial network.

  • Conduct a complete inventory, audit and evaluation of all existing components and systems on or connected to the network, and document their bandwidth, throughput, power needs and other requirements.
  • Check to what extent original network designs have been added onto, if and how many undocumented devices have been added, and update networking designs and documentation.
  • Investigate present and define future business goals, manufacturing applications and their needs, and decide how much new network capacity, bandwidth, speed, power, durability, security and other new functions they'll likely require.
  • Design new network or redesign existing network based on the latest defined requirements, deploy managed Ethernet switches where appropriate, and implement network management software to oversee operations and maintenance.
  • Set thresholds and enable reports, alerts, alarms and security for network components — just as similar parameters are established for controls and applications.
  • Segment network into logical and manageable subnetworks as needed, and segment with firewalls.
  • Establish patching policy for software updates, including procedure for sequestering, testing and deploying patches.
  • Reevaluate network on defined schedule to incorporate new components, software and capabilities.

This article is part of the Industrial Networking 2013 Quarter 1 cover story "Monitor and Mend Network Health."

Jim Montague | Executive Editor, Control
About the Author

Jim Montague | Executive Editor, Control

Jim Montague is executive editor of Control. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Sponsored Recommendations

Automation technology continues to advance the capabilities of packaging equipment.This new State of Technology Report from the editors of Control Design covers the ways packaging...
Protecting processes from explosive risks is a matter of life and property. Ensure electrical safety in hazardous locations by installing solutions certified to IEC and NEC standards...
Transform your machine's safety system. Discover how to upgrade with configurable products, scalable designs, and simplified wiring for improved diagnostics and long-term reliability...
Unlock the benefits of ASi with our Engineer’s Guide: Learn how to reduce wiring, cut costs, and improve flexibility in your automation systems.