INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Cabling
Stratix 2500 Lightly
Managed Switch
addresses evolving
networking needs
M
R&M’s ultra high-density
platform, Netscale
“R&MinteliPhy is quite rightly seen
as the pioneering and smart AIM
system which supports the ambitions
and obligations of data centres
in terms of 100% operational
reliability,” concludes Riva.
An innovation in the R&MinteliPhy
range is the RFID sensor strip for
the Netscale platform. The RFID
sensors feature a self-test function.
Their electronics can issue a warning
when problems are likely to occur.
With Netscale, R&M is also setting
a new standard for the density of
fibre-optic ports in data centres.
With up to 120 ports per height unit
in the 19’’ rack, this distribution
system achieves the highest density
of all familiar products. Netscale
promotes the use of efficient
architectural concepts and facilitates
the operation of decentral edge data
centres. Market trends and current
demands confirm that fibre-optic
technology continues to permeate
the data centre market. n
www.intelligentcio.com
anufacturers that use
unmanaged network
switches but struggle with
downtime or security concerns now
have an alternative to using managed
switches. The Allen-Bradley Stratix
2500 Lightly Managed Switch from
Rockwell Automation provides the
security, resiliency, segmentation and
bandwidth-optimisation benefits of a
managed switch without the need for
extensive configuration. security allows users to disable ports or
control end-device connectivity based
on the media access control address.
“Unmanaged switches deliver the
network connectivity required for less
complex industrial applications, but
they can’t provide diagnostics, manage
traffic or enhance security,” said Divya
Venkataraman, Global Product Manager,
Rockwell Automation. “Manufacturers
need a more robust switch when issues
like packet storms are bringing down their
network, or if they want to protect against
growing security threats. This is where a
lightly managed option like the Stratix
2500 switch delivers exceptional value.” “With embedded Cisco technology, the
Stratix 2500 switch delivers the security
and monitoring capabilities required
by IT professionals while exposing an
easy to use web interface for operations
professionals,” said Samuel Pasquier,
Director of Product Management, IoT
Platforms, Cisco.
When installed straight out of the
box, the Stratix 2500 industrial
Ethernet switch can prioritise critical
industrial network traffic. It also can
be configured for application-specific
needs. Manufacturers can use this
flexibility to futureproof their operations
by deploying the switch out of the
box today and scaling it up to a lightly
managed switch as their needs evolve.
As a lightly managed switch, the
Stratix 2500 switch far exceeds the
capabilities of an unmanaged switch by
monitoring and optimising traffic flow
and providing diagnostic information
to help minimise downtime. It also
can support up to 64 VLANs for logical
segmentation, which helps reduce total
cost of ownership. In addition, port
The Stratix 2500 lightly managed switch
uses embedded Cisco technology and
is part of the Rockwell Automation
Integrated Architecture system. This
helps ease network configuration,
management and support while
optimising integration with the
enterprise network.
The switch is another result of the
ongoing collaboration between Rockwell
Automation and Cisco to provide
industrial networking solutions that
help manufacturers on their digital
transformation journey. n
New industrial network switch
from Rockwell Automation closes
gap between unmanaged and
managed switches
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