Cisco Catalyst 2955 Switches

Currently, non-Ethernet Layer 2 networks are evolving from traditional field buses or proprietary technologies to standards-based Ethernet networks. The progression to Ethernet is driven by a multitude of factors, including:

• Standardization-There are hundreds of millions of Ethernet devices around the world; Ethernet has become the prevalent Layer 2 technology based on widely adopted standards.
• IP Connectivity-Ethernet is the most ubiquitous Layer 2 technology for Internet connectivity, in turn providing unprecedented communications potential to networks that have been traditionally isolated.
• Bandwidth-Orders of magnitude above other existing technologies, Ethernet takes advantage of the increased computational power of the new network hosts (I/O devices, motion machinery, sensors, intelligent electronic devices, etc.) being deployed today. This allows for real-time control and data gathering for a multitude of applications that were not previously feasible, including preventive maintenance, total quality control monitoring, remote monitoring, and asset management and optimization.
• Multiple services on a single infrastructure-Intelligent Ethernet allows a single network to carry multiple vendor implementations of control (EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, Foundation Fieldbus High Speed Ethernet [HSE] and various Advanced Traffic Management Systems [ATMSs]), and to use the same investment to also deliver traditional voice (telephony), data (e-mail, technical support, and browsing), and video services (video monitoring).
• Multilayer Integration-All of the elements described above allow for the integration of higher-level applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), manufacturing execution systems (MES), and advanced traffic management systems to the floor control layer (programmable logic controllers [PLCs], PC-based control systems, traffic control equipment, and human-machine interfaces [HMIs]). This allows for a true flow of data and automation from the demand side (customer placing and order) to the factory floor (assembly line) or from the monitoring devices in a freeway all the way to the emergency response systems, as well as real-time control in SCADA applications. As organizations increasingly rely on Ethernet networks, it is important to help ensure high availability, security, scalability, and control. By adding Cisco IOS Software functionality to new network applications, users can now deploy network-wide intelligent services that address these requirements in a consistent way-from the I/O or monitoring device to the core and through the WAN.