Ethernet I/O Modules: ADAM-6000 Requirements A client has three branch offices across multiple countries. For each branch, cameras were installed near the entrance gates. At the headquarters, people in the control room monitored each gate via the Internet. They also wanted to enhance the system so as to remotely control each gate from inside the control room at their headquarters. Since the distance between the headquarters and each branch was thousands of miles, it was a difficult challenge to establish a reliable network communication link. Solution Through three pairs of Advantech ADAM-6000 Peer-to-Peer Ethernet I/O modules (without any additional hardware), the application request was easily solved. For each pair of ADAM-6000 modules, one module was placed inside the headquarters control room and another was located at each branch. When the headquarters module was activated, it notified its paired module at the branch to open or close the gate. Communication is Ethernet-based, so the client could easily leverage their existing Ethernet infrastructure. What is Peer-to-Peer? Unlike client / server mode, Peer-to-Peer enabled modules will actively update input channel status to a specific output channel. There will be a pair of modules: one input module and one output module. Users can define the mapping between them and the input value will be transferred to the output channel. What Benefits Do Peer-to-Peer Modules Provide? No Controller Required For Ethernet I/O modules without Peer-to-Peer functionality, a controller is needed to read data from the input module and then send data to the output module. With Peer-to-Peer solutions, the controller can be removed since data will automatically transfer. This not only simplifies the process, but also helps save system hardware costs. No Programming Required To utilize Peer-to-Peer modules, the only thing required is to configure settings through the ADAM .NET Utility. No additional programming effort is needed, thereby reducing system development time. Simple and Flexible System Wiring Long distance wiring can be difficult. For some automation applications, if the PLC and the sensors are far away, one remote I/O module needs to be located near the sensors and a proprietary communication network needs to connect the PLC and the remote I/O module, but communication will be severely limited. Moreover, networks provided by PLC manufacturers are rarely open. Peer-to-Peer modules can replace limited and closed networks with no limitations since they leverage the most open and flexible Ethernet networks. Why is Advantech's Peer-to-Peer Technology the Best Choice? ƒ ƒ Flexible Channel Mapping ADAM-6000 Peer-to-Peer modules provide two modes: Basic and Advanced. For Basic mode, channels on one input module are directly mapped to channels on another single output module. For Advanced mode, channels on one input module can be mapped to channels on different output modules. (Refer to figure below) ƒ ƒ Fast Response Time Advantech Peer-to-Peer modules offer the best execution times in market. The execution time to transfer data from input to output is less than 1.2 millisecond. ƒ ƒ Advanced Security When engineers use Peer-to-Peer modules, they don’t want them to be controlled by non-authorized computers or devices. ADAM-6000 Peer-to-Peer modules lets users decide which IP or MAC address has control authority. This can make sure the output module is only controlled by its paired input module. ƒ ƒ Advanced Reliability When communication between a pair of ADAM-6000 Peer-to-Peer modules is broken, the digital output module can generate pre-defined values to ensure safety. Channel 1 Channel 2 ….. Channel n Channel 1 Channel 2 ….. Channel n You can close the mapping relationship ADAM-6000 P2P Mode: Basic Mode Module AA Channel 2 Module A Module BB Channel 3 Module CC Channel 4 Channel 1 Channel 2 ….. Channel n Channel 1 Channel 2 ….. Channel n Multiple Modules to One Module One Module to Multiple Modules ADAM-6000 P2P Mode: Advanced Mode Module B Channel 5 Module C Channel 6 Module D Channel 7 ADAM-6000 Features: Peer-to-Peer Chapter 15 Table of Contents Table of Contents