DID YOU KNOW? & TIPs
Get some helpful and interesting fast facts
to assist you in solving problems or decision making
Interesting & Helpful Fast Facts
Here are some interesting and helpful fast facts that will answer some questions you might have about products, protocols or solutions.
Stop by from time to time as we will constently add to these Did You Know? fast facts.
IIoT remote access solution
Did you know that WeConfig can secure the project file using a password?
By saving a WeConfig project, all documentation of the network devices is automatically available via the click of a button. This makes it so easy and time effective to hand over the project to the customer, however when handing over the documentation it is vital that the project file is protected as it contains sensitive information that would be devastating in the wrong hands.
Network segregation
Did you know that too many industrial networks are vulnerable to wide spread cyber attacks?
Not only is it very difficult to get total control of which type of traffic that traverses an industrial network at all times. But it is even more difficult to know when something is about to go wrong which could potentially damage the entire application. Understanding this is absolutely necessary to prevent worms and viruses to spread uncontrollably throughout the network.
Westermo Layer 3 switches provide efficient means of protecting critical assets in an application through network segregation according to the security zone concept of IEC-62443. IEC-62443 is a Cyber Security standard specifically designed for industrial networks. The dynamics of the WeOS firewall allows for easily deployed traffic control out to the very edge of the network. By decentralizing the filtering in this way will cause unwanted traffic to be blocked and detected much earlier than in a centralized filtering scenario. Together with the logging functionality that WeOS provides, crucial notifications of dangerous activities can be forwarded to the control room for immediate action.
MRP support in WeOS
Did you know that as of WeOS 4.22.0 Westermo now supports the Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP). This is an open standard ring topology protocol as specified by IEC 62439-2. Westermo switches can now be used not only to build MRP rings in new installations but also for extending or replacing devices in existing ring networks.
WeOS, Westermo Operating System, provides an extensive suite of IP networking standards allowing resilient, secure and flexible networks to be created.
Wake-on-LAN
Did you know that a WeOS device can be used for waking up equipment in the network, wake on LAN?
The Wake-on-LAN (WOL) feature can be used to send a wakeup command (magic packet) to a connected device. This is useful when a device is a battery powered sensor that needs to sleep to conserve power or a computer that is only occasionally required.
Reuse existing cables
Did you know you do not always have to replace existing cables when upgrading to Ethernet?
One of the largest costs of any upgrade from legacy serial networks to Ethernet is running new cables or fibre. The disruption to existing processes, working at night, health and safety considerations, shutting down production or the general disturbance caused by upgrading a system all have a cost in time and money. The Wolverine (DDW) series of Ethernet to SHDSL converters offers a solution to this costly issue.
The Wolverine devices convert standard Ethernet signals limited to 100m into a signal that is capable of being transmitted, bidirectionally, over a single twisted pair cable for many kilometres making it an ideal way to reuse existing cables and reduce upgrade costs. There are multiple options in the Wolverine series from simple unmanaged point to point, to managed devices that support sophisticated ring, mesh or even routed topologies.
Fully integrated into the Westermo WeConfig NCM (Network Configuration Manager) tool. Multiple Wolverine devices can be configured with the click of a mouse, from setting an IP address to the configuration of sophisticated resilient networks and Cyber security features. Saving, even more, time and effort during the installation and commissioning process.
IIoT remote access solution
Did you know that WeConfig can secure the project file using a password?
There is a great deal of interest at the moment regarding IIoT and remote access to network assets anywhere in the world. From coffee makers to ship propulsion system, there is a growing realisation that reducing support cost and management of SLA (Service Level Agreement) will be significantly enhanced using IIoT remote access. IIoT can be used to gather telemetry data, diagnose issues or update systems, without the need to attend the installation. The concept is not new, Westermo has been building industrial modems for remote serial access for decades. The difference now is the media has changed from a dial-up telephone line to any media connected to the internet, from wireless mobile to satellite.
The WeConnect system from Westermo offers a flexible and secure solution for remote connectivity across the internet for all IIoT connectivity requirements, from machine manufacture and support to utilities. Based on the core values of easy to use, secure and resilience. WeConnect requires no technical knowledge to administer, yet the links to the remote locations are protected by the highest levels of cybersecurity encryption. To ensure complete data isolation of each WeConnect instance each user is hosted on a separate secure server. Triplicated geographically separated host sites ensure the maximum availability of the WeConnect system. In the unlikely event of a total loss of a hosting centre, the next best hosting location takes over the complete operation of WeConnect.
WeOS
One-box Solution
Did you know L3 WeOS is the only industrial platform with Router, Firewall, VPN and Cyber Security features built in as standard?
WeOS is one of the few switch operating systems that combines ease of use with routing, cyber security, VPN and sophisticated switch functionality all in one box. This not only makes a WeOS based device cost effective to deploy it also increases the reliability by reducing the number of components in the network. A traditional approach would mean that a system would require a switch, a router and sometimes a firewall. WeOS has everything as standard, no additional licences are required to achieve advanced highly resilient and secured solutions out of the box.
WeConfig
Secure your network with WeConfig
Did you know WeConfig can automatically backup all WeOS devices on a network once a day and highlight the differences if someone has tried to make changes to the configuration to allow a Cyber-attack?
WeConfig can automatically back up every device in the current project at an interval determined by the customer. The backup is compared to the default save for each device to look for changes to the configuration.
Changes to the configuration of a device are often the first signs of an all-out attack on an installation. A kind of softening up of the target before the main attack takes place. Detecting the changes is the first step in intrusion detection and preventing a full assault on the network. The changes can be small;
- A change to a firewall rule
- Adding a port to a VLAN
- Opening an insecure configuration protocol
The changes will be detected automatically after a backup and an alarm is raised that the configuration has changed.
Made easy VLAN configuration
Did you know that WeConfig can configure a VLAN on a group of switches with only a few clicks of the mouse?
VLAN’s are becoming one of the most used means of segregating traffic on a network. However configuring a VLAN can be complicated and requires some high level knowledge. It can be costly to employ consultants or expert personnel that manually perform the configuration on the network. VLAN configuration can now be done with only a few clicks of the mouse, so deploying a VLAN across an existing network is amazingly simple. With the help of the topology map simply select the switches where the edge devices will be connected to the VLAN and all the switches in between. Simply apply the configuration and WeConfig will update the system adding the tagged and untagged ports to the switches.
Hardware
Avoid potential failure
Did you know the DDM SFPs have a temperature sensor built into the electronics?
Although SFP failures are rare, monitoring the temperature of the SFP is an indicator to potential failure. Comparing the internal device temperature to the SFP temperature can point to a potential failure, meaning that preventive action can be taken before the SFP fails at a crucial point in time.
Fast Power Up
Did you know WeOS devices take between 10-14 seconds to go from power on to fully operational?
The L2 and L3 managed WeOS devices can go from initial power on to fully forwarding including routing and firewall in less than 14 seconds. Some comparable products on the market can take up to a minute and some as long as 6-7 minutes. The quick boot time means that the network will be fully operational long before the PLCs, SCADA or DCS are operational. This makes the whole system boot process much quicker and with few alarms due to communication errors.