Networks Europe Sept-Oct 2016 | Page 42

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CABLING
Access Points and cameras can be deployed in isolated areas .
We also need to take into account the ‘ health ’ of the network infrastructure . Maintaining a consistent level of operations requires hardware that ’ s up to the task . Switches and access points positioned across the factory or warehouse must be ruggedised to avoiding falling foul of any adverse conditions they will experience . Moisture , dust , extreme temperature and vibrations all pose a threat to commercial hardware that would be deployed in workplaces such as offices or commercial environments . There is now a new generation of rugged switches that are capable of withstanding up to 75 ° C , and are resistant to electromagnetic interference as standard .
Intelligent networking Network agility is also vital for allowing scalability of these automated operations based on demand . New developments in Intelligent Fabric networking can reduce the deployment time of any new devices on the network , be it automated machinery or wearable technology for employees . Rapid device onboarding cuts the time and effort required to introduce these new devices into the workplace , and grouping devices with common policies reduces the threat of later downtime caused by poor interoperability . Add to this the capability for self-healing in the event of any service interruption , and the benefits of an Ethernet fabric networking approach are clear , especially when considering the heavy costs halted production can incur due to network outages .
Built-in ‘ defence in depth ’ The threat of database breaches , information theft and other malicious attacks mean robust security is of
high importance to the industrial network . In addition to traditional security measures , such as firewalls and authentication , it ’ s now also possible to deliver ‘ defence in depth ’ security on all layers of the network . For example , CodeGuardian technology safeguards against threats to the network by guaranteeing security at the hardware level . Switches and routers positioned at the network edge can provide a further layer of security by supporting policy enforcement , and traffic anomaly detection with Deep Packet Inspection .
Network engineers should not only monitor for threats , but also ideally be able to identify potential bottlenecks on the network , and find a resolution before a knock-on effect is created . A dedicated Network Management System can provide a complete set of management tools and detailed analytics in a ‘ single pane of glass ’ view , enabling a business to realise cost and efficiency savings with a lean IT operation , while keeping a close eye on all aspects of network security .
All part of the network service In the workplace , rapid response and resolution to any incident or accident could potentially save lives . Automatic alarms and emergency notifications can be built into the network and are critical to alerting supervisors to fires or employee injury .
A universal notification service will provide the right alerts to the right people at the right time , and can also integrate into other safety and security systems such as CCTV and BMS to ensure complete protection . It should provide highly detailed safety reporting and incident logging to allow health and safety organisers to diagnose areas for concern , take advance action and put preventative measures in place . n
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