Configuration
To configure a PRP Adapter, first the two NICs (see Supported network controllers) for LAN-A and LAN-B are added as "RT-Ethernet Adapters" and assigned to one network adapter each.
- 1. To do this, add the Real-Time Ethernet Adapter (Multiple Protocol Handler) twice at I/O and Devices.
- 2. For each RT-Ethernet Adapter, select the appropriate network interface as Adapter.
- 3. Under TcCOM Objects , add the PRP Adapter via the TcPrpAdapter module from the PRP - Parallel Redundancy Protocol group. Select the two NICs for LAN-A and LAN-B each as RT-Ethernet Adapter in the parameters of the PRP adapter.
- Further devices can then be added to the TwinCAT configuration and the PRP adapter can be selected as the network adapter via an adapter reference.
For example, for an adapter for communication via the "EtherCAT Automation Protocol" (EAP) the PRP Adapter can be selected as reference and thus transferred via both networks using the Parallel Redundancy Protocol.
In the following, a module for real-time communication via TCP or UDP from the TwinCAT Function "TF6311 | TwinCAT 3 TCP/UDP Realtime" was added as an example and the previously created PRP adapter was selected as Ethernet adapter. In this way, communication can take place using TCP or UDP via PRP and thus redundantly via the NICs of LAN-A and LAN-B.
The following images show the relationship between the adapters.
The "RT-Ethernet Adapters" for LAN-A and LAN-B form the interface to the network adapters or NICs of the system. The PRP adapter combines the two "RT-Ethernet Adapters" into one DAN (Double Attached Node) for communication via PRP. The adapter "EAP-DAN" communicates by means of EAP (EtherCAT Automation Protocol) via PRP or the PRP adapter. The second EAP adapter named "EAP-SAN" is again directly linked to the RT-Ethernet Adapter of LAN-A and would thus communicate as a SAN (Single Attached Node), without the RCT of PRP.
EAP-DAN (EtherCAT Automation Protocol):
EAP-SAN (EtherCAT Automation Protocol):
