User Documentation

User Manual Managed Switches
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3.5.4 The Turbo Chain Concept
Turbo Chain is an advanced software-technology that gives network administrators the flexibility of
constructing any type of redundant network topology. When using the “Turbo Chain” concept, you
first connect the Ethernet switches in a chain and then simply link the two ends of the chain to an
Ethernet network, as illustrated in the following figure.
Turbo Chain can be used on industrial networks that have a complex topology. If the industrial
network uses a multi-ring architecture, Turbo Chain can be used to create flexible and scalable
topologies with a fast media-recovery time.
How Turbo Chain generally works
 The Switches are connected as a daisy Chain to any other network
 Chain consists of one header switch (Head), any number of member switches (Member) and one
end switch (tail)
 The configured head-port of header switch and configured tail-port of tail are connected to an
existing network
 Tail switch blocks its redundancy line (prevent frame looping) and opens only when the main line
on head-switch is broken. The healing time inside the Turbo Chain is below 20 ms
Set Up Turbo Chain
3.5.5 Configuring “Turbo Chain”
How to configure Turbo Chain generally:
1. Determine which switch shall be used as Head switch, asTail switch and which devices will
become Member switches.
2. Configure at Header Switch one port as Head port and one port as Member port.
3. Configure at Tail Switch one port as Tail port and one port as Member port.
4. Configure at all Member Switches two ports as Member ports.
5. Connect the Head switch, Tail switch and Member switches as shown in the diagram.
The connecting path from Head port to the network which shall be attached is the main path and the
connecting path to the Tail port is the backup path of the Turbo Chain. Under normal conditions,