Self-configuration of IEEE 802.1 TSN networks

Configuration processes of real-time networks are costly both in terms of time and engineering effort and require the system to be shutdown during the reconfiguration phase thus resulting in significant down time as well. The convergence of IT/OT technologies is bringing a whole world of possibilities for the configuration and management of real-time networks for the automation industry. With software defined networking (SDN) features like the separation of the data and control plane and standards like IEEE 802.1 developed with the goal of adding deterministic capabilities to traditionally dynamic switched Ethernet networks, the plug and play paradigm is almost around the corner. In this paper, we go one step further and start looking into the self-configuration of real-time networks. To achieve that we propose to introduce a Configuration Agent in the network, an entity that continuously monitors the network to detect changes and automatically update the configuration to adapt to such changes while maintaining desired quality of service. We present here the complete framework for the Configuration Agent that will provide self-configuration capabilities to real-time networks. The proposed framework has IEEE 802.1 as its core, but also shows how the set of standards need to be extended in order to achieve the self-configuration requirements. Concretely we examine the role of existing communication protocols like NETCONF and OPC-UA and propose the essential ingredients (managed objects) for a YANG model for the learning aspects in the bridges, including different working modes.