Written by Gareth Chamberlain, Product Manager- Cyber Security and IT Automation
Sometimes there is a product that is just there and has always been there. You think this product will last forever. But, alas, nothing lasts forever. The FL SWITCH SFN family came into the Phoenix Portfolio in 2011 and has been an incredible success since then, with Phoenix Contact becoming the market leader of unmanaged switches in the Industrial sector in 2015 and kept on growing year on year. So, as you can imagine, these switches have found themselves in all sorts of applications all around the world.
But, unfortunately, the age of the FL SWITCH SFN family is coming to an end. The product family that is to replace the SFN is the FL SWITCH 1000 family, and, honestly, what a product to replace it! With the lessons we have learned over the years I feel that Phoenix Contact can provide you with a superior replacement to the SFN, and cost effectively.
The FL SWITCH 1000 family, at an individual product level, is a 1:1 replacement for your FL SWITCH SFN needs. All the products within this family supports QoS for industrial networks, cabinet saving footprint, jumbo frames and the ability to mount it in any orientation with the Mounting bracket support (found in the accessories tab).
As technology is moving on and more people talk about IEC 62443, you might be asking why is Phoenix Contact investing so much into Unmanaged switches? In the IT industry the same question was asked about 15 years ago, but unmanaged switches are still around. There will always be a need for unmanaged switches within industry. Phoenix Contact can help you if you have questions on your switch/topology deployment.
I have chosen the most popular FL SFN switches to give you a guide to the alternative FL SWITCH 1000
The FL SWITCH SFN is due to be discontinued in 2022 Q2. Your local Phoenix Contact representative, or myself, can answer any questions regarding the discontinuation or the FL SWITCH 1000 series.
For more information, contact Gareth on 07946757375 or email gchamberlain@phoenixcontact.com
