Location management for future industrial networks

In the context of the 4^th industrial revolution, the knowledge and management of the precise topological and geographical location of industrial equipment is a growing necessity. However, a holistic concept for topology and location management in process- and factory automation networks down to the field level is yet unknown. In this work, existing network and location management mechanisms are surveyed for suitability in industrial automation networks. Special attention is given to the inclusion of the non-TCP/IP protocol IO-Link to integrate sensors and actuators on the field level into a holistic network management concept. Since the proposed solution is based on established standards, it can be easy integrated into existing implementations.