Legacy Device Connectivity
Industrial Automation systems started using Ethernet in the control room in the mid to late 1990’s pushing down to the control and fieldbus infrastructure a decade later.
Legacy Device Connectivity
Local Interface Conversion
Two decades later, Ethernet is arguably the most widely used and vendor-independent standard for distributed control and monitoring systems on the planet. Whilst this is undoubtedly true, the massive amount of serial (RS232/485) networked equipment that was implemented prior to Ethernet’s acceptance is often still going strong well beyond predicted life expectancy. The reliability of value automation assets (PLCs / Controllers, etc) and related software systems has led to a continued demand for serial to Ethernet (S2E) conversion devices and advanced protocol converting gateways that allow disparate automation protocols to interoperate across a common network backbone.
Wide Area Connectivity
Another area of critical communication is the distributed telemetry and data collection networks that are able to leverage the availability of low-cost DSL and mobile data solutions to reach out into the field. IT4A have been providing Fixed and Mobile Data Managed Service Provision since 2005; we have standardised on product lines that are sufficiently hardened and ruggedised to exist either outdoors or on Network Rail’s rolling stock. IT4A’s long history in networking has bridged the transition in network technology. We carry experts in all areas of networking and have routes back into our vendors for the most challenging of issues.