Network Redundancy

[flickroll]

I know network redundancy is still on the horizon, but I have a question about what you are planning.  I have an RV-8 in which I will likely stack 2 - 7" Skyview screens (will BARELY fit).  Looking at the network layout overview, you can feed data from any device into the system at any network connection.  Say I am feeding engine data into the DU #1 network connection.  With this I can display engine data anywhere I want to on the network.  But let's say that DU #1 goes belly up and all attempts at resuscitation fail.    What happens to the network data that was being fed into DU #1?  Does network data pass through regardless of the status of a unit?  In other words, would data pass through a unit that was turned off or otherwise not functional?  If not, how would you connect stuff to the system so that it is failsafe?  Thanks

 

[dynonsupport]

The SkyView network is continuous throughout the aircraft. Even if a cable plugs into one of the screens and then continues on to the rest of the plane, internally in the screen it's a hard electrical connection between the ports.

Basically, yes, data passes through screens even when the screen is off or broken.

 

[jbasiago]

On this same topic, is there isolation between the network ports on the display units? I have a system with two displays and two ADAHRS modules. Do I gain network redundancy if I wire one ADAHRS module to one set of network input connectors on the display units and the other ADAHRS unit to the other set of network input connectors. I'm thinking of a scenario where one of the actual networks fails through say a short or open in the wiring (maybe an insulation or connector failure). If this should happen, will the short in one network affect the operation of the other network. Does it make sense to distribute the network devices between the two seperate network input ports?

 

[dynonsupport]

There is no isolation in the way that you're thinking - in other words, the displays are both on the same network, not separate ones that talk to each other. But there are fully redundant data and power connections within the SkyView Network connectors that are designed to cope with the scenarios you describe. The redundant power is live today, while the redundant data connection is coming soon (the cabling is there, but the software to support it is not). When implemented, SkyView will be able to use either of the available data wire pairs for communication and will smartly detect and switch to the other pair when there's been a mechanical failure (and warn you about said failure).