Everyone experiences Latency issues. High latency echoes on IP phones make conversations almost impossible. Pixelated images interrupt TV broadcasts. It’s one of life’s little annoyances. When transmission delays happen in a work environment, they are more than annoyances. They become obstacles to growth. Expansion is limited if there’s insufficient bandwidth to support growing data transfer requirements. High latency slows response times making for a poor customer experience. What happens when a mission-critical alert is delayed? Maximizing transmission rates for Ethernet-based communications through time-sensitive networking (TSN) and power over Ethernet (PoE) can reduce latency issues. These technologies can produce a more reliable network with low PoE latency for greater efficiency.

What is Latency? 

Latency is the time it takes for data to move across a network. High latency means the transmission rate is slow. Applications that require fast responses, such as automotive controls or robotic-assisted surgeries, require dependable communications with low latency.

What is PoE?

Simply put, PoE technology allows electrical power and data to share an Ethernet cable. Instead of an electrical and Ethernet connection, PoE devices can operate through a single twisted pair, reducing operation and installation costs. This technology can send 10/100/1000 Mbps of data and power devices up to 100W.

What is Time Sensitive Networking (TSN)?

If a productivity application has to wait for data, it may display a spinning icon and a “Please Wait.” This feels inefficient for the user, but the information eventually arrives. That delay isn’t acceptable in industrial applications where automation requires precision. Efforts to address commercial needs for more determined control resulted in the creation of time-sensitive networking (TSN) standards for Ethernet connectivity.

TSN is not a single standard but a group of standards that address traffic policing and shaping, frame replication and elimination, configuration, management, and time synchronization on Ethernet networks. It is an evolving technology with developing industry and application standards.

Why Use TSN?

TSN standards were developed to address latency issues due to poor synchronization across Ethernet networks. These standards provide the following improvements:

• Lower Latency: Synchronizing data across devices reduces latency.
• Increased Reliability: Protocols ensure reliable communications for maximum uptime.
• Better Efficiency: TSN lets devices share resources for lower costs.
• Stronger Security: Encryption, authorization, and authentication combined with timing changes enhance data security.

Adding these capabilities to data flowing via Ethernet significantly reduces latency issues that can compromise mission-critical implementations.

Why Use TSN with PoE?

PoE lowers installation costs and provides deployment flexibility by combining power and data delivery over a single cable. Devices can be placed in locations where a separate power source is unavailable. Sometimes, remote placement can introduce latency on the network.

Adding TSN technology to PoE switches extends Ethernet reliability throughout an enterprise. Synchronizing data across devices connected to a switch maximizes uptime without increasing costs. 

Planet’s TSN-6325-8T4S4X incorporates TSN technology in a managed Ethernet switch. It has eight 10/100/1000 RJ45 ports, four 100/1G/2.5G SFP ports, and four 10G SFP+ ports. Its 16-port capability delivers reliable, low-latency connectivity over Ethernet.

Where to Use TSN-Enabled PoE Switches

Low latency deployments exist in the education, healthcare, government, and finance industries. The media and entertainment sector benefits from TSN-enabled PoE switches by offering an improved customer experience. The industry benefits from TSN as it implements smart manufacturing and distributed networks. So what are possible applications for this new technology?

Healthcare

Because TSN provides control and synchronization, administrative data can flow through the same network as robot-controlled surgeries. The protocol controls network traffic, giving priority to surgical communications. With PoE switches, devices can be distributed over a wider area without jeopardizing mission-critical operations.

Industrial Automation

Automating manufacturing requires precision. TSN optimizes bandwidth with a scheduler that reserves frames for high-priority transmissions. The standards also allow multiple pathways to be defined, making for fault-tolerant implementation. This approach minimizes latency and transfers priority data without delays.

The ability to synchronize time across devices makes for high availability in real-time. Added security features help maintain message integrity and data authenticity. TSN leverages Ethernet capabilities for a more robust communications model.

Media and Entertainment

The original business models for streaming services, such as Netflix and Disney+, are shifting as more competitors enter the market. Today’s providers must look at content and performance if they want to capture market share. Researchers found that up to 40% of viewers will move to another outlet if buffering occurs. Jittering images or transmission delays, especially for live streaming, only add to customer dissatisfaction.

Using TSN technology gives providers more control over their streaming content, making for a more positive user experience. As the market’s competitiveness grows, low latency will become a key differentiator for consumers.

Intelligent Transportation

In-vehicle communications require low latency and high bandwidth. Features such as adaptive cruise control, night vision, hybrid engines, and automated parking demand reliable communications. Disruption in data transmission during lane changes could be catastrophic if the presence of a vehicle isn’t received on time.

TSN reduces jitters associated with audio-visual displays for vehicle maneuvering. The standards allow data speeds of up to 10 gigabits to support high-definition video. Preconfiguration capabilities improve startup speeds.

Power Grids

More utilities are looking to Smart Grid technologies to streamline operations and expedite the integration of alternative energy sources into existing power grids. TSN serves as an open standard that can establish deterministic communications over Ethernet. It also provides bounded low latency for reliable operations.

TSN-enabled devices can transmit alerts and notifications quickly and reliably to enable faster adjustments to power grids. Personnel can be deployed faster, and outages can be avoided if data is available in real-time. By authenticating connected devices, TSN devices can minimize security risks as a result of bad actors.

Planet’s TSN-Enabled PoE Switch

Although TSN is an emerging technology, IEEE standards have established an industry-wide implementation that removes the need for proprietary solutions. Planet’s TSN-6325-8T4S4X incorporates TSN standards into its PoE switches to deliver the control and reliability needed for real-time, mission-critical implementations. 

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