Cell Switch Router Advertisement Supplement for Name Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in providing a reliable name service, especially when connecting automation cells to corporate or office communication networks using IPv6, which complicates independent configuration of DNS servers and often requires manual balancing or additional routers.
Innovation Solution
The method involves cell switches that connect automation devices within their cells, determine their IPv6 addresses from router advertisement messages, and supplement these messages with information about a name service server, allowing for simplified administration and configuration, even when the automation network and IPv6 router operations are in different responsibility areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cell switches forward router advertisement messages to distribute name service information, then the name service provisioning is simplified and administration is easier, but the device complexity of the switch increases due to the need to supplement messages with name service server information
Solution Approach 1:
The cell switch automatically supplements router advertisement messages with name service server information without requiring manual configuration. The switch performs self-service by autonomously adding the necessary DNS server information to the forwarded messages, simplifying name service provisioning while avoiding manual intervention complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the name service functionality into a distinct component that can be independently configured and managed. By segmenting the name service server information from the main routing functionality, the switch can handle name service supplementation as a separate task, reducing the perceived complexity of the overall system
2Ease of operation
If cell switches independently determine IPv6 addresses from router advertisement messages, then the configuration is simplified and administration is easier, but the reliability of address determination may be compromised without centralized control
Solution Approach 1:
The cell switch acts as an intermediary between the router advertisement messages and the automation devices. It receives router advertisement messages, supplements them with name service server information, and forwards them to devices. This intermediary role ensures that devices receive both the IPv6 prefix information for autonomous address determination and the necessary name service configuration, maintaining both simplicity and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The cell switch performs preliminary action by pre-supplementing router advertisement messages with name service server information before forwarding them to automation devices. This preliminary configuration ensures that devices have all necessary information (both IPv6 prefixes and DNS server details) available before they attempt autonomous address determination, improving reliability without compromising configuration simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
Switch and method for providing a name service within an industrial automation system that includes a plurality of cells that each have a plurality of automation devices and a cell switch, wherein router notification messages received by the cell switches are forwarded to a distributor unit of the cell switch and the distributor unit adds information concerning a name service host associated the cell, where the cell switches propagate the router notification messages supplemented by the distributor units thereof to the automation devices in the respective cells thereof, and where name resolution queries from the automation devices are transferred to the name service server associated with the cell via a name service functional unit.