GE MDS ORBIT MCR, Technical Manual, Page: 330 / 463

330 MDS Orbit MCR/ECR Technical Manual MDS 05-6632A01, Rev. F
Configuration
The configuration for the REMOTEs and AP for this use case is similar to configuration of REMOTE as
described in use case#1, except that at the AP the IPsec is configured in responder mode.
Use Case#3 High Reliability MCR AP to REMOTE Layer-2 Network
Following figure shows a setup to achieve a high reliability network communications between an MCR
AP and REMOTE using 900 MHz and Cellular communications in a redundant layer-2 network setup
using bridging and bonding functionality.
CELL
NX
ETH
GRE-TUN
BRIDGING FUNCTION
Cellular Network
RTU
192.168.1.0/24
REMOTE-1

NX configured as layer-2 interface in the Bond
interface.

Cell configured with APN that provides static IP
address.

GRE configured as layer-2 interface over Cell in
the Bond Interface.

The Bond interface configured as member of
the Bridge.

STP is disabled on the Bridge.

(Optional) IPsec configured over Cell to provide
security.

Failover between NX and Cell enabled by
bonding interface by monitoring NX link status.

NX configured as layer-2 interface in the bridge
with ETH (192.168.1.0/24 network).

Cell configured with APN that provides static IP
address.

GRE configured as layer-2 interface over Cell in
the bridge with NX and ETH (192.168.1.0/24
network).

STP disabled on Bridge.

(Optional) IPsec configured over Cell to provide
security.
The failover happens at the remote.
CELL
NX
ETH
GRE-TUN
BRIDGING FUNCTION
RTU
AP
192.168.1.0/24
MCR to MCR NX+CELL redundant network (layer-2) setup using bridging and bonding – Use Case#3
BOND
CELL
NX
ETH
GRE-TUN
BRIDGING FUNCTION
RTU
192.168.1.0/24
REMOTE-2
BOND
Figure 3-228. MCR to MCR NX+CELL redundant network (layer-2) setup using Bridging and
Bonding
In above use case, a remote asset (e.g. RTU) connected to AP can send/receive data to/from another
remote asset connected to a REMOTE. Both, AP and REMOTE MCR have 900 MHz radio (NX) and
Cellular radio options. This is a typical NX setup where LAN networks connected to both AP and
REMOTEs are bridged to enable Ethernet communication between any remote assets on the LAN
networks. A layer-2 GRE tunnel (ETHERNET-OVER-GRE mode) is setup over Cell. The redundant
layer-2 link between AP and REMOTE is achieved by use of a BOND interface on the REMOTE.
A BOND interface bonds two layer-2 interfaces together and presents them as a single layer-2 interface to
the rest of the system. Specifically, the BOND interface in active-backup mode enables redundancy
between the enslaved interfaces by activating the secondary member link when primary link goes down.
On each REMOTE, the BOND interface bonds NX interface (primary) with GRE layer-2 tunnel interface
(secondary) and is itself bridged with the LAN interface. On the AP, the NX and layer-2 GRE tunnel
interfaces are bridged with the LAN interface.