What are the features of industrial ring switches? How to select? (with model recommendation)

Jun 25 ,2024

/ John

Industrial ring switch is a network switch designed for industrial environments with high reliability, high redundancy and fast fault recovery capability for harsh industrial environments. By connecting devices through a ring topology, industrial ring switches can realize rapid network self-healing to ensure that data communication can be quickly restored in the event of a failure in the network.

Industrial ring switch is a network switch designed for industrial environments with high reliability, high redundancy and fast fault recovery capability for harsh industrial environments.

By connecting devices through a ring topology, industrial ring switches can realize rapid network self-healing to ensure that data communication can be quickly restored in the event of a failure in the network.

What environments are industrial ring switches suitable for?

C9200L-24P-4G-E

C9200L-24T-4X-E

Factory Automation: In factory automation systems, such as automotive manufacturing lines, electronics assembly lines, food processing lines, etc., industrial-grade ring switches are used to connect industrial control systems (ICS), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), and a variety of sensors. These switches need to provide low-latency and high-reliability network connectivity to ensure real-time data transmission and processing, and to support efficient collaboration of industrial equipment.
Oil & Gas: Industrial-grade ring switches in oil rigs, oil and gas pipeline monitoring and refineries provide high-performance network connectivity that resists harsh environments, supports remote monitoring and operations, and ensures the safe and efficient operation of oil and gas facilities.
Power and Energy: Industrial-grade ring switches provide reliable network connectivity in power system applications such as substation automation, smart grids, and wind farms, supporting the collection, transmission, and control of critical data to ensure stable power system operation and rapid fault recovery.
Transportation and Railway: In traffic management systems, subway and railroad signaling systems, industrial-grade ring switches provide highly reliable and fast self-healing network solutions to ensure the safe and efficient operation of transportation systems.

control systems (ICS), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), and a variety of sensors. These switches need to provide low-latency and high-reliability network connectivity to ensure real-time data transmission and processing, and to support efficient collaboration of industrial equipment.
Oil & Gas: Industrial-grade ring switches in oil rigs, oil and gas pipeline monitoring and refineries provide high-performance network connectivity that resists harsh environments, supports remote monitoring and operations, and ensures the safe and efficient operation of oil and gas facilities.
Power and Energy: Industrial-grade ring switches provide reliable network connectivity in power system applications such as substation automation, smart grids, and wind farms, supporting the collection, transmission, and control of critical data to ensure stable power system operation and rapid fault recovery.
Transportation and Railway: In traffic management systems, subway and railroad signaling systems, industrial-grade ring switches provide highly reliable and fast self-healing network solutions to ensure the safe and efficient operation of transportation systems.

Intelligent Buildings and Security: In building automation system and video surveillance system of intelligent buildings, industrial-grade ring switches provide stable network connection and efficient data transmission to support various intelligent and security applications, such as building automation system, video surveillance and security system, and energy management system of intelligent buildings.

How to choose industrial ring switch? What brands and models are recommended?

Cisco and Huawei, as leading brands at the IT market level, have become favored by many companies. Their industrial ring switches have also made a great contribution to networking in the industrial sector! However, Cisco and Huawei's industrial-grade ring switches each have their own advantages and can meet the needs of different industrial application scenarios. Choosing the right switch model can ensure the efficient, stable and safe operation of industrial networks.

Cisco's IE 4000 and IE 5000 series switches feature high performance, extensive protocol support, and rugged industrial designs for factory automation, power, and traffic management. Huawei's AR502 and S5700 series switches, on the other hand, excel in reliability, fast fault recovery and security, making them suitable for applications in environments such as transportation, power and water treatment.

Brand	Cisco	Huawei
Model	Model Cisco IE 4000 Series Features: 1. high-performance industrial-grade Ethernet switches that support a wide range of industrial protocols. 2. ruggedized design capable of operating in harsh environments with temperature ranges from -40°C to 75°C 3. supports fast ring redundancy protocols (e.g. Resilient Ethernet Protocol, REP) and Device Level Ring (DLR). 4. Provides rich management and monitoring functions, supporting SNMP, Web interface and CLI. 5. 5. Supports advanced security features such as IEEE 802.1X, port security and access control lists (ACLs). Applicable environments: factory automation, power and energy, traffic management systems.	Huawei S5735I-H8T4S2XN-V2 Features: Compact design for basic industrial networking needs. Port Configuration: Provides 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 2 SFP fiber ports. Redundancy features: Supports redundant protocols such as STP, RSTP, and MSTP to enhance network reliability. Temperature range: -40°C to 70°C. Certifications: Meets industry standards for harsh environments.
Model	Model Cisco IE 5000 Series Features: 1. High-density Gigabit Ethernet ports for high-bandwidth applications. 2. Supports modular expansion for flexible configuration. 3. Advanced ring redundancy and fast fault recovery features. 4. 4. Supports advanced security and management features, including MACsec encryption, Device Hardware Encryption Module (HSM) and TrustSec. 5. Rugged and durable, suitable for harsh industrial environments. Scenarios: smart grid, oil and gas, smart building and security.	Huawei S5735I-H24U8S4XE-QA-V2 Features: Mid-range industrial switch for medium-sized industrial networks. Port Configuration: Provides 8 to 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports, some models support PoE. Redundancy features: Supports ERPS (Ethernet Ring Protection Protocol) to ensure fast network recovery. Temperature range: -40°C to 70°C. Security: Supports multiple security protocols and firewall features to ensure network security.

Overall, industrial-grade ring switches are widely used in a variety of industrial environments that require high stability and high performance network connectivity by providing high reliability, redundancy, and rapid fault recovery.

Choosing the right industrial grade ring switch can ensure efficient, secure and continuous operation of critical industrial applications..

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