How to pick the right Industrial Ethernet Switch for critical networks

Industrial Ethernet switches are high-reliability and cost-effective network devices designed to be applied in harsh industrial environments where they are likely to be subject to shocks, vibration and extreme temperatures. With the ability to operate in temperatures from -10 to 60°C (-14 to 140°F), industrial switches are widely implemented in the transportation and energy networks. They are usually equipped with redundant power inputs to ensure uptime in case a power source fails. Power input is usually DC, with some models having options for AC power. Industrial switches come in both managed and unmanaged versions. 

Industrial Ethernet switches are employed in factories, where they play a key role in modern automation systems. Other applications include power stations, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), railway systems, and water treatment plants. Because many of these application locations will have relatively higher levels of electromagnetic interference (EMI), industrial switches are built with extra shielding and filtering for operation in these environments. Industrial switches are also built and tested for higher Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), the ability for devices to function in electromagnetic environments. 

Regular Ethernet switch used in offices and schools are often called “commercial switches.” Most commercial switches are designed to operate in a temperature range of 0 to 45°C (32 to 113°F), which is usually very suitable for indoor use. As opposed to industrial switches, commercial switches are not protected against excessive shock, vibration, and EMI. They will often use an internal fan to dissipate heat, and are designed to be installed in a rack instead of a DIN rail. Commercial switches almost always use AC input power, and are not equipped with redundant power inputs. 

The first decision when choosing and industrial Ethernet switch is to go with a managed switch or an unmanaged switch. Unmanaged switches are simple, easy to use, and generally more inexpensive. However, unmanaged switches do not provide monitoring, alert, or alarm functions. Moreover, they usually do not allow an administrator to control network traffic through protocols such as Quality of Service (QoS). Managed switches provide all of this functionality and more. 

The second choice is to figure out if you need Power over Ethernet (PoE). PoE switches can deliver power to and transfer data from external devices such as IP cameras, wireless hotspots, VoIP phones, and more. Industrial PoE switches have different power output (per port) abilities, and varying total power budgets. The final factors are port count and speed. Obviously you will need enough ports to connect all devices, and those ports will need a high enough speed to handle your data requirements. Port speed options are fast Ethernet, gigabit Ethernet, and 10G (which will require a fiber port or a small form-factor (SFP) pluggable transceiver. 

10G Ethernet switches are usually used as core switches: switches installed at the backbone a hierarchical network. 10G Ethernet switches operate at full-duplex, eliminating the need for collision detection and devices such as repeater hubs. 

Both copper and fiber cables can be used for 10 Gb transmission. Fiber options include both Single-mode fiber (SMF) and Multi-mode fiber (MMF). At higher speeds, copper cables are best used for shorter distances. 

Unmanaged Ethernet switches are relatively simple devices that are easy to install and use. Little or no configuration is required. They are much more affordable than managed switches. However, unmanaged switches have very little functionality besides receiving and sending data. This is usually fine for small networks with normal volumes of network traffic. 

Managed Ethernet switches are much more expensive, but have a far wider set of features and functions. They give administrators the ability to control and monitor the network, and usually have more robust security features. Managed switches are used in large networks where network traffic needs to be prioritized, and are better in terms of network scalability – the ability to expand a network’s size and capacity. See more information