Introduction
Real-time Ethernet port multiplier
The real-time Ethernet port multiplier allows the connection of eight independent FastEthernet networks (100 Mbit/s). The CU2508 is connected to the PC via a gigabit uplink.
The PC offers high-performance data transfer to the multiplier, which allocates the data to the relevant 100BASE-TX port based on an analysis of a frame prefix and sends them time-controlled with µs precision. Received frames are also allocated a prefix including a time stamp and sent to the PC.
With the aid of a driver, users have eight independent ports with full real-time characteristics available. The CU2508 is used in applications in which several Ethernet ports are required that need to be realized externally to the PC.
TwinCAT 2.11 supports the CU2508 and avoids the need for further network ports at the PC. For extremely high demands, an EtherCAT installation can, for example, be distributed or expanded to up to eight strands in order to multiply the performance. The distributed clocks of the EtherCAT strands are synchronized. An EtherCAT cable redundancy in conjunction with distributed clocks can also be realized with two ports of the CU2508.