Did you know that you can create ring networks over multiple links for increased resilience?

In some industrial applications, the links connecting different parts of a network are exposed or unprotected. Exposed or unprotected links can be accidentally disconnected, physically damaged or simply stolen by thieves in the hunt for valuable copper. A disconnected link can be devastating in mission critical systems where a single ring network topology may not be reliable enough.

To minimise the risk of a damaged or disconnected link ever causing a system to fail, the Westermo ring network protocol FRNT has been developed to be able to run over multiple links, grouped together to form a logical link (Link Aggregation). Using Link Aggregation means that a ring network can be run over two or more links, creating alternative paths if the main link would be disconnected. Multiple links can be installed throughout the whole ring or just on sections of the ring that are particularly exposed to becoming disconnected. Link Aggregation is a great way of increasing the network resilience without the need to invest in more network devices.