Unlocking Efficiency and Security in Smart Manufacturing with Managed Network Switches

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to ECO Ask why, a podcast that dives into industrial manufacturing topics and spotlights the heroes to keep America running. I'm your host, chris Granger, and on this podcast we do not cover the latest features and benefits on products that come to market. Instead, we focus on advice and insight from the top minds of industry, because people and ideas will be how America remains number one in manufacturing in the world. Welcome to ECO Ask why. I'm your host, chris Granger, and let's get right into it. So you have a new format here on ECO Ask why. We've been trying out for the last several months and feedback's been great. So we really focusing on the ideas that you need help with moving forward in industrial manufacturing, and we started off by talking about installed asset analysis and how important it is to understand the equipment that you have installed so that you can make better decisions. And then we talked about mastering system design and how you need to make sure that you're putting all the right components in place to have that ideal system that you need to meet your objectives and your goals moving forward. Then we started taking a deep look into smart motor protection and how smart motor protection has evolved and how you can utilize that technology inside your facility today to make better decisions. Then we started talking all about the IOT and everything around industrial automation, with that and the importance of that, and then our last episode focused heavily on power monitoring and the way that the technology around power monitoring has evolved. So where now power monitoring is something that everyone in industrial manufacturing can utilize? The technology is there, the data is there. So we're hoping that this types of conversations and feedback and information is empowering you to make better decisions. So now, talking about automation, power monitoring, we're going to keep working down this evolution in industrial manufacturing.

Speaker 1: 2:14

And today we're talking about network switches, because a network switch is a backbone. It's a key, key component that you need to have a good understanding and there's a lot of confusion around this topic. So we think about critical equipment, often Think about the vital infrastructure that determines production schedules, the possibilities and, at the end of the day, it's all about revenues. Let's just be real. And in the modern day factory we can add another piece of equipment into that rostle of vital. You can't go wrong, you can't do without this stuff. And that's the industrial network switch, because the industrial 4.0 that we live in today, managed switches are keys toa reliable, efficient and secure process in business. We can't emphasize this enough. And they have lots of other technologies available and the choices out there let's just face it, they can be daunting and you want to make the best decision that you possibly can. I just want to encourage you, the team of an electrical equipment company that only can connect you with the latest technologies, but we can also couple that with access to some of the best networking, industrial networking minds available. So you want to walk in confidence, moving forward, an assurance that you're picking the right hardware and you're implementing it the correct way. This is what we do, this is how we help. So I encourage you again go check out the links in the show notes here. We have lots of ways that you can connect with us and have these, start these conversations right now. If you have questions, if you have applications, all that stuff, if you want to come see it, see it work firsthand, we have the ability to do that and we encourage you to do that.

Speaker 1: 4:05

So let's kind of start off with this conversation here, just talking about the transition from the unmanaged switches of the past to managed switches and just to understand the switch, because for decades unmanaged switches. They kind of been the go to they really have for industrial networking, and it's really driven by two factors they were affordable and they were simple. If you couple affordable and simple together, I'm usually in. So when you start thinking about the smart manufacturing and everything is happening there and the exponential growth of these interconnected devices, the limitations of these unmanaged switches is pretty evident. It's pretty scary, because they lack the intelligence and the configurability that's really necessary to optimize your network performance. That's what it's about, and you want to make sure you're mitigating any bottlenecks, and the unmanaged switches just can't do that, and often, when you have those in place, you have more unplanned downtime, and when you need to have that, you're compromising productivity, and we all know how competitive the landscape is. The industrial manufacturing, whatever segment you're in, whatever market, it's competitive, and you can't afford that downtime or anything that would jeopardize your process.

Speaker 1: 5:36

Managed networks, which is, though? They represent a change and the basic assumptions of industrial networking, because what they're offering is unparalleled control and visibility over the traffic Because, unlike the unmanaged guys, managed switches empower you, so you can prioritize critical data transmissions, you can really optimize your bandwidth and you can be proactive in managing that congestion. Sometimes congestion is going to happen, but if you can be proactive and do things to mitigate that, it's a game changer. And it's this level of granular control that is so indispensable in modern manufacturing. Because we know what's the old saying in business time is money right, and in manufacturing we can get down to the millisecond where those milliseconds can cost you money and have a huge impact on the bottom line. So, managed switches when you are saying, okay, for this piece of data, you're going to this port and I want you to do this that changes everything, because so much of it comes down when you really start thinking about processes.

Speaker 1: 7:00

Now, in industrial manufacturing it comes down to speed, speed and one of the critical factors that needs to be taken into consideration when you start assessing equipment Is the speed in which the decisions are going to be made. How is the data going to be utilized? So where you have time sensitive data transmission, let's say that stuff is paramount. You got to have that data here, no matter what. The speed at that switch place is a crucial role to ensure that efficient communication and the seamless operation of the process. So you have the switches with the higher speeds can facilitate those faster exchange rates. That's what it's all about. And you can reduce your latency and, next thing, you know, your overall network is performing better.

Speaker 1: 8:00

Manufacturers operating in industries such as automotive, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, where that production process really demand that real time monitoring and control. They have to rely on high speed switches Because they're trying to maintain productivity levels and accuracy and quality levels, and they can't be anything other than reliable. So by investing in the switches capable of supporting, you know, a gigabit or even 10 gigabits of eSIMnet speeds, manufacturers out there can start future-proofing their networks and accommodate the increasing demands of these advanced technologies that are coming in. Because, let's just face it, the more and more technology that comes into your plant, it's not getting dumber, it's getting smarter, it's asking for more, it needs more bandwidth, it needs more access, it needs more of what's your network can sustain. So the infrastructure, the backbone, is crucial. And, conversely, if the system requirements don't warrant the speed, hey, there's an opportunity for some call savings and that's worth exploring and thinking about. And this is where partners like Ego can assist you to ensure that the hardware that you're selecting is what is needed, because you don't want to mismatch here, because you want to make the best informed decision possible, particularly when it comes to your network switches, because there's so much out there to think about and we'll give you a couple just to consider right now.

Speaker 1: 9:46

Because you have some big players you have Stratix, you have Hirschmans, you have others and at the forefront of industrial networking you have these two that we really focus on At ECO we can help you with, because these manufacturers have continually pushed and pushed and pushed and extended the boundaries of innovation. They're robust solutions, they have feature rich managed switches and they're tailored to the unique demands of industrial applications. So let's just get real Industrial applications. They just demand more. So we have things like the Stratix 5410. It's a powerhouse, it really is. It's very intelligent, it's resilient, it's designed to be in that harsh industrial environment, and then you start equipping that with advanced traffic control capabilities, some security features that are just out of this world. And then you have the remote management functionality, which is awesome. Let's just face it. Everybody likes the remote management piece of technology 5410, it's really helping manufacturers optimize that network and enhance that efficiency and ultimately, at the end of the day, it's all about improving uptime.

Speaker 1: 11:06

Then you get the guys over at Hirschmans and they have a very comprehensive portfolio and they have these industrial grade switches. I was looking at one called the Greyhound I think that's kind of a cool name for a switch, by the way Greyhound, the 105106. And it has unparalleled reliability and versatility. So you have ruggedized switches right here capable of withstanding extreme temperatures. And let's just face it, I've been in some pretty hot, nasty industrial manufacturing facilities and temperatures can really be volatile. You've got to make sure that the equipment you're installing can withstand the environment that you're placing it in, because those stresses are real and that equipment can't handle it. Well, guess what? You're potentially putting yourself at risk. So you need to have technology like the Stratix, like the Hirschman, that can survive and thrive in these environments and give you that advanced digital diagnostic tools to make better decisions. So these guys are really setting the standard here, if you will, around network switches.

Speaker 1: 12:17

So now let me start thinking about managed versus network. Then it's managed versus unmanaged. Rather, there are some differences that you still need to think about as we peel back the layers of this on you a little bit further, because this is really a critical decision and the implications for network performance, scalability, security, all the things. They're high. And again, that unmanaged switch is very simple, it's very cost effective and they lack the advanced features and the configurability of it. And they also operate on a plug-and-play basis, which is kind of interesting when you think about it, because there's not a lot of setup or configuration and, with small scale deployments with a very limited network complexity, they offer a little visibility or control, leaving you really vulnerable to congestion. So it's just something to consider. I'm not saying you have to go out and rip out all your unmanaged switches, but you should consider a plan for modernization at some point, because configuration on the industrial plant floor can create an opportunity for outside threats, and this is what you hear over and over again.

Speaker 1: 13:36

I've been in lots of different types of training courses and things like that around cybersecurity and different ways that industrial manufacturing can get access to from the outside, and an open port that is unmanaged is a dangerous, dangerous place to be Because a rogue person with access to an unmanaged switch. They can just wreak havoc. Let's just be real. No matter how robust your system is, if you have an open port on an unmanaged switch and you have a rogue person, you're at risk. You're at risk. This is something you need to recognize. That's why there's certain things you had to put in place with these switches Some of the physical things, like capping off unused ports simple process. But if they physically cannot plug their cable into a port, well guess what? That risk just went down significantly. But if you had the unmanaged switch in there and they plug it in, all bets are off. But if you had the managed switch, you had that wealth of features and functionalities designed to optimize that performance and, more importantly, when you really think about it, enhance the security, because you're going to be able to, with this, prioritize that traffic, basically have a traffic controller setting up, okay, who gets access to what, and then you can start monitoring in real time what's going on on that network.

Speaker 1: 15:12

The managed switches really talk about being empowered. They can extremely empower you to mitigate any risk potentials that are coming to attack your network. And as we start thinking about I've already talked about this, used the word risk a lot Security is. Enhancing security and safeguarding your network is crucial Because, as we push forward in the industry, 4.0 and smart manufacturing, the IOT and all these things continue to grow, that security is, sadly, to be honest, it's an afterthought for some people in industry and it should be a key concern drives so much of our thoughts and our investments in our projects. Because you start thinking about the amount of data that's being moved each day from a plant floor through an E-part ERP system, an intersource resource planning system, when you use the need for enhanced security. I can't think of a time where it could be any higher. Also, ever you cannot outsource this.

Speaker 1: 16:36

Managed Ethernet switches and switches here. They are pivotal role in fortifying that digital fortress, if you will, on manufacturing facilities, because you have to have that robust security such as port authentication, the VLAN segmentation and access to control this. You have to have this in place. If you're just playing around with the managed switch, what are you doing? So strategically implementing security measures at the network level, you can start really putting those potential cyber attacks to the side. This is not going to happen. They can try. But there's easier targets out there. You can start safeguarding your data. Just face it. Your intellectual property, your IP, that is your business. You better safeguard it. You need to be in compliance with industry regulations. Managed switches can do this. A cool part is so many of these managed switches now can facilitate seamless integration with security applications protocols, so that can enable you that comprehensive threat detection. You're constantly seeing how's my network? Is it safe, are we under attack? And then you can start mitigating those capabilities and start addressing them one-on-one.

Speaker 1: 18:05

So, as manufacturing out there, as they embark on their journey towards that digital transformation we hear that all the time right, digital transformation, smart manufacturing, 4.0, whatever you want to call it I can't emphasize enough the importance of industrial networks, which is can I be emphasized enough? Can I overstate it more and more and more than right now? Because these are critical components and they're a linchpin of interconnected systems. They really are, and they enable seamless communication, they enable real-time data exchange and they enable intelligent decision-making. So, but in order to harness this, the power of these managed switches, you have to prioritize a few things. You have to prioritize education, you need to make investment on a priority. You need to make collaboration a big deal and you need to partner up. I'm telling you again partner up with teams and even if you're not an electrical equipment company service area, find another partner, leverage the state of the art technologies. Me need to make sure that you're future-proofing your operations, thinking about your innovation, staying ahead of the curve and all that stuff. And I'll tell you this go in and have an opportunity, request opportunities and demos to see how this can work specifically for you, and this is why we created our labs at an electrical equipment company. We want our customers to come in, particularly when there's a project like this You're thinking about converting to a network switch so they can see firsthand the process of how it works. So connect with us. We'll have links in the show notes where you can go do that as well, because this has been something that has been on our mind and we have been investing in heavily over the years Because we want to help you grow in wisdom and knowledge.

Speaker 1: 20:08

Everything industrial manufacturing took their own. These areas, I mean I go all the way back. Thinking back, I was doing some research for this episode and on episode 16 of ECO SY and I just for kind of give you a state of point of reference, we're at roughly 250 plus episodes of ECO SY, getting close to 260. So way back on episode 16, we had an in depth discussion. It was awesome and in there we talked about managed versus unmanaged switches. We had this expert in and she had a lot of nuances on the decision making here and they provide some really great insights about the differences between the two types of switches and their respective applications, and the managed switches offer, how they offer that unparalleled flexibility and control, kind of allowing those manufacturers to finally tune their network configurations. And then we talked about things like port based VLANs and the quality of service settings, and managed switches enable efficient traffic management and optimizations. So we really dug deep, particularly around the areas of the complexities in the manufacturing environment.

Speaker 1: 21:31

And then, on the other hand, unmanaged switches. We're really we talked about that in depth, about their praise because they're simple and they're cost effective. So they're, in certain applications, small scale deployments, or, if you had an isolated network segment where you really could isolate it, they seem to work fine. But what was clearly emphasized was the importance of considering factors such as that network isolation, though. And then, what capabilities did you need to diagnose the network? And then, so far as long term scalability, where were you? Because that's going to help you make the best decision between managed and unmanaged. And as you think about costs I know costs is a big deal today that plays a role we just had to be real. That is a role in the decision making process Because, let's just face it, the managed switches are cheaper.

Speaker 1: 22:21

They are, but the additional features and functionalities offered by the managed, such as the diagnostics and all the things we talked about, the security measures they can give you something that I like to refer to as peace of mind. Peace of mind, no one wants to be woken up in middle of the night with a cybersecurity threat or your network's been compromised. So peace of mind. So we'll have a link in the show notes for you if you want to go check that out for that episode of ECO SY, because that was a powerful conversation. It was one I learned a lot from and hopefully you guys can go back and check that out and see if it would help you as well.

Speaker 1: 22:58

I just kind of want to just wrap up here with I want you to navigate the future with confidence, particularly around this topic, because network switches, when you start thinking about it, they are the cornerstone, they just are. In every mining manufacturer out there you have network switches and they're the foundation for connectivity, for efficiency, for security, for interoperability, all the different things that we're doing. And with this evolution, technology and again, smart manufacturing, smart manufacturing 4.0, all these things the demand for managed switches is surging and that demand is driving innovation with the manufacturers and they're redefining so many things that we never thought of before in industrial manufacturing and automation. So if you embrace the capabilities of some of these brands, like we've mentioned a couple here today, stratix and Hirschman you can embark on a journey of digital transformation with one component that so many people like, that's confidence, confidence. We want you to know that your infrastructure is equipped to meet your demands, not just for today, but for tomorrow, for the future. We want to help you, we want to help you navigate this. We want to help you make the best decisions so that you can move forward with resilience. You can move forward and be adaptable for the technology, for the changes that's going to come to your process in the future. We want you to be determined to do this. I'm just here to tell you again, for the final time, our team at Eco Electric Equipment Company. We're ready to serve.

Speaker 1: 24:44

I'm going to answer those hard questions, particularly regarding your industrial networks, which and this technology, of this level, it impacts everyone. You can't avoid, afford rather to avoid this, because you potentially could be opening inherent risk when it comes to your network and your business. If you think that you know what. I may be at risk to think about it. I don't know how many networks which is unmanaged, which is we have. I really don't know the best plan forward. We have a way to help you with that. It's called a network assessment. We can come in and help you with a network assessment, see what's installed, see what your existing base is, and help you figure out a plan moving forward for the areas of highest risk first.

Speaker 1: 25:35

Hey, if this was our facility, here's what we would recommend. Work with us. We want to hear, we want to help you make the decisions, because we know that every decision that you make has a potential for impact. Does so, no matter how complex the solution. We're here, we want to lean into it with you. We're going to help you figure it out. If we can't figure out directly, we have resources that can. Again, confidence how confident are you in your industrial network? What would it take to elevate that level of confidence directly? That's what we're here offering.

Speaker 1: 26:17

That's what we want to help you with, because we know you have a lot of goals. We know that you have a lot of things that have been installed. Lots of equipment is changing, upgrades, all the things that are happening in your plan, because you have to make your product, your solution, whatever you're bringing into the world, the most efficient way possible, at the best cost, the best quality. That means your network has got to be reliable. You can't be hit and miss. And is it down today? Is it not going to be down? We're running this process now and this is going to consume this much bandwidth and I wonder how that's going to impact this section of plan over here. You can't have that. You can't have that. Your manufacturing goals all tie together Everything. I call them cascading goals. Everything cascades up. But each one of those steps in a cascading goal is crucial and you can't skip over it. You can't just fly by it.

Speaker 1: 27:14

Take the time, ask the questions, let the team of the eco come in, be a consultant, be a sounding board. Okay, we have this going on. What do you think? That's what it's all about. Then come to a lab Again, if you're not in our service area, go find a lab somewhere and where you're at, and tell them hey, I want to learn more about industrial managed switches and I want you to see the technology firsthand. They're out there. You just got to take those proactive steps.

Speaker 1: 27:46

I encourage you to check out the show notes. We'll try to have links in the show notes where you can schedule time in our labs directly, where you can learn more about these switches, where you can go to Eco online to learn about these products specifically and to connect with this. Ultimately, we want to help you. We send lots of resources out each month. We want to be here for you to support, to encourage, to empower you, to help make better decisions. Connect with us. If you're not connected to us right now, go to the show notes. You'll find ways you can connect with an electrical equipment company directly. We're on LinkedIn. We're very big on LinkedIn. We have a good presence there. We try to serve people that way. You can connect with us there. You can ask us questions there. There's all sorts of ways to get information to us. Eco online says EECO onlinecom is a website. Love for you to check that out.

Speaker 1: 28:34

If you're enjoying this content and you're an industrial manufacturing, share with someone. Take the opportunity to say hey, this is a very niche podcast around industrial manufacturing, but on this one for networks, which is thank you for something you should consider, I want to share this with you. It could go a long way. That would be awesome. Give us a rating and review, that'd be incredible too. Just give us a little thumbs up, a five star right, a little one or two sentences. We love to see that.

Speaker 1: 29:06

Let us know how we can serve you, let us know how we can connect with you. Let us know what questions that you have, so that we can make sure we get the right resources in place to give you to feel the need that you have, as we know out here, when you start looking at all the different technologies that are out there all different solutions and everybody has all the features and benefits right. The problem with features and benefits is most of the features and benefits don't matter. We need to get down to the features and benefits that matter most to you. That's where our team at Eco is here to help. Trust us. We get the pitches all the time. We know what the manufacturers think is important, but what we will really focus on is what's important to you. It doesn't matter what I think is important Ultimately if it doesn't meet your goal, your desired outcome, your needs. It's not a value. That's where we lock in on, that's where we focus and that's how we're here to help.

Speaker 1: 30:03

Again, head over to ecoonlinecom Great way to connect with this. If you want to go to ecoaskycom, that's a great way to connect with this there as well, to check out any of these previous episodes that I talked about earlier. All that stuff is great. Again, we're heavy on LinkedIn, so you'll find us there on LinkedIn. You can connect with me as well. You can check out the show notes. We'll have ways you can connect with us directly.

Speaker 1: 30:27

We just want to be here for you. We just want to help serve, want to help connect the dots. We'd love to get your feedback on the new format of eco-asy. It's just been a joy to get this back going to continue to serve, to continue to put good information out, to continue to focus on people and ideas over products and to really lock in on that topic of how can we help and encourage and empower and help you make better decisions. That's what it's all about, all right, so have a great day.

Speaker 1: 30:56

I look forward to the next episode with you. Thank you so much Again. Check out the show notes for all the resources and remember, at the end of the day, keep asking why. Thank you for listening to ecoaswy. This show is supported ad free by Electrical Equipment Company Eco is redefining the expectations of an electrical distributor by placing people and ideas before products. Please subscribe and share with your colleagues and friends. Also leave comments, feedback and any new topics that you would like to hear. To learn more or to share your insights, visit ecoasycom. That's E, e, c, o, a, s, k, s, w H Y dot com.