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Industry IoT Consortium

Future Connectivity – Successfully Tested Today

Update from the Time Sensitive Network (TSN) Testbed

by Florian Frick (ISW – Stuttgart), chair of the IIC TSN Testbed

IIC Blog Post

Connectivity is a key requirement for digitalization and the most important driver for innovation across many industries. While open standards are typically used in the IT world, industries with deterministic requirements such as production, automotive and professional audio/video tend to use proprietary, specialized systems with limited interoperability. Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), the next evolutionary step of IEEE Ethernet, combines the benefits of a flexible IT network with deterministic guarantees and is, therefore, a critical enabler of digitalization.

The Industry IoT Consortium’s TSN Testbed has been actively contributing to establishing a TSN-based ecosystem since 2015. It provides a platform for collaboration, discussion, prototyping, and testing, with a particular focus on cross-vendor interoperability. Pre-pandemic, over 30 members met multiple times a year for Plugfests at the European (Institute for Control Engineering (ISW) – University of Stuttgart, Germany) and North American (Vanderbilt University, Nashville) testbed host locations.

Recently, after an enforced break of two years, some group members (Calnex, Belden/Hirschmann, Intel, Keysight, Kontron, Mitsubishi Electric, Mobatime, NetTimeLogic, SoC-e) were able to meet again for a Plugfest. While the main focus was on implementing the plans and ideas discussed through the “virtual years,” interop testing and device and network performance evaluation were also key objectives.

Testbed activity is based primarily around the Interop Rack. This remotely-accessible, permanent setup integrates a core network infrastructure, devices under test (DUTs), test tools, and various other capabilities. By simply modifying the physical connections between the DUTs and the core network, various interoperability scenarios can be set up quickly and reproducibly. The Testbed team has defined test plans that can be applied to a scenario to analyze aspects like time synchronization, network configuration, and schedules. The TSN Testbed is agnostic of higher-layer network protocols. However, since the layers affect each other, various combinations and configurations are tested either in isolated setups consisting of similar stack-ups or in interoperability scenarios, combining different devices and higher-layer protocols. The protocols and ecosystems of interest include OPC UA and CC-Link.

A testbed scenario at the recent European Plugfest analyzed the performance of a network incorporating the maximum available number of devices from the attending companies. A topology was set up as depicted in Figure 1, integrating seven devices from five vendors in a chain, plus additional end station devices on the side of the main path. A Pulse-Per-Second (PPS) and a protocol-based-measurement were taken using a high precision measurement tool, Calnex Paragon-X, to observe the synchronization performance of the PTP (Precision Time Protocol). Additional PPS signals along the chain were monitored using a PPS analyzer from NetTimeLogic. To load the network, traffic was injected across the topology using a Keysight/Ixia Novus One, reaching a bandwidth up to 90% of the available capacity.

Figure 1: Topology of the test scenario. All switches different products from five vendors.

Happily, interop and synchronization performance exceeded requirements and expectations. Not only was the 802.1AS end-to-end time synchronization performance limit of 1 µs achieved, but synchronization within around ±100 ns was observed in a stable state network. Figure 2 shows 1PPS measurements from various time-aware end station devices attached to the core network topology.

Figure 2: PPS accuracy measurement with NetTimeLogic’s Universal PPS Analyzer (Grey: Reference PPS, Colored: PPS from the devices under test).

While TSN has already made it to the core of the digitalization strategy of many companies, the technology now available is proof that TSN is not just a future vision but is, in fact, a current reality. Most device vendors will bring devices to the market throughout 2022 to provide the building blocks for real-world setups.

For those who want to enhance their own developments, the Industry IoT Consortium (IIC) TSN Testbed is the right place to be and is always open to new participants: whether chip vendors, system integrators, software developers, or test equipment companies, everyone can benefit from early interoperability testing and the opportunity to interact with others in the same field.

For more information or to understand how you can become part of the IIC TSN environment, please contact the testbed chair Florian Frick or the IIC staff.

Posted at 1:42 pm in Industrial Internet Consortium,Industrial Internet Innovation,Industrial Internet Standards,Industry IoT Consortium,Uncategorized,Updates From the IIC, | Permalink

08/08/2022

Turning Headwinds into Tailwinds Part 2

Digital transformation enablers are specific digital technologies, best practices, or approaches that (surprise!) enable digital transformation. The effect of a […]... Read more →

Posted at 4:05 pm in Industrial Internet Consortium,Industry IoT Consortium, | Permalink

08/01/2022

Turning Headwinds into Tailwinds

By Stephen Mellor, CTO of Industry IoT Consortium How IIC members turn wind resistance into wind assistance The Industry IoT […]... Read more →

Posted at 6:41 pm in Industry IoT Consortium, | Permalink

07/21/2022

Turning Headwinds into Tailwinds

How IIC members turn wind resistance into wind assistance The Industry IoT Consortium was founded 2014-03-27 by five global companies […]... Read more →

Posted at 8:51 pm in Uncategorized, | Permalink

07/07/2022

Pattern Systems a necessity for progress in IoT

Written by Daniel Burkhardt/Ferdinand Steinbeis Institute and Eric Simmon/NIST We believe “pattern” is a term that you can see nowadays […]... Read more →

Posted at 2:59 pm in Uncategorized, | Permalink

06/20/2022

Meet the IIC Experts: Edy Liongosari, Accenture

Edy Liongosari, Chief Research Scientist at Accenture Labs, discusses his role in the IIC Thought Leadership Task Group and the […]... Read more →

Posted at 6:03 pm in Industry IoT Consortium,Meet the IIC Experts, | Permalink

Industry IoT Consortium Updates Industrial Internet Connectivity Framework

We are happy to announce the updated version of the Industrial Internet Connectivity Framework (IICF), a foundation document that guides the […]... Read more →

Posted at 5:10 pm in Industrial Internet Consortium,Technology,Uncategorized, | Permalink

03/21/2022

A Framework for Industrial Artificial Intelligence

A typical multi-party asset tracking application involves shippers, receivers and a freight-carrier network with multiple stakeholders (e.g., manufacturer, distributor, provider, carrier) that have mutual obligations to deliver assets in time. Unfortunately, the traditional asset-tracking solutions have posed a multitude of concerns due to the lack of trustworthy and transparent information across the supply chain.... Read more →

Posted at 9:57 am in Uncategorized, | Permalink

01/27/2022

AuthTrail: A Trusted and Transparent Asset Tracking Framework

By Xinxin Fan and Raullen (Qi) Chai, IoTex A typical multi-party asset tracking application involves shippers, receivers and a freight-carrier network with multiple stakeholders (e.g., manufacturer, distributor, provider, carrier) that have mutual obligations to deliver assets in time. Unfortunately, the traditional asset-tracking solutions have posed a multitude of concerns due..... Read more →

Posted at 2:34 am in Uncategorized, | Permalink

11/30/2021

New Journal of Innovation! Rapid Advancements in Digital Transformation

Read the Journal of Innovation here Digital transformation is hardly a new topic. From the early beginnings of the IT revolution, over six decades ago, organizations have leveraged digital technologies to digitize their information, digitalize their business processes to enhance their operational efficiencies, optimize the way they deliver value to... Read more →

Posted at 7:08 am in Uncategorized, | Permalink

09/01/2021

Consequences of Inattention to Trustworthiness: An Automotive Example

By Frederick Hirsch, Upham Security Third in a series of blogs from the Industry IoT Consortium Trustworthiness Task Group. For a comprehensive look at trustworthiness foundations in IIoT, download our foundational document. Connected systems introduce risks to each other, so a single system cannot be effectively trusted unless the other... Read more →

Posted at 7:20 am in Uncategorized, | Permalink

Tags: CYBER, IIC, IOT, IOTSECURITY, SECURITY, TRUSTWORTHINESS,

08/10/2021

A Look at Trustworthiness & its Key Characteristics in Context

By Bob Martin, MITRE Second in a series of blogs from the Industrial Internet Consortium Trustworthy Task Group. For a comprehensive look at trustworthiness foundations in IIoT, download our foundational document. Definition Trustworthiness The degree of confidence one has that the system performs as expected. Characteristics include safety, security, privacy... Read more →

Posted at 7:28 am in Uncategorized, | Permalink

Tags: CYBER, IIC, IOT, IOTSECURITY, MITRE, SECURITY, TRUSTWORTHINESS,

07/28/2021

Trustworthiness for Cyber-Physical Systems

By Marcellus Buchheit, Co-founder of WIBU-SYSTEMS AG, President and CEO of WIBU-SYSTEMS USA First in a series of blogs from the Industry IoT Consortium Trustworthiness Task Group. For a comprehensive look at trustworthiness foundations in IIoT, download our foundational document. Trustworthiness, and confidence in that trustworthiness, are essential aspects of... Read more →

Posted at 7:35 am in Adopting the Industrial Internet,CyberSecurity,Industrial Internet Consortium,Technology, | Permalink

Tags: CYBER, IIC, IOT, IOTSECURITY, MITRE, SECURITY, TRUSTWORTHINESS, WIBU,

07/19/2021

A New White Paper Provides a Blueprint for IIoT Organizations to Leverage Standards

By Erin Bournival Dell Technologies The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a rapidly expanding world of connected objects. As IIoT systems proliferate, large amounts of data are consumed by machine learning algorithms and shared between partners, customers, and others. IIoT is a technology environment in which integration and interoperability... Read more →

Posted at 7:44 am in Uncategorized, | Permalink

07/07/2021

Edge Themed Journal of Innovation Out Now!

By Chuck Byers, Industrial Internet Consortium The Industrial Internet Consortium is pleased to bring you the 17th issue of the IIC Journal of Innovation, “Applying Solutions at the Distributed Edge.” IIC is a well-respected thought leader on edge computing and fog computing, and distributed computing. We have task groups active... Read more →

Posted at 7:50 am in Uncategorized, | Permalink

Tags: DISTRIBUTED EDGE, EDGE, EDGE COMPUTING, IIC, INDUSTRIAL INTERNET, INTERNET OF THINGS, IOT,

05/24/2021

Patterns Collection Initiative with the Industrial Internet Consortium

The power to convey information in a simple form. Patterns help reduce complexity and make it easier to design sustainable systems. Why collect and share patterns via the Industrial Internet Consortium's patterns collection initiative? For the good of the industry: efficient innovation, knowledge transfer, and more. Learn more.... Read more →

Posted at 7:57 am in Uncategorized, | Permalink

Tags: ARCHITECTURAL PATTERNS, CODING, DESIGN, INDUSTRIAL IOT, INDUSTRY IOT, PATTERNS, SOFTWARE PATTERNS,

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Recent Posts

  • Future Connectivity – Successfully Tested Today
  • Turning Headwinds into Tailwinds Part 2
  • Turning Headwinds into Tailwinds
  • Turning Headwinds into Tailwinds
  • Pattern Systems a necessity for progress in IoT
  • Meet the IIC Experts: Edy Liongosari, Accenture
  • Industry IoT Consortium Updates Industrial Internet Connectivity Framework
  • A Framework for Industrial Artificial Intelligence
  • AuthTrail: A Trusted and Transparent Asset Tracking Framework

Industry IoT Consortium delivers transformative business value to industry, organizations, and society by accelerating adoption of a trustworthy internet of things. The Industry IoT Consortium is a program of the Object Management Group (OMG). Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Industry IoTConsortium.

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The Industry IoT Consortium delivers transformative business value to industry, organizations, and society by accelerating adoption of a trustworthy internet of things. The Industry IoT Consortium is a program of the Object Management Group (OMG).

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