Good network management plays a key role in maintaining high system reliability. It also makes personnel more productive when it is time for network updates, changes and audits. This article discusses how one of the largest control networks ever built in the Middle East uses network management software to meet its availability and efficiency requirements.
Qatar Aluminum’s industrial network
One of the largest greenfield industrial projects in the world, the Qatar Aluminum (Qatalum) smelter was conceived from some ambitious plans. Qatalum’s goal was to build one of the most cost-effective aluminium smelters in the world, but in addition, the plant had to meet strict environmental regulations.
The result was a facility that includes 17 separate plants and an automated process control system. The entire operation is managed from when raw materials hit the dock until the high-quality aluminium extrusion ingots are containerised and loaded onto ships for delivery to sites around the world.
The industrial network, designed by ZMS Technology, consists of more than 1000 nodes including many industrially hardened Ethernet switches and a network management system (NMS). Prior experience of ZMS’s technical manager, Shariq Khan, had demonstrated that other network management strategies would not work. For example, using a series of local workstations managing cells of networks within a facility would not provide the efficiency and accuracy required for Qatalum.
Network management software for speedy error-free installation
Manual configuration of devices is tedious and prone to error. With a deadline to meet, ZMS Technology chose Hirschmann’s Industrial HiVision NMS to smooth the way for site acceptance testing. Using NMS, the Qatalum team was able to:
* Significantly reduce network installation time.
* Assure consistency in network infrastructure configurations.
* Automate the documentation of configuration information.
Industrial HiVision’s installation and maintenance capabilities and powerful diagnostics quickly recognised and mapped all components on the plant network, including non-Hirschmann products. It was able to configure common parameters across multiple devices simultaneously, dramatically reducing the time it took to get the network ready for test. The ability of the industrial NMS to detect inconsistencies between parameter configurations also reduced troubleshooting time.
Qatalum uses Industrial HiVision’s graphical interface and advanced monitoring capabilities for proactive maintenance of the system. Cable breakdown is a particular concern as the arid conditions in Qatar can cause rapid cable disintegration. If they are not monitored, deteriorating cables can cause network failures that require expensive shutdowns and emergency maintenance.
Industrial NMS tools make it easy to identify problematic connections. They can dig down from the port to the switch and even to the cable to identify the area of potential failure. This capability practically eliminates unplanned downtime. The expensive alternative would require shutting down a portion of the network and sending a process engineer to troubleshoot.
Network management software improves productivity and facilitates audits and updates
Once the plant was in operation a single network administrator using the NMS can oversee the entire network. This includes carrying out repetitive maintenance tasks such as changing passwords regularly and implementing firmware updates.
Perhaps one of the greatest tests of the network management software came when the system was upgraded, which required an audit on all 1000 nodes. In addition, close to 100 changes were implemented and checked.
The audit required a complete review of the network, starting with the layer 2 switches and following the network infrastructure throughout the facility. It checked switches, network backbone and firewall connections. Each PLC’s attachment to the network was verified and thousands of cables were checked for damage and mapped.
“It took us eight days to complete the audit. If we had had to do it manually, it would have taken months, and even then we would not have been 100 percent sure the upgrade was complete. Industrial HiVision allowed us to manage the whole process with just a few clicks,” says Khan.
Network management software for remote access and monitoring
The remote monitoring capabilities of Industrial HiVision were very appealing to Bashir Habib, head of IT infrastructure at Qatalum. With 17 separate units at the facility, the company often encounters cable crimping and transmission errors. Many of these problems are difficult to find without the aid of a monitoring system. He explains: “A centralised industrial network management system is an important element in overall plant operation that allows Qatalum consistently to meet production goals.”
At the scale of Qatalum, only automated component management using an NMS made sense. However, the benefits achieved apply equally to smaller projects.
NMS solutions provide a quick payback in terms of engineer productivity. When the benefits of improved reliability, auditing, and monitoring are factored in, it makes sense to consider them when an Ethernet network supports complex infrastructure.
For more information contact Fons de Leeuw, Profitek, 086 165 4321, [email protected], www.profiteksa.com
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