GE / Alstom DS Agile H38 PRP Switch

DS Agile H38 PRP Switch

The DS Agile H38 is a new range of standalone Ethernet switches compliant with the IEC 62439-3 Clause-4 PRP protocol, providing redundant, inter-operable, data communication. This redundancy box – ‘RedBox’- also supports the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) according to IEEE 1588 v2, to deliver precise local time synchronization to the IRIG-B port. They are designed for working in an electrical substation environment.

The DS Agile H38 is designed as a metal-enclosed, DIN-rail mounting Ethernet network switch, embedded with the Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) defined by the IEC 62439-3 standard, and compatible with the IEEE 1588 v2 Precision Time Protocol (PTP)

DS Agile H38 Range The H38 switch enables Ethernet-communicating devices to be inter-connected via the Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) in accordance with IEC 62439-3 Clause 4. The devices are connected to the PRP switch by means of RJ45 connectors compliant with 10/100Base-Tx. Three ports are provided for this. Each port detects, independently, the speed of the connected device (10Mbps or 100Mbps) and whether the link is half-duplex or full-duplex. It then automatically adjusts the port configuration to suit. Note that Ethernet copper links are limited in distance and subject to interference.

DS Agile H38x functional composition The Parallel Redundancy Protocol connection uses fiber-optic inter-switch connections. A multi-mode fiber-optic version is available for short-distance connections and a single-mode version is available for longer distances. The PRP ports support 100Base-Fx using LC connectors

Time synchronization in DS Agile H38x The DS Agile H38x switches support real-time clock synchronization using either Precision Time Protocol (PTP), in accordance with IEEE1588 v2, or Network Time Protocol (NTP). A one-pulse-per-second (PPS) signal is generated and displayed via a LED labeled as “Heartbeat” on the display. Time synchronization is available as an NTP service or via IRIG-B.