Network Native
ACRA CONTROL has developed reliable high performance Ethernet interface modules and rugged aggregators and switches that allow the ‘network native’ KAM-500 to be interconnected in an Ethernet network. In such a network, setup, data acquisition and synchronization occurs over a single Ethernet connection, leading to significant savings in wiring complexity and weight.
Standard protocols are used for programming (TFTP), health status monitoring (SNMP) and synchronization (IEEE 1588). The managed switches transmit IEEE 1588 PTP packets to synchronize a system to better than 100ns, even across large distributed systems. There is no adaptive or dynamic switch behavior as the Ethernet data output of the DAU is predictable and known in advance. This deterministic acquisition and transmission facilitates coherency. ACRA CONTROL’s Xbar architecture facilitates flexible forwarding and filtering configurations (e.g. to send data to multiple destinations for real-time monitoring, recording and transmission).
Data from an Ethernet KAM-500 is optimally packetized for Ethernet transmission and recording but can be also be converted in many other industry standard protocols. This facilitates hybrid system e.g. PCM DAUs can be integrated into an Ethernet system or Ethernet data can be converted to PCM for telemetering.
