Antaira Launches a Managed Ethernet Switch for Industrial Networks

Industrial networks in factories, wastewater treatment plants, and process automation have a different set of requirements than IT or home networking applications. An industrial Ethernet switch needs to be able to withstand large temperature fluctuations and support protocols not commonly found in IT solutions. The new managed switch from Antaira Technologies meets these criteria and more.

New managed Ethernet switch from Antaira. Image used courtesy of Antaira Technologies

Managed Ethernet Switch

Antaira's new LMP-0702G-SFP-24-T-V2 managed switch is a seven-port switch with PoE+ capable of providing up to 30 W per port. It supports a ring redundancy function following the industry standard ITU-T G.8032. The seven ports are divided into four PoE Gigabit ports, one data-only Gigabit port, and two SFP slots for fiber connections for those long cable-run high-speed applications.

Powering the switch can be done with 12-36 VDC, and an internal DC-to-DC power booster ensures a constant 24 VDC is available regardless of the incoming power supply. With the flexible power source and the IP30 rating with an operating temperature of -40-75 °C, the LMP-0702G-SFP-24-T-V2 is an excellent choice for industrial automation, vehicle, or solar applications.

PoE load monitoring screen from Antaira’s software manual, page 14. Image used courtesy of Antaira Technologies

Configuration and Communication

Setting up a managed switch can be difficult because of the many options and advanced features. The LMP-0702G-SFP-24-T-V2 reduces this confusion with an operator-intuitive web interface. From the web application, users can monitor PoE and CPU load to prevent overloading the switch and for network optimization. Ring redundancy configurations can be set up along with specific switching ports. DHCP networks can be configured along with VLANs to create dynamic networks and reduce fixing IP addresses. Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a communication protocol used by many safely over Ethernet protocols. The NTP is used to ensure messages are sent and received on time. The NTP can be enabled and configured from the web interface.

The web application also includes a log and event warning feature to aid in troubleshooting and integration. Logs are sent to a syslog server that resides on the network. The type of message that is sent to the server can be configured. Event warnings can be configured to occur with specific system events. A relay output is used to set an indicator within the control system to the operator.

Network switches being used in an industrial setting. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock

Industrial Networks

Ethernet switches used in industrial automation are often subjected to harsh conditions, time-sensitive messages, and industry-specific protocols. For these reasons, selecting the correct switch for applications is necessary. Protocols such as EtherNet/IP or ProfiNet require specific settings for NTP or speeds, while other protocols may not require these settings. With the Antaira web application, each port can be configured differently. This ability to use different port configurations allows designers and technicians to build networks that accommodate virtually any network device.

A common network topology involves connecting like devices or daisy-chaining multiple devices onto one port. This could look like multiple servo drives daisy-chained together and only occupying one port within the switch. Remote I/O devices can share a topology similar to that of servo drives but do not require the NTP settings that the servos will require. With Antaira's new LMP-0702G-SFP-24-T-V2 managed switch, topologies, such as those mentioned above, are possible with the web interface and advanced features.