Country: Germany
Application Site: Communication Station

Background and Challenge

In a large-scale German transportation project, a unified communication network was deployed to support numerous dispatch stations, Remote Data Concentrator (RDC) boxes, and radio systems, including OLE terminals and Smart PTT voice documentation. The deployment needed to ensure accurate time synchronization using IEEE 1588 PTP, seamless integration of remote voice systems, and reliable operation across a geographically dispersed infrastructure. To meet these demands, the network had to prioritize voice traffic, isolate faults efficiently, and be remotely managed to minimize on-site maintenance while maintaining stable performance under varying environmental conditions.

Solution

◆ Hardened, High-Performance Switches for Critical Infrastructure

PLANET’s IGS-12040MT, IGS-6325-20S4C4X, and IGS-6325-20T4C4X provide industrial-grade networking with wide operating temperatures (-40 to 75°C) and strong anti-vibration protection, which is perfect for the demanding environments of railway facilities and dispatch stations. These switches provide high-capacity Layer 3 routing and fast ring recovery, ensuring stable connections between numerous dispatch stations, RDC boxes, and radio systems like OLE terminals and Smart PTT equipment.

◆ IEEE 1588 PTP and Advanced Traffic Control

PLANET switches support IEEE 1588 PTP v2 for precise timing essential in transportation networks. Features like QoS, VLAN, and advanced routing ensure voice traffic, such as Smart PTT communication, is prioritized and transmitted reliably even under heavy network loads.

◆ Centralized Management via NMS Series

The NMS-500 and NMS-1000V provide unified management for up to 2,048 PLANET devices, offering intuitive topology views, real-time monitoring, and traffic analysis. Features like event alarms, automatic device discovery, and remote firmware updates help reduce maintenance time and ensure fast troubleshooting across large-scale railway networks.