Description
Key Technical Specifications
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Model Number: A6220
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Manufacturer: Emerson Automation Solutions
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Port Configuration: Configurable 24x 10/100/1000BASE-T (PoE+) + 4x 1GBASE-X (SFP) uplink ports
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PoE Support: PoE+ (IEEE 802.3af/at), 30W per port, 370W total power budget (dual internal power rails)
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Switching Capacity: 56 Gbps
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Forwarding Rate: 41.7 Mpps
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Redundancy Protocols: MRP (Media Redundancy Protocol), STP/RSTP/MSTP
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Operating Temperature: -40°C to 75°C (-40°F to 167°F)
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Power Supply: Dual redundant 24V DC / 48V DC / 110V DC inputs (enhanced voltage range)
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Protection Rating: IP30 (rack-mount), IP65 (with optional rugged enclosure)
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Management: Web GUI, CLI, SNMP v3, Emerson AMS Device Manager, NetFlow v9
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EMC Compliance: IEC 61000-4-2 (ESD ±15kV), IEC 61000-4-4 (EFT ±2kV), IEC 61000-4-5 (Surge ±2kV)
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Mounting: 1U rack-mount, DIN-rail compatible (native)
Emerson A6220
Field Application & Problem Solved
Mid-size industrial sites and distributed SCADA hubs face a dilemma: needing more ports than the A6210’s 16, but lacking space for full-sized switches. I was called to a Utah oil refinery in 2024 where they’d cascaded two A6210s to handle 22 devices—this added latency and created a single point of failure between switches. The A6220 solves this: its 24 PoE+ ports fit in the same 1U form factor, 370W budget powers more high-demand devices, and enhanced redundancy eliminates cascading risks. Unlike the A6210, it handles mid-size clusters of IIoT sensors without performance drops, critical for the refinery’s new predictive maintenance system.
You’ll find this switch in scaled-up compact environments: mid-size chemical batch plants, power plant secondary systems (cooling towers, ash handling), and regional water treatment facilities. At a Arizona wastewater plant, we installed 2 A6220s to connect 42 flow sensors, 12 IP cameras, and 6 edge controllers—each switch fit in a 14-inch cabinet, replacing three cascaded consumer switches. During a monsoon-related power surge, the enhanced dual power inputs (now supporting 110V DC) kept both switches online, and MRP redundancy prevented data loss to the main SCADA. The dual PoE rails let us split 30W cameras across rails, avoiding the overload issues we’d seen with the A6210, cutting maintenance calls by 70%.
Its core value is “density without compromise.” Mid-size sites outgrow 16-port switches but can’t justify 2U models— the A6220’s 24 ports in 1U solve this. The 370W PoE budget (double the A6210’s 190W) powers 12x 30W cameras plus 12x 15W sensors, covering most mid-site needs. Enhanced management features like NetFlow v9 let teams monitor IIoT traffic patterns, a must for predictive maintenance. For technicians, it retains the A6210’s intuitive GUI but adds rail-balancing tools for PoE—critical for avoiding overloads on the dual internal rails. It’s the A6210’s “big brother”: familiar to maintain, but built for sites that need more ports, power, and performance without sacrificing space.
Installation & Maintenance Pitfalls (Expert Tips)
PoE+ Rail Balancing: Leverage Dual Rails to Avoid Overloads
Rookies treat the A6220’s 24 ports as a single PoE pool, overloading one of the two 185W internal rails. A Wyoming gas plant made this mistake—plugging 8x 30W PTZ cameras into ports 1-8 (all on Rail 1) tripped the rail, shutting down critical sensors. The A6220 splits ports 1-12 (Rail 1) and 13-24 (Rail 2) — spread high-power devices evenly (e.g., 4 cameras on Rail 1, 4 on Rail 2). Use the web GUI’s “PoE Rail View” to see real-time load—never exceed 150W per rail (80% of 185W). Enable “Cross-Rail Balancing” (unique to A6220) to temporarily borrow power from the other rail if one nears capacity, preventing shutdowns. For permanent setups, reassign devices to balance loads—this simple step avoids 90% of PoE-related outages.
MRP Configuration: Set Correct Ring Port Roles
The A6220’s enhanced MRP supports larger rings (up to 30 switches vs. 20 on A6210), but misconfiguring ring ports still causes issues. A Nevada solar farm added 6 A6220s to their ring but assigned ring ports to different rails, causing failover delays. Always assign both ring ports (e.g., 23-24) to the same PoE rail—this ensures consistent power during failover. Set recovery time to 30ms (faster than A6210’s 50ms) for control networks. Use the A6220’s “Ring Health Check” tool to simulate failures— it maps bottlenecks before they cause outages. For mixed A6210/A6220 rings, set the A6220 as manager (it handles larger ring sizes better) to avoid compatibility issues.
DIN-Rail Mounting: Secure for Vibration-Prone Areas
The A6220’s DIN-rail clips are reinforced (vs. A6210) but still need proper installation in high-vibration areas. A Texas pump station had issues when using A6210 clips on the A6220— the heavier switch (1.8kg vs. 1.2kg) vibrated loose. Use only the A6220’s dedicated reinforced clips (P/N A6CLIP-DIN-2) — they have a metal insert for extra grip. Tighten to 0.7 N·m (higher than A6210’s 0.5 N·m) but use a torque screwdriver to avoid cracking the chassis. For extreme vibration (e.g., reciprocating pumps), add the optional DIN-rail lock bracket (A6BRACKET-LOCK) — it secures the switch’s bottom edge to the rail. Post-installation, perform a “vibration test” by running the pump at max load for 30 minutes— the switch should stay fixed with no LED flicker.
Emerson A6220
Technical Deep Dive & Overview
The A6220 is a 24-port upgrade to the A6210, built for mid-size compact industrial networks. It uses a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor (vs. single-core on A6210) paired with a 56 Gbps ASIC— enough for 24x 1Gbps PoE+ connections and 4x 1Gbps uplinks with sub-50µs latency. Like the A6210, it’s Layer 2 focused for simplicity, but adds advanced traffic prioritization (802.1p with 8 queues) to handle mixed control and IIoT traffic. The dual-core design lets it run management tasks (NetFlow, SNMP) without slowing data forwarding— a key improvement over the A6210 for busy networks.
Ruggedization matches the A6210’s industrial grade, but with enhanced power resilience: dual inputs now support 24V/48V/110V DC, compatible with more plant power systems. The conformal coating now meets IEC 60076-3 for chemical resistance—critical for refineries and chemical plants. Fanless design (standard) works in dusty areas, and the -40°C to 75°C range covers extreme climates. A key upgrade is the dual PoE power rails (185W each), preventing single-rail overloads that plagued the A6210. The switch also adds surge protection on SFP ports (±2kV), reducing failures from lightning-induced transients.
Its 24 PoE+ ports and 370W budget enable mid-size device clusters— a single A6220 replaces two A6210s or three consumer switches. The 30W per port powers cameras, edge controllers, and even small industrial PCs— no external power needed. For security, it adds 802.1X with EAP-TLS (vs. EAP-MD5 on A6210), meeting stricter cyber standards for critical infrastructure. The SFP ports now support 1Gbps single-mode fiber (up to 10km), extending connectivity to remote nodes without repeaters— a big win for distributed water treatment plants.
Ecosystem integration is seamless with Emerson’s tools: AMS Device Manager recognizes it as an A6200-series switch, so technicians use familiar workflows. It adds NetFlow v9 for traffic analytics—critical for troubleshooting IIoT bottlenecks. Firmware updates are dual-partition (new on A6220), so updates don’t take the switch offline— essential for 24/7 plants. The web GUI retains the A6210’s industrial terminology but adds rail-balancing and ring-health dashboards. For sites growing from 16 to 24 ports, it’s a drop-in upgrade— same mounting, same management, but double the PoE power and port density. The A6220 isn’t just an upgrade; it’s the A6210 evolved for mid-size industrial networks.
