As a standardized communication technology, Ethernet is a fundamental component in industrial automation. However, standard Ethernet is still unable to cover automation technology with hard real-time requirements. Meeting the continually growing communication needs will require a uniform, manufacturer-independent communication network for real-time applications and best-effort data traffic. Therefore, the Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) working group of the IEEE standardization authority is extending existing Ethernet standards to allow for real-time communication.
One of the configuration models defined by TSN is the centralized model. It provides information on communication requirements and available network resources centrally, so it is well-suited for complex use cases. It includes the Centralized Network Controller (CNC), Centralized User Configuration (CUC) and User/Network Interface (UNI) that handles communication between the CNC and CUC.

For the time being, the centralized model still lacks a coherent configuration process that takes the UNI into account. This book presents a solution to this shortcoming. Furthermore, the centralized model is compared to an alternative model with a distributed approach. It concludes that the centralized model is suitable for real-time applications with stringent low-latency requirements, while the distributed model offers greater flexibility when latency requirements are less stringent. The current development of a merged model aims to blend the advantages of both models and increases the potential of TSN for industrial applications.