Modernization - Network
Upgrade your Network to Ethernet
Upgrade your Network to Ethernet
Industrial networks have been used to connect PLCs together since the 1980s. This allowed business systems to communicate with control systems even in the distant past. Just like the PLC5 and SLC control systems, legacy networks are incredibly durable, robust, and reliable. Many manufacturers still rely on 35-year-old networks to produce their products.
Industrial networks such as Data Highway Plus, Profibus, and DH-485 were not designed to carry the volume of data at the speed required to support today’s smart manufacturing systems.
If you’ve been tasked with network modernization and your plant has legacy networks, you probably have questions like:
- How is a legacy network replaced with a high-speed Ethernet/IP network?
- Can I reuse the old network infrastructure like conduit or media in an Ethernet/IP network?
- I need to keep my plant running during a network migration, so is there a way to integrate the old network with the new network?
ControlNet Lifecycle Status
“The 1756-CN2 family, introduced in 2008, is planned to be available for sale until at least 2028 and will be supported until at least 2036.”
- Bill Petro, Rockwell Automation Product Manager.
Product Lifecycle Status Definitions
- ACTIVE: Most current offering within a product category. The product does not have to be recently launched.
- ACTIVE MATURE: The product is fully supported and available, but a newer family exists—gain value by migrating to the newer family.
- END OF LIFE: Discontinued date announced - actively execute migrations and last-time buys. The product is available until the discontinuation date.
- DISCONTINUED: New product no longer available. Repair/exchange services may still be available.