June 04, 2013 - Belden announced version 8.0 of the software platform that supports its Hirschmann managed switches. The new release significantly extends the functionality of managed switches from the MACH, MICE, Rail and OCTOPUS families. Software platform 8.0 supports extensive management and diagnostic and filter functions, as well as a large selection of redundancy methods, security mechanisms and real-time applications.
This makes it ideal for markets such as power generation and distribution, oil and gas, and automotive. Software platform 8.0 allows RSR switches from the Rail family and switches from the MACH 1000 series to comply with power industry standards IEC 61850 and the C37.238 profile. An integrated IEC 61850 server offers seamless integration with data networks in power generation and distribution applications.
In addition, the software platform 8.0 supports the C37.238-2011 IEEE power profile for the use of IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) in power system applications for protection, control, automation and data communication applications. Software platform 8.0 provides jumbo frame support for the MACH104 and MACH1040 switches support jumbo frames.
Jumbo frames increase frame size to reduce overhead and CPU use. They are useful in supporting high-resolution video applications.
Updated features
New features for all four switch families include:
- PROFINET and Ethernet/IP extensions
- Overload detection
- Improved diagnostic, documentation and encryption mechanisms
Benefits include the ability to disable ports and various filter functions upon detection of an overload to ensure high network availability. New diagnostic options allow all ports to be mirrored to one port and differentiated according to data received and sent. New security features include:
- An integrated "watermark" makes it possible to check whether the configuration of the switch still corresponds to the original state.
- SSHv2 for secure encryption of console access
- Security mechanisms such as Authentication, Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) and port security.
