Plant Networking and Managed Switch Basics

Course Overview

This hands-on course teaches plant networking fundamentals and managed switch configuration using Allen-Bradley Stratix switches. Students learn networking technologies and best practices to design, implement, and troubleshoot industrial Ethernet networks for control system applications.

Topics Covered

• IP addresses, subnet masks, and gateway configuration

• DNS servers and routing fundamentals

• Unmanaged versus managed switch capabilities

• Stratix switch configuration and management

• Network topologies: star, ring, and linear

• IGMP snooping for multicast traffic optimization

• Node limits and network scaling considerations

• Fiber optic connections and media types

• Optimizing network traffic and bandwidth

• Separating plant networks from control networks

• IP control network design best practices

Hands-On Lab Exercises

• Set up a basic copper network with unmanaged switches

• Configure a managed Stratix switch network from scratch

• Find unknown equipment IP addresses on a network

• Use software and hardware tools for network diagnostics

• Troubleshoot common plant network issues

• Implement network segmentation strategies

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for controls engineers, IT professionals, and maintenance technicians. No prior networking experience is required.