Contemporary Controls is offering engineers a valuable document on the IP (Internet Protocol) portion of the TCP/IP stack as it applies to control networks. This document, ABCs of the Internet Protocol, defines TCP/IP and other topics, including data encapsulation, routers and hosts, IP addressing and the IP header.
The IP is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of datagrams over an Internet. It also provides host and network addressing and the means for fragmenting datagrams into manageable packets. IP is a routable protocol and much of its complexity is due to its ability to route packets directly within a local network or indirectly through routers. Routers are not ideal for a control network, since they reduce determinism and increase data latency.
Still, to accept TCP as a transport layer for an Ethernet control network requires acceptance of IP as well. By understanding the limitations of IP, an engineer can still design a control network using the TCP/IP family of protocols. This is especially true if the control network is restricted to that of a private or local network.
To receive this FREE valuable resource, visit www.ctrlink.com/pdf/abc15.pdf.
