What is a Jumbo Frame?

A Jumbo Frame is an Ethernet frame with a Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) larger than the standard 1500-byte size, typically supporting 9000 bytes or more. This larger MTU reduces the overhead for data transmission, improving network efficiency. Jumbo Frames are often used in high-performance networks to increase throughput, reduce CPU load, and optimize large data transfers. It is especially beneficial in environments like SCADA systems that handle large data sets.

Example Scenario: Enhancing HMI and PLC communication performance

Jumbo Frames are used to enhance communication between an HMI, PLC, and a managed switch. The HMI transmits large sets of data, such as real-time sensor readings and historical logs, to the PLC for processing. By using Jumbo Frames with a larger MTU (up to 9000 bytes), the system reduces the overhead from multiple smaller frames. The managed switch handles these larger frames, improving network efficiency and reducing latency in data transfers. This setup is ideal for high-performance networks that handle large amounts of data.

Content created by Mike Day