Network Architecture | Do you think you have the best?
Most small and medium scale manufacturers answer this question with a “No” or “Maybe”. The biggest reason for this hesitation is that engineers did not address all the probabilities of error and vulnerabilities in the network during their design phase.
This doesn’t just apply to the newly designed network, but also to the network upgrades on an existing older network. The addition of a couple of switches doesn’t always fix the need for adding more devices to the existing network. An entire architectural change in network infrastructure is needed to address all the necessary networking parameters such as bandwidth, latency, delay, throughput, packet loss, and security.
Nobody wants to evaluate their network unless they have an issue with one of these parameters or a device not communicating efficiently with another. Prolonged issues with these parameters might result in serious downtime, high-risk security breaches or even a loss of important production data.
Similar to machines, the architecture of your network is prone to wear and tear. You should plan to occasionally service your network to maintain high efficiency and security.
Before upgrading or redesigning your network, ask yourself the following questions:
Why is my network not operating according to operational/availability baselines?
Is the network architecture robust enough to protect my intellectual property and assets?
How do I know if issues I have on my network are security related, and how do I fix them?
Rockwell Automation’s Network Assessments are one of the most highly utilized offerings among their Network Services and will answer all of these questions. Maintaining peak performance, while implementing security standards to keep your data and proprietary processes protected, should be your foremost concerns when evaluating your existing network.
Rockwell provides two types of Network Assessment services:
Standard
This is a cost-effective approach to identifying and prioritizing your network issues. The standard assessment is comprised of data collected by an on-site Rockwell Automation professional who conducts interviews with your engineers and staff, observes your infrastructure and documents the results.
Average time: 1 week from initial on-site arrival
Comprehensive
Comprehensive assessments are customized based on your unique challenges and production requirements, as well as the data collected and analyzed. If you have an upcoming need to improve or expand your network infrastructure and need a complete qualitative and quantitative evaluation, a comprehensive assessment is the best fit for you.
Average time: 2-3 weeks from initial on-site arrival
Now ask yourself …
Do you have the best network architecture in place?
