Ethernet Cable Testing, Certifying · PDF fileData Exchange & Network Diagnostic Solutions Ethernet Cable Testing, Certifying & Diagnostics ... to either .csv or .pdf format

© 2016 Softing Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Jim Ralston – Director of Sales

Softing Industrial AutomationData Exchange & Network Diagnostic Solutions

Ethernet Cable Testing, Certifying & Diagnostics


Topics

• Softing Introduction • Industrial Network Trends• Risks to Production – Poor/Degrading Network Infrastructure• Best Practices for Ethernet Cabling

– What is Certification?– What is Qualification?

• Advanced Network Monitoring Tools– Preventive maintenance

• Questions


Softing in North America

• Softing (German publicly traded company)– 30 years industrial networking technology leader (Automation & Automotive)– Acquired OLDI in May 2014 – Original Developer/Manufacture Rockwell Partner

• Expertise– Embedded Fieldbus protocol stacks– Automotive diagnostic systems– OPC & OPC-UA (development tools & servers)– Advanced networks testing & monitoring

• Products:– Data Exchange Solutions– Network Diagnostic Tools


Softing Worldwide

Softing Inc.Softing Inc.

SalesProduct Marketing

DevelopmentTraining

Boston, MASales/Service

Softing AGMunich, Germany

Softing AGMunich, Germany

Knoxville, TNHeadquarters

US Headquarters in Knoxville, TN


Products sold through the Rockwell Automation Channel

eATM…Enterprise ApplianceTransaction Modules

cATM…Controller ApplianceTransaction Modules

SAM…Special

ApplicationModules

WireXpertAdvanced Cable

CertifierNetXpert

1G Qualifier &Troubleshooter

Move Data

Run Custom Code

Certify/QualifyCable

ControlLogix®ControlLogix®

TH Scope; TH LinkMonitor; Diagnose EtherNet/IP and other networks

MonitorNetworks


Industrial Automation Hot Trends

• “Big Data”– Need for more reliable data collection/storage

• OPC-UA – data security & standardization

• Industrial Ethernet – growth continues– OT/IT convergence– Need for diagnostic monitoring & quick repairs– Following industry standards (TIA 568)

• IT/Data Center Faster Standards– CAT 6, CAT 6A– CAT 8 – soon….


Yesterday Today Emerging Tomorrow

Network DH485 DH+ DH-RIO DeviceNet

ControlNet

EtherNet/IP(10/100)

Ethernet/IP(1000)

EtherNet/IP(10G)

Data Rate(mbit)

.0192 .0576 .23 .5 5 10 or 100 1,000 10,000

0.0192 0.0576 0.23 0.5 5 551000

10,000

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

DH485 DH+ DH-RIO DeviceNet Control EtherNet/IP Ethernet/IP EtherNet/IP(10G) ?

Data Rate (mbps)

Industrial Ethernet – Why is Cable Certification Important?


Why is Complete Cable Testing Important?……..

• As network bandwidth (data rate) increases…..− Carrier frequency increases

− Impedance (attenuation) increases

− Signal/noise ratios tighten

− Crosstalk between pairs increase

• High frequency signals traveling over copper− Poor wiring = poor network performance (DOWN TIME)

− DC Continuity (zero baud) is not a complete test!


Proper Cabling Practices Reduce Risk

• According to an ISA.org online article, Physical Layer

(structured cabling) failures accounted for 35% of total failures

in plant automation.

• Physical deterioration, electrical failure, or poor installation and

maintenance practices can all lead to unreliable network

performance.− loss of critical data− system downtime− even catastrophic failure


Best Practices for Ethernet Testing

• When installing cabling for industrial

Ethernet applications, don’t just

assume it is going to work.

• Proper installation, configuration,

testing and certification will greatly

reduce any start up problems and

minimize future downtime.


What are the cable “Gotcha’s”• It is easier to terminate an Ethernet outlet than plug

− RJ45 outlets are used in patch panels & wall outlets

− Jack to jack wiring = permanent link

− Patch cords (with RJ45 plugs) connect equipment to outlet

• If plugs wear out, replace the cable!

• If the patch cable is LONG (e.g. run through conduit), repair time is LONGER



What are the cable “Gotcha’s”• Connector termination issues

− Obvious – miswiring/shorts/opens

− Shield not connected

− Precision terminations to limit de-pairing

• Cross talk/noise too high



What are the cable “Gotcha’s”

• Cable installation issues

• Too close to other cables or electrical equipment (noise)

• Cable (pairing) damaged

• Bend radius exceeded

• Cable crush/kinked

• Tie wraps used!!!!

• Cable is too long

• Cable is defective (counterfeit?)



What Certification is All About

• Ensuring that the cable infrastructure MEETS the standards

• The network DEPENDS on Layer One!

• Reducing start-up time

• Reducing “finger pointing” when network problems arise

• 80+% of industrial network problems are cabling oriented!

• A REQUIREMENT for the manufacturers warranty (Belden, etc)

• Certification is PART of the TIA 568 standard!

• Certification is the NORM for commercial installations – why not industrial?

• Certifiers also make excellent troubleshooting tools – reduce downtime


What is required to Certify a cable?

Measurement DescriptionDynamic Wiremap Accurately detects Open/Short and “Distance to Fault” from both ends of the cable

Loop Resistance The resistance between the two conductors of a twisted pair which is looped back at the far end

Cable Length The length of the cable under test

Near End Crosstalk (NEXT) The interference at the near end of a pair caused by signal on another pair

PowerSum NEXT The sum of the individual NEXT effects on each pair by the other three pairs

Insertion Loss (Attenuation) The decrease in signal strength from one end of the cable to the other

ACR-N The difference between insertion loss and near-end crosstalk (NEXT)

PowerSum ACR-N The sum of the individual ACR-N effects on each pair by the other three pairs

Return Loss (RL) Signal loss caused by structural imperfections in the cable

ACR-F (ELFEXT) The interference at the far end of a pair caused by signal on another pair, with the insertionloss subtracted

PowerSum ACR-F The sum of the individual ACR-F effects on each pair by the other three pairs

Propagation Delay Time it takes for a signal to travel from one end of a cable to the other

Delay Skew The difference in time between the fastest and slowest pairs within a cable

Each cable test collects 190,000 data measurements!!!!

190,000 different measurements needed to Certify!


What is required to Certify a cable?


Fastest, Most Accurate, User Friendly and Future Proof Cable Certifier on market!


WireXpert

Advanced Cable Certifier► Certifies and tests:

► CAT 5e, 6 and 6A (CAT 8) Copper Standards

► Multi-mode and Single Mode Fiber

► RJ45 & M12 connectors

► Documents and reports cable/connector manufacture models

► Produces Certification Reports


What Does Certification Measure?

► What tests are performed?► 9 seconds Autotest

► Pass or Fail on display

► Wiremap & crosstalk data on display

► Location to fault

► Data downloadable to PC– Formal reports


eXport - Professional cable test management software

• Quickly organize, edit, view, print, save, or archive test results by jobsite, customer, campus building, and more

• Deliver professional, customized (your company’s logo), graphical test results

• Export in summary or graphical layout, all or any number of tests, to either .csv or .pdf format


Example Cable Certification Report


Ethernet Cable Qualification

Qualification is NOT Certification, but Cable Qualifiers:

• Use many of the same measurement methods as certifiers

• Identify cable issues and location of faults

• May perform additional online tests

• DO NOT produce certification reports

• But may offer other useful reports

Qualifiers cost less than Certifiers – may fit the budget!

PROFIBUS Diagnostics


Cable Testing, Speed Testing, Network Testing


Gigabit Cable Qualifier and Network Diagnostic Tool

• Qualifies data cabling for IEEE 802.3 compliance at transmission rates of up to 1Gbit/s (BERT)

• Determines signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

• Measures delay skew

• Performs full TDR for pair length and distance to fault measurements

• Full-color wire map shows opens, shorts, mis-wires, and split pairs

• Results can be saved in the unit and standards-based reports generated


Network Testing and Diagnosis

• Link test up to 1 Gbit/s to identify link capability and link status

• Ping to a single or lists of IPv4 and IPv6 as well as any URL on the internet

• CDP/LLDP/NDP and VLAN discovery

• PoE / PoE+ detection and load test for voltage drop

• DHCP test

• Traceroute

• Switch Port identification by blinking the port LED


NetXpert Products

Product Description

NetXpert 1400 NetXpert 1400 network/cabling qualifier; IEEE 802.4 testing up to 1Gbit/s; Tests ethernet, coax, audio; security cables; w report sw

NetXpert RJ45 to M12 cable 1 meter, RJ45 to M12 D-Code


Advanced Network Monitoring

Online Diagnostic Benefits

• Early detection of problems

• Preventing production downtime

• Simple error detection and correction

• Also usable by non-experts (maintenance)

PROFIBUS Diagnostics


TH Scope and TH Link Monitoring Solution

• TH Scope with TH Link(s) are intended to inform users of network health in an easy-to-understand manner• TH Link modules connect directly to networks and their built in webservers provide basic network info• TH Scope is a software package that enables additional monitoring beyond the built-in webservers


TH Link Connection Options

Separate subnet with no “routing/switching” between Ports

Industrial Ethernet model also supports Modbus TCP & PROFINET devices


TH Link Network Monitoring

Basic Monitoring with TH LINK

• Early error detection and correction• Email alarm in case of problem or fault• Access through web browser


TH Link Network Monitoring


TH Scope Network Monitoring

Advanced Diagnostics with TH SCOPE PC-Software for monitoring and maintaining industrial networks

• Supports maintenance work processes (trend view, reference comparison, data export, printing)

• Integrates existing applications (OPC Server, SNMP Agent, web link)

• Cross-protocol information analysis, PROFINET, standard Ethernet TCP/IP, Modbus TCP, Ethernet/IP

Visualizes collected data from multiple TH LINK gateways

Inventory


TH Scope Network Monitoring

Advanced Diagnostics with TH SCOPE (optional)Additional Features

• The trend feature provides a summary of the network quality over a time period of up-to one month

• The topology features provides a clear and accurate overview of the network infrastructure

Topology ‐ PROFINET

Trend


TH Scope Error Statistics


Thank You!Questions

See us at Booth 222 for a demo!

Jim [email protected]

www.softing.us/ra