ControlNet is best described as which of the following?

• A. A Real-time device network providing for high-speed transport of time-critical I/O data, messaging, peer to peer communications, and the uploading and downloading of programs.
• B. A network for video surveillance.
• C. A wireless communication protocol for sensors.
• D. A standard for data storage.

Answer: (A)

ControlNet is a real-time, deterministic device network that moves time-critical I/O data quickly and reliably across automation equipment. It is designed to provide high-speed transport for I/O data, supports messaging between networked devices, allows peer-to-peer communications, and can upload and download programs to and from controllers or devices. This combination—deterministic, real-time data transfer for I/O, plus program download capability—is what makes ControlNet the right description. It’s not primarily a video-surveillance network, a wireless sensor protocol, or a data-storage standard.