Ethernet communications will play a vital role when

deploying Remote Access. Using Ethernet creates a

platform that will be compliant with IT standards. The
challenge will be making a plan that provides connectivity
to all targeted assets. Some of these assets are isolated
in localized broadcast domains or local area networks
(LANs), which may not be easily accessible to the
enterprise networks and the outside world.

To better understand these challenges and how they differ

from the enterprise or office environments, it is good
to review communications in automation systems. The
plant floor comprises many Ethernet networks that are
divided up into LANs. Let’s start by checking some basics of
Ethernet as it relates to LANs.

LAN Basics (IP Address, Subnet Mask and

Gateway Address)

The Local Area Network (LAN) forms the base for all
Ethernet communications. In automation applications,
the equipment is grouped into LANs. The LAN grouping
is required for performance and response time reasons.
Some real-time applications may also require modifications
to improve performance. Profinet IRT, EtherCAT, and
Powerlink are examples of Ethernet networks at the core
with enhancements for performance.

A real concern for automation networks is broadcast

messages. Broadcasts are sent to all devices on the LAN
and thus too many broadcasts can interfere with point to
point messages which make up a majority of the messages.

2021 I Practical Guide for Remote Access to Plant Equipment 41