No one network is a panacea for all the world's problems. Even though the technology is much more mature, the ideal network is no closer now than it was two decades ago. All networks are a series of trade-offs:
Determinism vs. throughput: You can push more data through a network if you don't have to guarantee every device gets equal access all the time.
Distance vs. bandwidth: The longer the network is, the more delays and high frequency attenuation.
Hardware vs. software expense: In the oft-cited seven-layer model, the more layers you do in hardware, the higher your performance. But doing those layers in hardware means more chip design and high volume requirements.
Functionality vs. cost: An extensive list of features almost certainly means more complex and expensive installation.
Simplicity vs. flexibility: Modbus, for example, is very simple and easy to use but has limited functionality and is not well suited for peer-to-peer applications.
Openness vs. security: Ethernet's interoperability makes its vulnerable to hackers and well-intentioned employees. A network such as Profibus is much more difficult to hack from the outside.
InTech Home