Abstract: A method for providing a network configuration for an industrial network includes discovering network topology data by a network configuration agent (NCA); receiving communication intent data from a network device; commissioning and identifying a remote network engine; forwarding the discovered network topology data and the received communication intent data to the remote network engine and requesting by the NCA the remote network engine for calculating network configuration data indicating network configurations; calculating the network configuration data on the provided network topology data and the received communication intent data; providing the calculated network configuration data to the NCA and distributing the calculated network configuration data to the network device, and initiating a network configuration in the industrial network.

Abstract: A computer-implemented broker entity receives from a requesting device a request for one or more target values of state information that have sought target semantic meanings; obtains one or more source values of state information that are associated with given source semantic meanings; obtains at least in part from a transformation library one or more transformations, wherein each transformation maps one or more first values that are associated with first semantic meanings to one or more second values that are associated with second semantic meanings; applies the one or more transformations or a new transformation obtained based on the one or more transformations to the source values of state information, thereby obtaining the one or more target values of state information; and transmits the one or more target values to the requesting device.

Abstract: A method for testing a network that comprises multiple devices includes sending, by a first device that is a regular participant of the network, on a path through the network, a test data flow to a second device that is another regular participant of the network; sending, by the second device, the received test data flow, and/or at least one diagnostic metric derived from this received test data flow, to a diagnostic entity; and determining, by the diagnostic entity, based at least in part on the test data flow, and/or on the diagnostic metric, received from the second device, whether the path through the network is performing according to at least one predetermined criterion.

Abstract: A method for testing a device or a subsection under test within a network includes generating, by at least one sending device that is a regular participant of the network and borders the device or subsection under test, at least one test data flow; sending the test data flow to at least one receiving device that is a regular participant of the network different from the sending device and also borders the device or subsection under test, on a path that passes through the device or subsection under test; determining, by the receiving device, at least one performance metric of the received test data flow; determining, based on the at least one performance metric, whether the device or subsection under test, and/or a link between this device or subsection under test and the sending device or receiving device, is performing according to at least one predetermined criterion.

Abstract: A method for testing a network that comprises multiple devices includes sending, by a first device that is a regular participant of the network, on a path through the network, a test data flow to a second device that is another regular participant of the network; sending, by the second device, the received test data flow, and/or at least one diagnostic metric derived from this received test data flow, to a diagnostic entity; and determining, by the diagnostic entity, based at least in part on the test data flow, and/or on the diagnostic metric, received from the second device, whether the path through the network is performing according to at least one predetermined criterion.

Abstract: A method for testing a device or a subsection under test within a network includes generating, by at least one sending device that is a regular participant of the network and borders the device or subsection under test, at least one test data flow; sending the test data flow to at least one receiving device that is a regular participant of the network different from the sending device and also borders the device or subsection under test, on a path that passes through the device or subsection under test; determining, by the receiving device, at least one performance metric of the received test data flow; determining, based on the at least one performance metric, whether the device or subsection under test, and/or a link between this device or subsection under test and the sending device or receiving device, is performing according to at least one predetermined criterion.