Make safety networks prove they can ride the storm.
StormMaster is an industrial network storm generator and receiver pair designed to flood critical control networks with controlled traffic while continuously monitoring a permanent node such as a PLC or HMI. Validate that your system stays safe, available, and within tolerance under worst-case conditions.
Controlled network storms for real-world safety assurance.
StormMaster generates high-load traffic between a dedicated transmitter and receiver while watching how your production control system behaves. It is deliberately simple to deploy, making stress testing a routine part of OT cybersecurity and functional safety campaigns.
Using a pair of compact appliances (Tx and Rx) or virtual instances, StormMaster injects configurable L2/L3 traffic into a selected segment of your safety or control network. At the same time, it continuously pings a nominated permanent endpoint (e.g. safety PLC, HMI server, engineering station) and records round-trip time, jitter, and packet loss across the test window.
This lets you answer the question: “When the network is mis-behaving, do my safety and control functions still respond as designed?”
- Generate broadcast, multicast, and unicast storms with selectable protocol mixes.
- Ramp load from low to full line rate, including step and burst profiles.
- Capture impact on latency, loss, CPU load and failover behaviours.
- Export test runs for inclusion in IEC 62443 and IEC 61511 lifecycle documentation.
Key capabilities & technical summary.
The following parameters can be tuned per test profile. Detailed configuration guides and integration notes are available on request.
StormMaster feature set
- Dual-appliance architecture (Tx/Rx) with permanent safety-node ping monitoring.
- Configurable traffic profiles: TCP, UDP, ICMP, ARP; unicast, multicast and broadcast modes.
- Step, ramp and burst storm patterns; schedule-based test windows.
- Threshold monitoring for ping latency, jitter, and packet loss to nominated PLC/HMI nodes.
- Summary and detailed run reports in CSV/JSON for import into your OT historian or reporting tools.
- Role-based access, local user accounts and optional integration with site authentication services.
- Designed for segregation in dedicated test VLANs and IEC 62443 security zones.
Technical summary
- Physical format DIN-rail or 1U half-width appliance; optional virtual image (VM)
- Interfaces Dual 1 Gbit/s Ethernet ports (test + management)
- Supported traffic IPv4, TCP/UDP, ICMP, ARP; broadcast/multicast/unicast
- Load profiles 0–100% line rate, step & ramp; configurable packet sizes
- Monitoring Continuous ping to one or more PLC/HMI nodes; loss & jitter thresholds
- Time base NTP-synchronised timestamps; per-test run IDs
- Power 24 VDC nominal (industrial PSU), <15 W typical
- Environment 0–50 °C, non-condensing; panel-mount enclosure
- Compliance focus IEC 62443 zones & conduits; IEC 61511 SIS & BPCS interface testing
Where StormMaster fits into your lifecycle.
From greenfield projects to brownfield upgrades and OT cybersecurity programmes, StormMaster helps you prove that your network and safety design behave as intended when stressed.
Zone & conduit robustness testing
Use StormMaster to validate that critical zones and conduits maintain essential functions under deliberate or accidental network storms and that segregation measures behave as expected.
SIS / BPCS communications assurance
Demonstrate that loss or degradation of communications does not compromise the ability of Safety Instrumented Systems to achieve or maintain a safe state, supporting IEC 61511 lifecycle activities.
FAT, SAT & pre-production checks
Run structured storm profiles during Factory and Site Acceptance Tests to uncover weaknesses in switch configurations, redundancy logic or controller behaviour before going live.
Cyber range & operator training
Include realistic network storm scenarios in OT cyber exercises and operator training, helping teams recognise symptoms and practise response procedures without risking live production.
Flexible options for labs, plants and fleets.
Indicative price bands are shown below. Final quotations depend on hardware options, quantity, and any site-specific engineering support. All tiers include firmware updates and basic support.
- 1× Tx + 1× Rx appliance or VM images.
- Up to 1 Gbit/s aggregate storm traffic.
- Basic reporting & CSV/JSON export.
- Email support during business hours.
- 1× Tx + 1× Rx industrial appliance.
- Multi-profile scheduling and templates.
- Enhanced reporting for IEC 62443 / IEC 61511 documentation.
- Remote commissioning support (time-boxed).
- Multi-site deployment and runbook definition.
- Custom reporting templates and export formats.
- Optional on-site training and witness testing.
- Priority support and roadmap input.
Ready to put your network to the test?
Send us your details and a brief description of your control system. We will respond with a tailored quotation and proposal outlining how StormMaster can support your IEC 62443 / IEC 61511 programme.