Siemens AG — Digital Industries

SCALANCE X208 Managed Switch

Siemens' benchmark 8-port Fast Ethernet managed switch for Totally Integrated Automation — native PROFINET optimisation, TIA Portal device management, MRP ring recovery under 200 ms, and SIMATIC integration that makes it invisible to the automation engineer.

8-Port Fast EthernetMRP RingTIA PortalPROFINET−40 to +70°C
SIEMENS SCALANCE X208 10/100 Mbps Ports P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 MRP Ring Port TIA Portal Managed 24 V DC PWR INPUT RN FT RM PROFINET MRP Ring S7-1500 CPU SCALANCE X208 ET 200SP G120 VFD ring closes here recovery <200 ms
Ports8× 10/100BASE-TX
Ring RedundancyMRP <200 ms
IntegrationTIA Portal V18+
Operating Temp−40 to +70°C
Power Supply24 V DC

Overview

The Siemens SCALANCE X208 is the most deployed managed switch in Siemens TIA-based automation networks, occupying the access-layer position in a S7-1500 / ET 200SP / G120 PROFINET cell. Its tightest integration point is TIA Portal: the X208 appears as a PROFINET IO device in the portal's hardware catalogue, meaning engineers configure network parameters, VLAN assignments, and port mirroring through the same drag-and-drop interface they use for S7 CPUs — without any separate CLI or web-GUI access. Firmware updates and configuration backups are handled automatically through the TIA Portal project restore mechanism.

For ring redundancy, the X208 implements Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP) as both MRP Manager and MRP Client, achieving sub-200 ms ring recovery compliant with IEC 62439-2. In high-availability cells, a pair of X208 switches form a redundant ring, ensuring that any single cable or switch failure does not halt PROFINET communication. The switch also supports RSTP (IEEE 802.1w) for interoperability with non-Siemens switches and Rapid Spanning Tree topologies.

The SCALANCE X208 is positioned at the cost-effective end of the SCALANCE X family, making it the right choice for straightforward 8-device PROFINET cells. For higher port counts, Gigabit speeds, or PROFINET IRT (isochronous real-time), Siemens' SCALANCE XC206-2 and XM400 families extend the same TIA Portal integration to more demanding topologies.

DIN-rail mounted industrial Ethernet managed switch, similar to the Siemens SCALANCE X208 used in PROFINET networks
DIN-rail mounted industrial Ethernet media converter and managed switch.

Key Features

  • Native TIA Portal Integration — Configured as a PROFINET IO controller target directly within TIA Portal. Exports GSD (General Station Description) device data automatically. No separate web console needed for standard deployments — parameters download with the PLC project. Configuration is version-controlled inside the TIA Portal project archive.
  • MRP Ring Redundancy — IEC 62439-2 — Supports both MRP Manager and Client roles. Reconfigures around a single ring break in under 200 ms, far within the PROFINET RT watchdog timeout for most applications. Supports rings of up to 50 SCALANCE devices. Compatible with standard MRP from other vendors for multi-vendor ring topologies.
  • Store-and-Forward Switching — Each port buffers the complete Ethernet frame before forwarding, enabling full error checking that eliminates corrupt fragment propagation. Combined with priority queuing (IEEE 802.1p), PROFINET RT traffic is forwarded ahead of HMI and TCP/IP background traffic even during network congestion.
  • PROFINET Conformance Class B Certified — Certified to PROFINET Conformance Class B (RT_CLASS_UDP and RT_CLASS_2), meeting the jitter and timing requirements for standard cyclic PROFINET IO. The switch's hardware PROFINET awareness ensures correct DCP response, alarm prioritisation, and I&M (Identification & Maintenance) data handling.

Technical Specifications

Siemens SCALANCE X208 Key Specifications
ParameterSpecification
Ports8× 10/100BASE-TX, RJ45, auto-MDIX
Switching MethodStore-and-forward
Switching Capacity1.6 Gbps
PROFINETIO Device, Conformance Class B (CC-B)
Ring RedundancyMRP (IEC 62439-2); RSTP (IEEE 802.1w)
VLANsUp to 32 VLANs (IEEE 802.1Q)
QoSIEEE 802.1p, 4 priority queues
ManagementTIA Portal, Web-based (HTTPS), SNMP v3, CLI
Operating Temperature−40°C to +70°C
Supply Voltage24 V DC (18–32 V DC), redundant input
Power Consumption≤4.1 W
Protection ClassIP30, DIN rail or wall mount
Dimensions (HWD)145 × 50 × 75 mm
CertificationsCE, UL/cUL, ATEX Zone 2, IECEx, PROFINET CC-B

Application Areas

  • PROFINET RT cell networks with S7-1200/1500 and ET 200SP
  • VFD (SINAMICS G120/S120) and HMI (TP900/1200) access layer
  • Machine tool Ethernet infrastructure within enclosures
  • Pharmaceutical and food & beverage process automation
  • Automotive body shop and assembly line networks

Sources & References

  • Siemens, SCALANCE X-200 Manual, Entry ID 59193579 (2024)
  • IEC 62439-2:2016 — Industrial Communication Networks, MRP
  • PROFIBUS & PROFINET International, PROFINET Conformance Classes Specification
  • Siemens TIA Portal V18 Network Configuration Manual