To support adoption of Ethernet as a control network, the system makes connected devices act and look like local I/O, taking out network complexity for setup without compromising performance, according to the company. Features include name-based configuration, built-in switches with a choice of copper or fiber cable types and MRP (media redundancy protocol) in a ring topology, which allows customers to take nodes offline for maintenance without shutting down the application. In the event of a wire cut, the system redirects traffic in as low as one millisecond without disrupting I/O.
