Schneider Electric recommends the use of managed switches—not unmanaged switches or hubs—in process control networks. A managed switch provides more functionality than an unmanaged switch, including the ability to:
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turn switch ports on or off
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configure port speed and duplex settings
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control and monitor message traffic within segments
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prioritize message traffic
Recommended Switch Features
When acquiring an Ethernet switch for your process control network, confirm that the switch includes the following features:
