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Networking Beyond Expectations Table of Contents

Utility Automation Manufacturing Automation Transportation Automation Security and Surveillance

Industrial Ethernet in Utility Automation

Six billion people in more than 200 countries reside on this planet, the majority of which have basic necessities provided by utility companies. Two of the most basic necessities are electricity and water. Demand for power and clean water is increasing rapidly as emerging countries become more and more developed. The volume of wastewater that is produced requires special handling to address the worldwide concern of environmental protection. With regard to developed coun- tries, attention is focused on managing power consumption by maximizing efficiency. At the same time, forward-thinking countries are continuing to explore better ways to harness alternative sources of power such as wind power and solar power. As the technology develops, tight integration and sophisticated information management will become primary concerns. Much progress continues to be made by adapting existing IT expertise, but environmental conditions in the field requires specialized solutions.

Industrial Ethernet in Manufacturing Automation

In the world of mass production, increasing productivity is an ongoing goal. Major decisions are influenced by production yields, total costs, and the flow of information. Since plants are located in many different places around the world, effec-tive integration of information is critical, especially since operations typically revolve around large amounts of machinery housed within each plant. Major production issues include safety, security, maintenance, and training costs. As Ethernet technology is adopted from the office to the factory floor, even higher levels of efficiency and productivity are expected.

Industrial Ethernet in Transportation Automation

Modern society cannot function without transportation in all its forms, whether it involves seaports, airports, rail traffic, road traffic or city traffic. Escalating demands places a growing strain on existing transportation systems, making it necessary to establish intelligent systems, manage traffic congestion, while minimizing environmental impacts. Planners are already weighing the potential benefits of using advanced technologies, but developing common tools and handling the transition are major challenges. Many planners are beginning to recognize that existing Ethernet technology may fulfill all the needs of a modern transportation system including the need for reduced maintenance costs. Furthermore, Ethernet promises limitless potential for future integration of advanced services. As transportation systems everywhere are updated and overhauled, planners will turn to industrial Ethernet as the backbone of the new infrastructure.

Industrial Ethernet in Security and Surveillance

Effective security and surveillance solutions for managing critical infrastructures such as airports, railway stations, oil refineries, government buildings, nuclear and power plants require functionality that goes beyond the capabilities of traditional VCR-based CCTV systems. To meet today’s demanding requirements, ideal surveillance solutions must provide greater intelligence, higher bandwidth, system redundancy, easier data backup, auto recovery and remote maintenance, in addition to scalability for future developments. In response to the above-mentioned market requirements, there is an increasing trend toward using industrial Ethernet switches and media converters for security applications.

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