Peer-Level Configuration Backup for Industrial Device Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in efficiently managing device configuration files, particularly during device replacements, where configuration loss or incomplete configurations can lead to lengthy setup processes and increased processing resources, and existing peer-to-peer networks lack resilience when intermediary control systems go offline.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a self-healing peer-to-peer communication network that allows network devices to store and share backup device configuration files, enabling automatic reconfiguration of new devices and maintaining network operation even when intermediary control systems are unavailable, by using peer-level control to manage device configuration storage and access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If device configuration files are stored centrally in control system memory, then configuration management is simplified, but system downtime and processing resources increase during device replacements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized configuration storage into distributed peer-to-peer storage across multiple network devices. Each device maintains its own configuration file and can share it with others, eliminating the single point of failure and reducing dependency on central control system availability during replacements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having network devices automatically download and store backup configuration files from peers before replacements occur. This pre-positioning of configuration data eliminates waiting time during device replacements, as the configuration is already available locally when needed.
2Reliability
If configuration backup is implemented using traditional methods, then configuration redundancy is achieved, but communication overhead and processing resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling network devices to autonomously manage their own configuration backups by downloading from peers without requiring central control system intervention. This decentralized approach reduces processing overhead on the control system while maintaining configuration redundancy through peer-to-peer sharing.
3Reliability
If peer-to-peer network operates without intermediary control system, then system resilience improves, but network coordination becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by enabling the peer-to-peer network to dynamically adapt its coordination mechanism based on control system availability. When the control system is unavailable, devices automatically switch to autonomous peer-to-peer configuration sharing without requiring complex pre-planned coordination protocols.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this present disclosure may include a system that includes a first network device. The first network device may perform an operation according to a device configuration file. The system may also include a second network device that directly communicatively couples to the first network device through a peer-to-peer (P-P) communication network. The second network device may include a backup file of the device configuration file. The second network device may transmit the backup file of the device configuration file to the first network device in response to detecting that the first network device is lacking the device configuration file.