RSLogix5000 New Version (V18)

[Arun Opto 22 0]

Rockwell has released V18 of RSLogix 5000. A brochure says that it now does I/O Messaging (implicit messaging), via "Unicast". I guess this would eliminate the need for an IGMP Snooping enabled managed switch (which filters multicasts, which is how implicit messaging currently works). I have done a fairly decent net search, and can not find any additional information on this. Does anyone out there have any details?

[Ken Roach 194]

First, let's clarify: RSLogix 5000 v18 is not yet "released". There are a lot of features in V18 that affect a lot of different products, and it will be released in three phases (v18 basic release, v18 with CIP Motion, and v18 Redundancy) over the next year. I do not expect to see the first release until February or March 2010. My understanding of IP Unicast is like yours; the destination address of cyclic UDP messages will be an ordinary IP address instead of a Multicast Address. As I understand it, Listen-Only connections and multiple-consumer connections will still use UDP Multicast. I'm not sure what sort of changes might need to be made to existing firmware in bridge and adapter products like POINT and FLEX and DPI drive interfaces. My main concern about this is that it will be seen as a green light for the "cost conscious" to omit managed switches entirely, leading to more overburdened network links and more hard-to-diagnose media problems.

[Arun Opto 22 0]

Thanks Ken. I share your concern as well on the switches.