The Throughput Connection

Welcome to "The Throughput Connection"

This is the latest edition - your gateway to cutting-edge industrial networking.

Words From the Tech Desk

Time to Reflect and Refocus

Many of us are left wondering how the first half of the year slipped by so quickly. If you feel as though you’re constantly playing catch-up, that’s a signal: pause, breathe, and take stock. Midyear is the perfect checkpoint - when cracks often go unnoticed, overcommitment sneaks in, and growth opportunities pass us by simply because we’re too busy to notice.

With tax season now open, it’s important to ensure your personal and business returns are ready. But beyond compliance, this is also a moment to step back and evaluate what’s working - and what isn’t. If something is delivering results, refine it, improve it, and do it better. If something is failing, don’t ignore it - rethink the approach, replan, and try again. And if your goals feel out of reach, or perhaps no longer relevant, adjust them. Create targets that are both realistic and inspiring, then pursue them with renewed purpose.

The bigger picture is that the world is shifting. Global events are reshaping how business is done, and while that can feel daunting, it is also an invitation to plan differently, innovate boldly, and think beyond limits.

South Africans have always found ways to rise. Let’s not only survive this year, but flourish - driving innovation, creating opportunity, and shaping a future we can be proud of. And may we all look in the mirror and proudly say, “I am proud of you.”

Anton van der Westhuizen

Achieving Security End-to-End: Defence in Depth for South Africa’s Critical Infrastructure

South Africa, like much of the world, is in the midst of rapid digital transformation. From Eskom’s evolving grid to the water utilities supporting our cities, infrastructure providers are under immense pressure. They must ensure reliable service, reduce carbon footprints, and integrate renewable energy sources, while also dealing with growing threats from cyber-criminals.

As electric vehicles, solar farms, and decentralised energy systems expand across the country, the control systems that manage them are becoming increasingly interconnected. More integration means more entry points for attackers – from edge devices and gateways to cloud-connected systems. The need for end-to-end security has never been greater.

An Insecure World, Rising Risks

The threat is real. Globally, attackers have targeted utilities with devastating effect – from attempts to poison municipal water supplies to shutting down fuel pipelines. Locally, the stakes are just as high: a breach of critical infrastructure could disrupt energy, water, and transport, with knock-on effects for millions of households and businesses.

Utilities are also pressed by regulation and customer demand. They must modernise, improve customer experiences, and drive efficiencies – all while balancing the reality of legacy systems that still perform well but were never designed for today’s cyber risks.

Defence in Depth: A Proven Strategy

To meet these challenges, operators are increasingly turning to the military-inspired concept of Defence in Depth. Rather than relying on a single security measure, Defence in Depth builds layers of protection across IT and Operational Technology systems – from RTUs and SCADA masters to every connected asset in between.

By adopting hardened WAN gateways with microcontroller-level protection, cryptographic isolation, and automated defence, utilities can:

Secure remote assets – the most common targets for attackers
Ensure devices can self-protect and even self-isolate if compromised
Scale security consistently across thousands of distributed sites
Integrate seamlessly with international standards and recognised protocols

Protecting South Africa’s Future

For our infrastructure providers, resilient connectivity and robust cybersecurity are no longer optional. They are the foundation for a smarter, greener, and more secure future. Defence in Depth is not just a strategy – it’s the key to keeping our most vital services safe,reliable, and ready for tomorrow.

High-Performance Switching for Demanding Industrial Networks

Atop’s EHG7711 series offers high-performance switching in a compact DIN-Rail slim housing. With flexible port options like 1G BASE-T(X) RJ45, PoE RJ45 up to IEEE 802.3bt, 1G BASE-X SFP, and 2.5G BASE-X SFP, these switches deliver tailored network solutions for diverse applications. The 8-PoE-Port model provides up to 90W per port with a 180W power budget, while dual redundant power inputs with reverse polarity protection ensure uninterrupted operation. Reliability is bolstered by RSTP, ERPS Rings, and MRP redundancy, with IEC62443-compliant security features like account management and authentication.

Designed for harsh industrial environments, the series meets railway and ground equipment standards. With IEEE 1588 boundary/ transparent clock and 2.5GbE uplinks, the EHG7711 excels in high-resolution CCTV, public Wi-Fi, and other bandwidth-heavy applications.

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Welotec launches in South Africa

Welotec, now part of Westermo, has launched in South Africa. Boasting over 50 years of expertise, Welotec leads globally in industrial communications and automation. Their offerings include industrial routers, gateways, edge computing, and IIoT solutions tailored for energy, utilities, and transportation sectors.

Designed for reliability, security, and performance, Welotec products excel at integrating legacy systems with modern networks, keeping businesses connected, robust, and future-proof. Engineered in Germany, their solutions endure harsh environments with long-lasting durability trusted worldwide.

For South Africa’s industries, Welotec’s arrival signals a transformative partner.

Combined with Westermo’s expertise, this collaboration promises groundbreaking results for digital transformation.

Overcoming Plant Automation Challenges

Industrial plants face constant pressure to modernize, but aging systems often stand in the way. Many facilities still rely on legacy platforms that were never designed to work with modern automation, AI, or Industry 4.0. As a result, critical production and maintenance data is often incomplete, siloed, or trapped in incompatible formats - making real-time insight and predictive maintenance nearly impossible. This lack of visibility contributes to an estimated $222 billion in annual maintenance costs across the sector.

The first challenge is integrating legacy systems with modern operations. Manual, paper-based processes and disconnected systems slow response times and obscure early warning signs. Automating and aligning data collection ensures information flows consistently and becomes usable for analytics.

The second is bringing different systems and protocols together. Plants typically run on equipment from multiple manufacturers, with different standards and generations of technology. Secure interoperability allows legacy and modern machines to share data seamlessly, unlocking new performance gains without full replacement.

Finally, planning digital trans-formation at the right pace is essential. Rather than overhauling everything at once, phased road-maps extend the life of existing assets while reducing risk and cost.

With the right integration strategy, plants can achieve real-time decision-making and prepare for a more connected, competitive future - without a complete upgrade.

Understanding IP Ratings

Ingress Protection (IP) ratings define how well an enclosure guards against intrusion from solids and liquids, making them essential when choosing equipment for demanding environments. An IP rating is shown as “IP” plus two digits: the first (0–6) measures protection against solid objects like dust, and the second (0–9K) measures resistance to liquids such as water. For example, IP00 offers no protection, while IP20 shields against solid objects over 12mm but none against liquids. IP44 protects against objects larger than 1mm and splashing water, whereas IP54 and IP55 provide limited dust protection with increasing resilience to water splashes or jets.

Higher ratings like IP65 and IP66 are fully dust-tight, resisting low- to high-pressure water jets. IP67 enables immersion in water up to 1m for 30 minutes, IP68 withstands deeper, continuous immersion (as specified by the manufacturer), and IP69K resists high-pressure, high-temperature jets, ideal for extreme washdown environments. Simply put, the higher the digits, the tougher the protection - critical for industries exposed to dust, moisture, or rigorous cleaning demands.

New CAN Bus and ControlNet Modules Expand Your Connectivity

ProSoft Technology has released two powerful new modules designed to simplify integration, extend networks, and boost reliability.

CAN Bus Router (A-CANBR/B)

The CAN Bus Router makes it straightforward to connect EtherNet/IP™ or Modbus TCP/RTU devices with a CAN Bus network, integrating seamlessly into Rockwell Logix or any Modbus Client/Server system. Capable of handling up to 100 preconfigured CAN Bus packets, the module also includes dual Ethernet ports that support Device Level Ring (DLR) topology, providing resilience in case of a network interruption.

For organizations still running valuable but aging equipment, this router is a game-changer. Unlike limited options such as CANopen (automation), J1939 (automotive), or DeviceNet (industrial), the A-CANBR/B router provides broad compatibility across virtually any CAN Bus device - allowing data to be extracted from legacy systems without the expense of replacement.

ControlNet Fibre Repeater

This repeater is designed to extend the length and capability of ControlNet networks. By converting copper to fibre and vice versa, it delivers cleaner connections, noise isolation, and higher reliability. Installation is plug-and-play, enabling quick deployment while preserving investment in legacy ControlNet systems. For plants with existing infrastructure, it provides a cost-effective migration path to more resilient fibre networks. Together, these modules provide a powerful solution for bridging old and new - helping operators maximize uptime, maintain legacy assets, and prepare for the future.

Together, these modules give your industrial network new flexibility, improved resilience, and easier integration.

Fire Protection at Eskom’s Ingula Hydro-power Plant

Westermo Lynx provides Fire Protection at Eskom’s Ingula Hydro-power Plant

Eskom’s Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme, located north-east of Van Reenen's Pass, spanning the Little Drakensberg, provides electricity during peak demand, is a vital part of the national grid, producing 1,332 MW through its four reversible Francis turbines. As a project of this scale demands absolute reliability, fire protection is non-negotiable.

At Ingula, rugged Westermo Lynx switches play a crucial role in the fire protection system. Compact, fibre-ready, and built for extreme conditions, these managed switches provide seamless communication between fire panels and control systems. Their resilience ensures fire safety networks remain stable even in harsh, high-altitude environments.

Westermo’s devices ensure a robust IDC backbone for safety systems, combining durable hardware with local expertise to safeguard South Africa’s critical infrastructure, ensuring reliability. In the power sector, IDC and fire protection integration proves: protecting infrastructure is as vital as powering it.