Energy Efficiency Made Simple Vol IV 2015

Ethernet networks were once things that ran on a shop floor, in the process plant and office. Now, mission critical applications include the monitoring and control of substations, where the same network system provides overall management and control. The planning and design of an Ethernet network must be reviewed.

Planning and designing an Ethernet network for mission critical communications T Craven, H3iSquared

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H owever, as is often the case with any new technology, the advancements within Ethernet are outpacing the knowledge and training of those who must utilise it. This leads to networks which, while fulfilling their purpose at the most basic level, fail to fully live up to their potential. A properly designed and implemented network can lead to great savings in both production and time, as problems with network and end devices can be easily identified. With redundancy in place, failures do not have to mean a shutdown Ethernet has become the de facto standard for use in mission critical communication networks, especially those used to control power grids. Ethernet standards are constantly evolving, which has led to Ethernet being feasible for use in latency and time sensitive applications, improving the standard on an ongoing basis. Until something completely new and paradigm altering is developed, it is safe to say that Ethernet is here to stay.

of the grid or sections thereof. It is important that the knowledge is in place when designing the network, as Ethernet is no longer a simple technology that can be improvised; it has become a school of its own. Hardware One of the main steps when designing a mission critical network is deciding what hardware to use. Budget is obviously always a factor to be considered; however, utilising the incorrect hardware based on a budgetary perspective can lead to greater losses in the long run if the hardware does not live up to expectations. It is important to select hardware that complies with the relevant technical standards for your requirements, and not to pay for functionality that will never be utilised. As stated, Ethernet is a complex group of standards and not all of these will be necessary or even beneficial on your network. For instance, if extremely accurate time synchronisation is required for your network then IEEE1588/PTP [1] (Precision Time Protocol) with a GPS master clock should be considered. If this level of accuracy is not required, purchasing PTP compliant hardware will add unnecessary expense

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY MADE SIMPLE 2015