Application Scenarios
A regional refinery expanded its DeltaV control room, doubling operator stations to a redundant pair while adding a historian and an application server, and connecting three remote I/O cabinets to the same ACN at distances of 80 meters, 1.2 kilometers, and 6.4 kilometers respectively. Purchasing three different switch models for these links would mean three support contracts, three firmware maintenance tracks, and a DeltaV diagnostic system unable to see the entire network. The VE6022P1 solved this with a single rack unit: VE6025 gigabit copper SFPs on the workstation and server side, VE6023 multimode SFPs for the near cabinet, and VE6024 single-mode SFPs for the remote cabinets. The port mix was built once, documented once, and the ACN remained a single Emerson-supported fabric. When a fiber splice degraded six months later, the fault appeared as a single-slot link-down event rather than a broadcast storm washing across the control room.
Parameter
| Parameter | Value/Description |
|---|---|
| Product Model | VE6022P1 (P1 = North American power cord standard) |
| Manufacturer | Emerson |
| Product Category | Modular industrial Ethernet switch chassis, Layer 2 store-and-forward |
| Port Configuration | 12 × SFP slots, shipped empty, no fixed RJ45 or fiber ports |
| Slot Speed | 1000 Mbps; selected slots accept 100 Mbps SFPs (VE6026/VE6027) |
| Transceiver Mixing Rule | Any combination of VE6023/VE6024/VE6025/VE6026/VE6027; empty slots require VE6101 blanks to maintain EMC and airflow |
| Copper Reach | VE6025 1000BASE-T → 100 m (Cat 5e/6) |
| Multimode Reach | VE6023 1000BASE-SX → 550 m (62.5/125 µm OM1) |
| Single-Mode Reach | VE6024 1000BASE-LX → 10 km (9/125 µm SM) |
| Power Input | 100–240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, internal industrial power supply |
| Mounting | 19-inch rack mount (1U class) |
| System Compatibility | Emerson DeltaV automation platform, supports redundant network topologies |
Technical Principles and Innovative Values
- Distance Adaptability Through a Pure SFP Chassis: The VE6022P1 deliberately provides no fixed ports, reserving all twelve slots for SFP transceivers. This architecture forces the network designer to make an explicit media decision on every link: multimode for cabinet-to-cabinet runs under 550 meters within a process unit, single-mode for remote tank farm links up to 10 kilometers, and copper RJ45 for short in-rack connections. For a DeltaV ACN spanning multiple buildings or process areas, one switch model covers the entire link spectrum, eliminating the need to stock multiple fixed-port variants for different distances.
- Layer 2 Deterministic Forwarding Rather Than Layer 3 Routing: The VE6022P1 is positioned as a Layer 2 switch whose job is to aggregate traffic from multiple DeltaV controllers and workstations onto a single backbone segment, not to route between subnets. In redundant DeltaV topologies, paired VE6022P1 units provide primary and standby communication paths, so a single link failure does not interrupt data flow between controllers and operator stations. This role demands low-latency, deterministic bridging behavior rather than advanced routing features—excess network intelligence can introduce unpredictable forwarding delays.
- Cisco Lineage Combined with DeltaV Validation: The VE6022P1 is OEM-derived from the Cisco Catalyst 3750G-12S-S, and its command-line interface, SFP compatibility behavior, and stacking characteristics follow Cisco conventions. For plant personnel already familiar with Cisco networks, the learning curve is significantly reduced. But Emerson’s DeltaV integration means the switch is validated within the control system environment, and its lifecycle is tied to the DeltaV support roadmap rather than the general-purpose Cisco switch refresh cadence.
