毫无疑问，制造商的网络安全现在比以往任何时候都更重要。控制工程师一直在寻找方法来避免网络攻击并进行计划以帮助降低安全风险。OT（运营技术）水平的风险正在不断变化，并跟上保护公司的运营技术基础设施的步伐似乎很耗时且昂贵。但是，有多种方法可以以简洁明了的方式确保公司产品，财产和流程的安全性。
On the most basic level, one of the ways to ensure security against outside hackers is making sure that the proper industrial Ethernet switches are being used. Some companies are happy with just the essential levels of networking, opting for low-cost options. This will provide the bare necessities to run plant floor operations, usually in the form of an industrial unmanaged switch. These switches are an excellent option for networks with a control panel used for a plug-and-play option that has a fixed configuration. This approach eliminates any work on the IT end requiring encryptions, prioritizing channels or creating a set of segregated devices to manage traffic and data. The downside of unmanaged switches is that they do not provide any security functions.
Companies with larger networks may want more than the basic functions of an unmanaged switch. With just a slight increase in cost, the effectiveness of a lean managed switch can give controls engineers on the plant floor the peace of mind they need when running their systems. Lean managed switches can be configured to a company’s specifications, monitor settings, turn off unused ports, set up and manage encryptions, and help protect the network and data from active threats. VLANs can also be installed to reduce security risks and help increase network performance.
Wago的family of industrial Ethernet lean managed switches are designed to meet security and redundancy requirements, while being easy enough to maintain by plant floor technicians. Wago focused on creating an intuitive interface for these switches, which include a diagnostic dashboard allows for quick system troubleshooting—even if users have no IT knowledge. With each port configured for specific connections, transmission errors can be detected along with any improper connections or active threats. These switches are available with either eight or 16 ports with two extra SFP slots for connecting fiber optic cable for longer connections.
