The Lion's Den: A Podcast From Red Lion Controls

How the N-Tron®️ Series Ethernet Switches Protect a Network from Multicast Related Issues

Since the advent of the computer, many technological developments have later followed in helping improve how information and data is shared. Of course, in all its benefits, technology is not foolproof, and plenty issues have arisen as a result. Multicast, which is a communication method via ethernet, is a type of connection where data from one destination can be sent to multiple destinations at the same time, per After Academy. In contrast, it offers a different multitasking communicative component than that of other computer network castings. But with pros, there are also cons, which is why developers have worked to create and implement tools that can circumvent potential issues. With this in mind, what are the best practices that help mitigate a possible malfunction of data transferring via multicast? Host of “The Lion’s Den,” Tyler Kern, sat down with Barry Turner, the technical business development manager at Red Lion, about implementing multicast and the ways to prevent technical issues. Kern and Turner also talked about … * The differences between multicast versus unicast and broadcast * How the IGMP snooping method for network switches helps control traffic * The benefits of having a good backup system for possible multicast issues “The multicast, as long as it’s configured properly when it switches, you're good to go — you're in good shape. But if you misconfigure it, it will cause problems, or can cause problems on your network and a lot times as the network grows and gets bigger and bigger, it becomes more apparent than the problem is there so you may be misconfigured, but your network traffic may be low enough it doesn’t actually manifest in downtime … So, a better approach is to have the right networking equipment — maybe something that actually supports automatic IGMP snoop, so you don't have to worry about that at all,” said Turner. Barry Turner has worked at Red Lion for 10 years and was previously a sales engineering manager with the company. Prior to that, he worked as a Network Engineer at N-Tron.

Why Managed Ethernet Switches Matter

Barry Turner and Megha Agrawal discuss why managed ethernet switches are important. * Managed ethernet switches optimize network performance. * Managed ethernet switch features help support creating security layers. * Managed switches ensure customers’ industrial automation and networking needs are met.

The Benefits of Working with an OEM

Jeff Thornton discusses the benefits of working with an OEM * The PM50 addresses original equipment manufacturer (OEM) needs. * The PM50 cuts back on significant expenses while providing excellent capabilities. * The PM50 comes with an app, equipping workers with high-tech support.

The Impact of 5G on Factory Automation

Barry Turner discusses the possibilities of improved process control and production throughput in factory automation with ultra-reliable, low latency capabilities of 5G technology. * Newer application requirements necessitate greater bandwidth. * Businesses want access to pull remote site data and analyze it elsewhere. * 5G will bring a conclusion to the convergence of IT and OT.