Industrial Ethernet Switches

[Kalyan]

Industrial Ethernet Switches

A network switch is a networking device that performs transparent bridging (connection of multiple network segments with forwarding based on MAC addresses) at full wire speed in hardware. The use of specially designed hardware also makes it possible to have large numbers of ports (unlike a PC based bridge which is very limited by expansion slot count).

A switch can connect Ethernet, Token Ring, Fibre Channel or other types of packet switched network segments together to form a heterogeneous network operating at OSI Layer 2 (though there may be complications caused by the different MTUs of the standards).

Industrial Ethernet Switches are nowadays the number one communication interface devices used in harsh, industrial environments and require an advanced networking capability.


What are Industrial Ethernet Switches?
Industrial environments can be extremely hot, or unbearably cold, so that specially designed, more robust network equipment is required. When choosing which Ethernet equipment can best fulfill the requirements of your industrial application, and to ensure that your entire industrial system keeps running smoothly, you should look for industrial Ethernet products that have the following features:

• High reliability compared to office Ethernet products.
• Redundant power inputs to prevent single power failure.
• Support for ring topology to provide a redundant backup path.
• The ability to withstand extreme temperature conditions, such as from -40°C to 75°C.
• A rugged, high-strength casing to keep out harmful substances.
• The ability to withstand shock, drop, and vibration conditions.