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Ethernet-based Systems: Contributions to the Holistic Analysis
Ref: HURRAY-TR-0418       Publication Date: 30, Jun, 2004

Abstract:
A number of characteristics are boosting the eagerness of extending Ethernet to also cover factoryfloor distributed real-time applications. Full-duplex links, non-blocking and prioritybased switching, bandwidth availability, just to mention a few, are characteristics upon which that eagerness is building up. But, will Ethernet technologies really manage to replace traditional Fieldbus networks? To this question, Fieldbus fundamentalists often argue that the two technologies are not comparable. In fact, Ethernet technology, by itself, does not include features above the lower layers of the OSI communication model. Where are the higher layers that permit building real industrial applications? And, taking for free that they are available, what is the impact of those protocols, mechanisms and application models on the overall performance of Ethernet-based distributed factory-floor applications? In this paper we provide some contributions that may pave the way towards providing some reasonable answers to these issues.

Nuno Pereira

,

Luis Miguel Pinho

,

Eduardo Tovar

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