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September 2008 | |
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Looking for past editions of Wireless NETworks? View them now in the Resource Center » |
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 Many plant managers have discovered the hard
way that wireless devices developed for office settings do not survive very long in industrial environments. Off-the-shelf wireless access points should not be installed next to gas compressors.
Industrial wireless devices must be able to withstand extreme temperatures, humidity, and other harsh elements, and adapt to variable power supplies. Industry needs specialized forces –
a well-organized battalion of wireless devices that are purpose-built for industry. Your industrial wireless network can be bullet-proof: reliable, scalable, secure – and – hardened, tough as hell,
and impervious to harsh, hazardous environments. The question is, how?
Bullet-Proof Industrial Wireless Networks Wireless signals differ greatly from wired communication. Unlike wired networks, which can be closed by function or protocol and even completely physically isolated, wireless signals must be managed and airwave traffic must be controlled by agreements and rules. Since airwave traffic is publicly accessible, it is imperative that you employ a wireless network management strategy. In addition, industry has extra issues to deal with, including extreme operating environments, remote locations, and potentially limited power supplies. Despite the challenges, Apprion assures you that by following four simple rules of engagement, you can deploy and maintain a bullet-proof industrial wireless network. Rule #1: Centralize Command and Control – All wireless resources must be managed under the same policies and use a common lexicon. Assuming the goal is to use the air waves for reliable communications in industrial settings, there is really only one strategy. That strategy is to implement an open, centralized command-and-control infrastructure that manages all wireless resource effectively. All wireless resources include devices from multiple vendors, potential radio spectrum, and available bandwidth. Rule #2: Deploy the Right Equipment – You need industrial-strength equipment to operate in industrial environments. You also have to take into account that you'll often want to deploy wireless devices in very remote and hard-to-reach locations. What you deploy in the field matters – it has to work reliably and without much human intervention. You will need to implement an open, standards-based, secure and extensible system that enables the management and control of wireless devices from different vendors, using different protocols, and operating on different radio frequencies. All devices should be managed within one secure, dynamic, and highly optimized wireless network. Rule #3: Gather and Use Intelligence – Continuously – When you obtain and can correlate information related to all wireless network resources, you have network intelligence. The important thing to keep in mind is that wireless network resources include all physical devices, the radio spectrum itself, and currently available bandwidth. Network intelligence gives you the information you need for a bullet-proof wireless network: with historical data you can tune and optimize resource allocations. With near real-time data you can correct anomalies and identify and respond to threats. Rule #4: Train Properly – Daily Routines and Emergency Response Maneuvers – Industry needs specialized forces – devices that are purpose-built for industry. In addition to being rugged and adaptable, industrial wireless networks must be "trained" and ready to execute specific routines and maneuvers. The Apprion IONosphere is an industrial network appliance for data services, workflow, security monitoring and maintenance and application integration across wireless plant networks. The IONosphere controls the entire network of wireless networks. Apprion IONizers send network intelligence information to the IONosphere and in turn receive policy instructions from it. Don't be intimidated if this all sounds overwhelming or overly expensive. In truth, it's actually not that difficult to "harden" and harness the power of intangible, sprawling wireless network. And the investments are low compared to the payoff. » Read more about Bullet-Proof Wireless Networks – Download the free white paper  |
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