The Future is Ethernet - Communication is what counts

The TCMS contains the control and monitoring functions of the train and is therefore relevant for safety and availability in operation. It also provides relevant data for fleet maintenance and servicing. Passenger comfort relates to multimedia infotainment and safety systems such as video monitoring. All these areas communicate with one another, exchanging large amounts of data. This requires more and more communication capabilities in terms of both bandwidth and management of such communications. The greater the number of networked devices, the more urgent the question of availability becomes. In view of this aspect, the questions of fail-safety and cybersecurity are becoming more and more important.

All of the above bring about the need of a very precise control of the network. This requires innovative and future-oriented network devices. Selectron responds to the market demands with a new set of devices: Ethernet routers and Ethernet-managed switches.

Future-proof networks with the new Selectron Ethernet Routers and Managed Switches

The Selectron Ethernet routers are fully compliant with railway standards with regard to interoperability and, at the same time, are ready for higher speeds. It is possible to connect them with each other up to 10 Gbit/s. The combination of router and managed switch in one device also offers possibilities for cost-effective Ethernet architectures.

Regarding Ethernet-managed switches, our offering includes a choice of different port speeds (up to 10 Gbit/s) and enhancements guaranteeing increased fail-safe properties; for example, hardware bypasses. The possibility to create different network topologies is also an important aspect, from normal ring topologies right up to the high-end ladder ones that ensure complete redundancy and provide a massive leap forward in terms of overall network performance. The focus is increasingly on installation and maintenance costs, which usually go far beyond the pure acquisition costs. Efficient configuration possibilities are available during commissioning, which will help to reduce this. Maintenance work can also be optimized in this way, whether it be for future extensions or adaptations. The advantage: significant time savings and lower requirement for skilled personnel at the train operator. Consequently, Selectron offers optimum solutions – both for the current requirements of the market and future solutions, corresponding to the visions of Industry 4.0.