INDUSTRIAL ETHERNET FACTORY CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS represent critical, foundational technology that provide a communications backbone for smart connected machines, improved convergence of IT-OT functions, cybersecurity and new capabilities based on industrial edge and cloud-based architectures.

For this Industrial Ethernet Connectivity update, the Industrial Ethernet Book reached out to industry experts to gain their perspectives on how technology is continuing to move ahead with a range of effective innovations targeting factory automation.

Focus on real-time capabilities

Deterministic data transmission that is crucial for time-critical applications.

Jens Geider, Portfolio Owner SCALANCE and Wolfgang Schwering, Portfolio Manager Industrial Networks, at Siemens provided input on how Industrial Ethernet connectivity is evolving to provide greater levels of performance.

Geider and Schwering told IEB that “Industrial Ethernet connectivity is advancing rapidly, driven by the need for higher performance, reliability, and real-time capabilities in industrial environments. Innovations such as Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) are at the forefront, offering deterministic data transmission that is crucial for time-critical applications. This is achieved through standardized mechanisms for scheduling and traffic shaping, ensuring that high-priority traffic reaches its destination within a guaranteed time frame.”

Additionally, the adoption of higher bandwidth capacities, reaching 10 Gbps and beyond, is accommodating the demand for increasing data volumes. Ethernet-based protocols are also evolving to become more robust and secure; incorporating advanced encryption and authentication methods to protect against cyber threats, ensuring that connectivity solutions not only meet the current demands for speed and efficiency but also anticipate trends towards virtualization, high-level security, and availability. To achieve the target level of availability, Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) and High-availability Seamless Redundancy (HSR) are making their way into industrial ethernet networks. These will need to operate in conjunction with proven technologies such as the Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP).

Ongoing technology developments

In the realm of Industrial Ethernet products, Geider and Schwering said that key technology trends are focusing on enhancing interoperability, security, and sustainability. One significant trend is the convergence of IT (Information Technology) and OT (Operational Technology) networks, facilitated by advanced Ethernet protocols that ensure seamless data exchange and communication across diverse systems and platforms. This convergence is supported by features like edge computing capabilities, where data processing occurs closer to the source of data generation, leading to reduced latency and more efficient decision-making processes.

Furthermore, there is a strong emphasis on cybersecurity features, with developments in intrusion detection systems, secure boot processes, and end-to-end encryption to safeguard industrial networks against growing cyber threats. Energy efficiency is also a focal point, with innovations aimed at reducing the power consumption of network devices, contributing to more sustainable industrial operations.

They said that the latest Industrial Ethernet products are also bringing a host of technical benefits to the table, encompassing both hardware and software advancements. On the hardware front, there’s a push towards more rugged designs that can withstand the harsh industrial conditions seen in the proliferation of industrial communication, including extreme temperatures, vibrations, and electromagnetic interference. These devices often feature advanced diagnostics and redundancy capabilities, enhancing network reliability and uptime. From a software perspective, a major benefit is the integration of sophisticated network management and monitoring tools. These tools provide real-time visibility into network performance, facilitating proactive maintenance and troubleshooting.

“Bridging these two worlds, the Industrial Edge brings capabilities directly into the network, offering options for dedicated apps to run directly where they are needed. Together, these hardware and software enhancements contribute to more resilient, adaptable, and efficient industrial networks providing higher performance and data throughput while still being easily manageable,” Geider and Schwering said.

Addressing customer needs

The innovations in Industrial Ethernet are specifically designed to tackle a variety of engineering challenges and pain points faced by customers in industrial settings. One major challenge is the need for real-time data transmission in automation and control systems, where any delay can lead to significant operational complications or worse, safety risks.

Geider and Schwering said that the introduction of deterministic networking through TSN technology addresses this by ensuring timely and predictable data delivery. Another pain point is the complexity and cost of integrating and managing disparate systems and technologies within an industrial plant. New Ethernet products are designed with improved interoperability and ease integration, reducing the engineering effort and cost associated with establishing and maintaining industrial networks.

Additionally, the growing threat of cyber-attacks on industrial systems is a critical concern; thus, enhanced security features are being incorporated to protect sensitive data and ensure the integrity of industrial processes. Finally, the demand for scalable and flexible networking solutions that can adapt to changing operational needs and future expansions is being met with modular and intent based networking approaches, providing a future-proof investment for customers.

Fully Managed Networks

Intelligence at the edge has become a standard practice.

According to Joel Albert, Vice President – Technical Services at Industrial Networking Solutions, “we are finally seeing fully managed networks with intelligence at the edge as standard practice. I can’t remember the last time we delivered an unmanaged switch with our services team. Most customers expect a properly segmented network, well defined IP schema, managed routes/ACLs, edge compute, OT network DMZs, and proper cabling standards. With these attributes in place for an OT network, customers are seeing more stability, expandability, security, information, and much better bandwidth performance. As a funny anecdote, I mentioned to one of our customers that their updated network reduced their transmitted data about 80%. His eyes opened wide, and he said, ‘No, I now have 80% more bandwidth for more data.’ It was a cool moment.”

Impact of MQTT

Albert said that key Industrial Ethernet technology trends, and new networking software technologies are the focus of ongoing development of advanced networking solutions for factory automation applications.

“We are happy to see customers moving to MQTT and away from legacy polling protocols. The very nature of MQTT requires intelligence at the edge which opens a whole world of data collection possibilities,” Albert said.

“With these trends, most of our vendors are putting edge computing directly on their networking devices. We now have integrated cybersecurity, machine learning, data store-and-forward, direct integration to cloud services, and much more. So, once a customer puts in a properly managed network with intelligence at the edge, they now have a true industry 4.0 architecture, and the data model easily mirrors and supports their operations.”

As mentioned above, edge computing with Linux operating systems allows for an Industry 4.0 model with better performance, security, data retention, dynamic data, unified UDTs, and seamless integration to cloud services.

Optimizing network infrastructure

Solutions are also being developed to deal with the engineering challenges and “pain points” that innovations are designed to address for customers.
“With modern day networking technology, it’s much easier to start with the data model and then back into the required network infrastructure,” Albert said.

“So, we’re seeing a much tighter alignment of traditional networking and software engineering. The mistakes we see are traditional SCADA engineers are not properly architecting the data model; inversely, we often see traditional network engineers not implementing a network with integrated intelligence. Software, data, and hardware are not mutually exclusive skillsets anymore.”

Transforming industrial operations

Ongoing push for networking innovations.

Pooyan Dehghani, Product Marketing Manager at Moxa Europe said that Industrial Ethernet connectivity plays a pivotal role in driving the transformation of industrial operations and the evolution of Industrial Ethernet encompasses the following aspects.

Higher Bandwidth: With a surge in the number of data-oriented industrial applications, the demand to support real-time control, monitoring, and data analysis arises. Industrial devices continue to advance, offering higher data speeds for system communications.

Minimal latency: Real-time communication across most industrial applications demands minimal latency. The Industrial Ethernet protocols have been developed to support low-latency communication.

Enhanced Cybersecurity Measures: Industrial Ethernet technologies are steadily moving toward greater cybersecurity aspects, with enhanced measures being implemented as industrial systems become more interconnected.

Durability and Reliability: Manufacturers are increasingly prioritizing the durability and reliability of Industrial Ethernet equipment, with many providers focusing on creating even more ruggedized devices than those of the past.

Wireless Connectivity: While wired Ethernet is still commonly preferred for its reliability and performance, wireless options such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular are becoming more popular in situations that require mobility or flexibility.

Technology trends lead the way

Dehghani said that key technology trends in new Industrial Ethernet products, and expanded feature sets are the focus of ongoing development efforts.

“The motivation toward Industry 4.0 is driven by increasing global competition, rapid technological advancement, demand for customization, reduced product delivery time, operational efficiency, and reliability. Achieving these goals is possible through digital transformation and automation trends,” Dehghani said.

“Not surprisingly, many technology trends in Industrial Ethernet products align with the goals of Industry 4.0. Goals such as providing faster communication, reducing latency, increasing interoperability of devices, and enhancing cybersecurity.”

Dehghani cited the following areas as the focus of ongoing development of new Industrial Ethernet connectivity solutions.

Higher Data Transmission Rates with low latency: The increasing requirements for transferring large volumes of data push Industrial Ethernet products to increase their data transmission rates. This trend involves adopting technologies such as Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and even higher speeds in some cases.

Emerging industrial technologies focus on enhancing data transmission speeds and reducing latency by leveraging new Ethernet hardware, protocols, and network architecture. For example, Quality of Service (QoS) is one such technology that optimizes network performance by prioritizing critical data packets according to predefined parameters. This ensures optimal performance and responsiveness of applications and services.

5G and 6G Connectivity: The rollout of 5G networks and emerging of 6G connectivity is transforming industrial communications. 5G and emerging 6G connectivity offer higher bandwidth frequencies over larger distances and reduced latency, resulting in a more reliable network. Applications that exist in 4G will become 10 times faster in 5G and 100 times faster in 6G. Remote monitoring, autonomous mobile robots, and real-time tracking materials in logistic applications are some of the uses of these new technologies.

Ethernet APL and SPE: Ethernet APL (Advanced Physical Layer) and SPE (Single Pair Ethernet) are emerging Ethernet technologies designed for industrial networking applications. These technologies support high-speed data transfer over large distances. Ethernet APL is specifically developed for process automation applications in hazardous locations in which standard Ethernet solutions cannot be used. On the other hand, SPE employs a single twisted pair of cables to reduce cabling complexity and cost compared to traditional Ethernet solutions.

Security Enhancements: Industrial networks are increasingly targeted by cyber threats, so ongoing development in Industrial Ethernet products includes robust security features. NIS2 (Network and Information Security Directive 2) as a European directive and IEC 62443 are two significant standards and directives aimed at enhancing cybersecurity, particularly in industrial and critical infrastructure sectors.

Various concepts and technologies, such as Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), Network Segmentation using virtual LANs (VLANs) and firewalls, Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) solutions, and Access Management solutions, contribute to enhancing cybersecurity in industrial environments.

Addressing challenges

In addition to cybersecurity threats, reliability, and resilience in industrial environments, which have already been discussed, Industrial Ethernet products are designed to address several other engineering challenges and pain points that customers commonly encounter in industrial automation and control systems. Some of the challenges that Dehghani summarized include:

Legacy System Integration: Many companies still use legacy equipment that may not be compatible with ethernet-based communication protocols. New technologies aim to assist customers in seamlessly integrating their legacy systems with modern ones, avoiding the need for expensive upgrades or replacements.

Complexity and Scalability: As the number of devices in industrial applications increases, managing the network will become complicated. One of the challenges in industrial setups is to ensure the scalability of the network. This can be achieved by offering easy-to-use user interfaces, centralized network management solutions, and scalable architectures.

Return on Investment (ROI): Achieving a favorable return on investment (ROI) is a constant challenge in industrial applications. There are different ways that industrial networking devices can contribute. The extended life cycle and innovative designs of these products can help in reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs.

Moreover, the reduction of unscheduled downtime can significantly reduce production losses and operational interruptions.

Knowledge gap of users and decision-makers: One of the unique engineering challenges in industrial networking is the knowledge gap among users and decision-makers. This knowledge gap can impact the design, implementation, and maintenance of networks. Challenges include the complexity of industrial systems due to a variety of components and protocols, ensuring compatibility of legacy systems with modern networking standards, cybersecurity awareness, scalability, and future-proofing networks according to evolving technologies. Troubleshooting network issues is also a significant challenge. Addressing these challenges requires investment in the training and professional development of individuals working in this field.

Industrial Ethernet connectivity

Evolving to provide higher levels of performance, diagnostics and network monitoring.

According to Mike Willett, Network Engineer at Red Lion Controls, not only is Industrial Ethernet connectivity evolving to provide greater levels of performance, but it is also evolving to provide greater levels of diagnostic and passive monitoring which maximizes usability.

“We have tools to show visibility into our networks to make sure that we are maintaining a high level of performance,” Willett told IEB recently. “We also have advancements to remote access that is secure but also more intuitive for Industrial Ethernet users to deploy and benefit from. The aggregation of tools like these is what drives the evolution of performance within industrial networks. Also, network switches are evolving.”

The NT5000 switches from Red Lion are all gigabit to enforce faster bandwidth. Utilizing the industrial redundancy protocol, N-Ring creates an extremely fast redundant network which is very simple to configure. N-Ring only needs to be configured on one switch to make that switch the N-Ring manager then all the other switches in the ring will function as N-Ring Auto Members with no additional configuration steps.

“This is great especially in networks that have a large number of switches. The ease of use of this protocol and others contributes to a greater level of performance. Also, The NT5000 switches have a very fast bootup time which helps to limit downtime. This also contributes to a greater level of performance. So, overall, there are many contributing factors to provide greater levels of performance in Industrial Ethernet connectivity,” Willett said.

Focus on security

Willett added that some key technology trends in Industrial Ethernet products currently are security focused. Maintaining a level of security to employ restrictions on user access with a feature like RADIUS with 802.1X. Also, restricting devices with features like Port Security and Access Lists.

“Adding segmentation to your network using VLANs is an essential tool. We are seeing more and more of a need for advanced IT type of security within Industrial Ethernet. So, to have a device that can support these advanced features but also be intuitive for Industrial Ethernet users to deploy is helping to move this trend further. The NT5000 switch series from Red Lion was designed with this exact concept in mind. It has a full feature set to develop and maintain an Industrial Ethernet network but also the ease-of-use factor when configuring these switches is essential,” Willett said.

Industrial Ethernet ongoing innovations

Willett added that the key technical benefits from a software perspective would be things like having a full feature set of advanced managed features but also creating a technical advantage with the ease-of-use factor of those features. This will also enable Industrial Ethernet users to have more control over the configuration of the network and, utilizing additional software tools to monitor diagnostics, to provide greater visibility into the data flow of the network.

The N-View 2 platform from Red Lion is a tool to show status and port diagnostics from N-Tron Series switches. It is a tool that can be used during troubleshooting to diagnose potential network issues related to things like faulty cables, noise issues and other things.

“Another great visual feature of the Red Lion NT5000 switches is that they have a relay contact on the power terminal that can be used for alarming based on certain configuration parameters such as a redundancy ring break, power fault and other things,’ Willett said. “For example, a user could connect a light to this alarm contact to show a visual alarm when it is triggered. This would be useful in a manufacturing network to show a visual fault on the plant floor and also in many other examples. Ease of use and passive monitoring are great ways to enhance the efficiency of the industrial network while giving the users valuable insight into the network performance.”

Engineering challenges

Willett said that deploying a device that is intuitive while maintaining the ease of use factor within its management absolutely provides relief to various engineering challenges and pain points.

As a user of an industrial network, deploying and maintaining a network device that accomplishes this can be a great advantage. This can empower the industrial network user to build out an efficient network and be confident with the setup. This can also save time and resources since involving the corporate IT network users will become less necessary.

The NT5000 switches from Red Lion are designed specifically for this use case. They can cater to both the IT network user as well as the industrial network user. But, they certainly provide a great advantage for the industrial network user. The modern visuals, the alarming capabilities, and the overall ease of use make this switch platform significant for alleviating a lot of the challenges and pain points that a user can be faced with.

Al Presher, Editor, Industrial Ethernet Book