MetaDefender Optical Diode - Fend XE50 is designed to enable secure, one-way data transfer between networks while physically preventing data from flowing in the opposite direction.
With the release of Fend XE50 firmware v1.2.0, the solution adds MQTT protocol support, greater flexibility for Modbus configurations, and additional usability improvements.
Fend XE50 v1.2.0: What's New?
The latest firmware release includes:
- MQTT protocol support – Adds an MQTT Subscriber on the input side and an MQTT Publisher on the output side. Subscribe to up to 50 topics/channels. Supports MQTT versions 3.1 and 3.1.1.
- OT protocol conversion to JSON over MQTT – Convert Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, and BACnet to JSON and publish via MQTT. Ideal for moving legacy OT data into modern cloud platforms or local databases
- Flexible Modbus port configuration – Adds support for non-standard Modbus ports. Use any port, not just 502.
- Usability and configuration enhancements
- Bug fixes and stability improvements
Flexible Protocol Support
Different environments rely on different communication protocols. Supporting these protocols is essential for integrating an optical data diode into existing network architectures.
Fend XE50 supports over 15 OT and IT protocols with dozens of conversion combinations, making it adaptable to a wide range of existing network architectures and data flows.
View complete list of supported protocols across all Fend models
What Is an Optical Data Diode?
An optical diode (data diode with optical isolation) is a network security device that enables data to flow in only one direction. Unlike conventional network security technologies that rely primarily on software controls, a data diode uses hardware-based technology to enforce unidirectional communication.
This makes optical data diodes useful for organizations that need to share information across security boundaries without creating a bidirectional network connection.
Fend XE50 can help organizations securely transfer data from protected or isolated networks to less-trusted networks and external systems while maintaining the separation between them.
Secure One-Way Data Transfer
Fend XE50 is designed for environments where network isolation is important, but data still needs to move between systems.
Organizations can use one-way data transfer to support use cases such as:
- Sharing data from isolated networks with monitoring systems
- Sending operational information to enterprise networks
- Transferring data to security monitoring and SIEM platforms
- Supporting analytics and reporting environments
- Connecting segmented or high-security networks
- Enabling controlled data exchange across security boundaries
By physically enforcing the direction of data flow, Fend XE50 helps reduce the risk associated with establishing a conventional two-way connection.
Secure Data Transfer Without Compromising Network Separation
Data does not always need to travel in both directions. For many applications, the requirement is simply to make information available to another network without creating a pathway back into the protected environment.
OPSWAT’s Fend XE50 addresses this requirement through optical, unidirectional data transfer. With expanded protocol support in v1.2.0, organizations have greater flexibility in integrating secure one-way communication into their existing network architectures.
Ready to learn more about MetaDefender Optical Diode - Fend XE50? Here are some helpful resources to explore:
