Stratix 5700 vs Stratix 5800

Overview

In the realm of industrial automation, critical machine-to-machine communications and enterprise-level integration rely heavily on robust network infrastructure. For over a decade, Rockwell Automation’s Allen-Bradley Stratix line of switches has sat at the center of Connected Enterprise architectures. This detailed guide contrasts the long-standing, fixed-architecture Stratix 5700 managed switch with its next-generation successor, the modular Stratix 5800 managed switch.

Both switch lines were co-developed with Cisco, integrating Cisco's networking engine with Rockwell Automation's Premier Integration into Studio 5000 Logix Designer. However, the fundamental shifts in industrial networking—namely the demand for higher bandwidth, increased port density, robust modularity, and advanced OT security—led to the introduction of the Stratix 5800. Understanding the functional, physical, and software differences between these two product families is essential for control engineers designing new networks or planning migration paths.

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Key Differences at a Glance

The most immediately apparent difference lies in their mechanical form factors. The Stratix 5700 utilizes a rigid, fixed-port design, meaning the hardware footprint you purchase is the exact footprint you keep. In contrast, the Stratix 5800 is built on a modular chassis, featuring fixed base units (10 ports) that can be coupled with side-car expansion modules to adapt to changing network layouts.

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Specifications Comparison

To assist alignment with system layouts, the following table details the technical electrical, physical, and memory specifications of the two series. Note that while some parameters (like motor control ratings) are not standard for network infrastructure, comparable electrical ratings are listed below.

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Performance & Capabilities

The performance delta between the Stratix 5700 and the 5800 represents a decade of industrial network evolution.

Throughput and Bandwidth

The Stratix 5700 is primarily a Fast Ethernet (10/100 Base-T) platform. While several high-tier SKUs—such as the 1783-BMS10CGN or 1783-BMS20CL—feature dual combo Gigabit ports for uplink connections, the local downlink ports to devices remain throttled at 100 Mbps.

The Stratix 5800 is an all-Gigabit Ethernet switch. Every RJ45 downed port can support true 10/100/1000 Mbps traffic. This feature is critical for modern industrial operations that utilize high-resolution machine vision cameras, edge computing devices, telemetry databases, and high-frequency production lines that create immense quantities of control data.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) Budgets

If you are deploying IP-based physical security cameras, RFID readers, or remote HMI clients, PoE capacity is a crucial metric:

• Stratix 5700: Select models offer up to 4 PoE/PoE+ ports with a maximum combined electrical power budget of 120W.
• Stratix 5800: Accommodates high-density PoE/PoE+ deployments. Expanding the base chassis with modules like the 1783-MX04E allows the switch to supply up to 360W of total PoE budget, easily running up to 24 PoE-powered edge devices from a single din-rail node.

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Programming & Software

The user experience during setup, monitoring, and replacement of these switches outlines another significant generational divide.

+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|                      STUDIO 5000 AOP                      |
|  Direct diagnostic tags inside Logix, simplifying status |
|  monitoring and recovery on EtherNet/IP systems.          |
+-----------------------------+-----------------------------+
                              |
               +--------------+--------------+
               |                             |
               v                             v
     +-------------------+         +-------------------+
     |   Stratix 5700    |         |   Stratix 5800    |
     |   Classic IOS     |         |   Cisco IOS-XE    |
     |  Simple ACL, SD   |         | Advanced Security |
     |   Smartports L2   |         |  L3 Dynamic / Web |
     +-------------------+         +-------------------+

OS Engine: Classic IOS vs. IOS-XE

The Stratix 5700 runs on standard Cisco IOS, which has been the industry standard for CLI-driven network configurations for years. However, its memory architecture limits on-switch processing and browser-based interfaces.

The Stratix 5800 runs on the modern Cisco IOS-XE platform. This operating system decouples the control plane from the data plane, providing enhanced security, robust software patching routines, and a much more responsive Web Device Manager UI. It allows advanced command operations and simplifies network visibility for OT technicians who do not specialize in command-line scripting.

Logix Integration with Studio 5000

Both systems offer Add-On Profiles (AOP) for Studio 5000 Logix Designer. This enables automation engineers to map switch diagnostic parameters—such as overall port status, alarms, dynamic temperature, and optical fiber transmit/receive power—directly into Logix controller tag databases. However, the Stratix 5800 provides more detailed graphical representation on newer FactoryTalk View Faceplates and HMI screens than its predecessor, speeding up troubleshooting and decreasing MTTR (Mean Time to Repair).

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Communication & Networking

Modern control structures demand sophisticated networking capabilities to isolate automation networks from corporate IT while ensuring uninterrupted data flow.

Network Address Translation (NAT)

A key selling point for the Stratix 5700 was its hardware-enabled 1:1 NAT configurations (present on models like the 1783-BMS10CGN). NAT allowing duplicate machine IP ranges to reside on the plant floor while presenting unique IP pathways to the plant-level backbone. The Stratix 5800 carries this capability forward, natively supporting extensive IP mapping protocols, dynamic Layer 3 routing, and customizable software policies directly across all active subnets in its dynamic IOS-XE suite.

Media Redundancy and Device Level Ring (DLR)

Both switches support Device Level Ring (DLR) technology, allowing them to act as active ring supervisors or nodes on a resilient ring network:

• Stratix 5700: Provides basic configuration parameters to form DLR paths, bridging up to two separate operational circles on selected models.
• Stratix 5800: Extends resilience options. In addition to industry-standard Resilient Ethernet Protocol (REP) and Spanning Tree Protocols (STP/RSTP/MSTP), it easily handles higher numbers of high-speed DLR nodes without introducing transport-layer packet jitter.

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Pricing & Lifecycle

Developing an industrial lifecycle management strategy requires analyzing cost versus useful lifespan.

Stratix 5700 Lifecycle Status

The Stratix 5700 family is currently positioned in the Active Mature lifecycle stage. Rockwell Automation has already planned or enacted the retirement of specific low-end catalog configurations. Buying replacement 5700 units at present comes with premium pricing as legacy stock depletes, and risk of upcoming discontinuations remains high.

Stratix 5800 Lifecycle Status

The Stratix 5800 line is categorized as Active and represents Rockwell’s primary managed switch platform. Component availability, software updates, safety certifications, and firmware mitigation patches are prioritized here. Physically, modularity reduces future CAPEX; instead of buying an entirely new hardware cabinet when port density needs grow, users only purchase expansion components (e.g., 1783-MX08T).

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When to Choose Each

Select the Stratix 5700 if:

• Direct Drop-In Replacements: You are maintaining an existing skid or OEM machine architecture where drawings, physical panel backplate dimensions, and local documentation specify identical dynamic part codes (e.g., 1783-BMS10CGN).
• Isolated Machine Cells: You only need minimal port layouts (fewer than 6 to 10 nodes) with lower-bandwidth requirements, keeping localized automation data separated from industrial-wide server frameworks.

Select the Stratix 5800 if:

• Future-Proofing New Systems: You are engineering new panels where gigabit speed, modern security protocols (ISA/IEC 62443-4-2), and high physical space-to-performance efficiency are defined requirements.
• High-Bandwidth Edge Deployments: Your process runs advanced systems like high-resolution IP surveillance cameras, network-heavy analytics, or expansive I/O systems demanding gigabit conduits.
• Scalable Topologies: You require highly modular expansion capacities, moving from 10 ports up to 26 ports using a single base unit footprint.

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Migration & Upgrade Path

Because the Stratix 5800 differs mentally and physically from the Stratix 5700, switching across platforms requires careful planning.

       [ Stratix 5700 Fixed Panel Space ]
                       │
                       ▼ Physical Layout Audit
       [ Stratix 5800 Base + Side Expansion Module ]
                       │
                       ▼ Configuration Porting
       [ Re-write IOS configurations into IOS-XE ]
                       │
                       ▼ Controller Integration
       [ Download Studio 5000 Stratix 5800 AOP ]

1. Verify Physical Mounting Dimensions: The Stratix 5700 runs in a flat-profile DIN-rail assembly. The modular Stratix 5800 footprint builds horizontally. Check details like physical width and cable-bend metrics to ensure there is enough clearance on the DIN rail for the base module (1783-CMS10B/CMS10C) plus any desired expansion modules.
2. Review Energy Demands: The power consumption profile of the Stratix 5800, especially when run with multiple PoE expansion slots, is higher than older switches. Ensure your 24V DC panel power supplies are scaled correctly to supply the appropriate continuous current.
3. Upgrade Integration Software: Install the latest Studio 5000 Add-On Profile (AOP) for the Stratix 5800 series. If migrating directly, delete older 5700 tags and link new AOP tags to your FactoryTalk HMI screens to maintain dynamic diagnostic mapping.
4. Prepare Config Files: Configurations cannot be directly copied via SD card between a Stratix 5700 (IOS) and a Stratix 5800 (IOS-XE). Network engineers will need to use command line tools or the modern Web UI to adjust IP tables, VLAN structures, and physical port assignments based on the newer software architecture.

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Frequently Asked Questions (3-5 Q&A)

1. Can I use my old Stratix 5700 SD card in a Stratix 5800?

No. The Stratix 5700 uses a standard classic-formatted SD card (1783-SD). The Stratix 5800 requires a secure, high-density industrial SD card (1783-SDG) engineered to interface with the Cisco IOS-XE platform database structure.

2. Does the Stratix 5800 support Layer 3 routing?

Yes, but Layer 3 capabilities on the Stratix 5800 are determined by software profiles and licensing. You must specify the Advanced software platform variant or obtain the Layer 3 licensing expansion to process dynamic routing configurations such as OSPF, static IP routing, and advanced VRF modules.

3. Are the expansion modules hot-swappable on the Stratix 5800?

No. For safety and configuration synchronization integrity, you must power down the base unit of the Stratix 5800 switch before sliding or snapping expansion modules to the DIN-rail backplate assembly.

4. Do both switches support Device Level Ring (DLR)?

Yes. Both the Stratix 5700 and Stratix 5800 lines include models that fully support DLR setups, functioning either as ring supervisors or as active network tracking nodes on a dual-port redundancy ring.

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Related Articles

• Optimizing Studio 5000 Integration for Stratix Managed Switches
• How to Upgrade Industrial Network Hardware: A Step-by-Step Security Compliance Guide
• Device Level Ring (DLR) vs. Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) on the Plant Floor