Endpoint Architecture for Distributed Real-Time Applications Based on TSN

Distributed real-time applications perform deterministic tasks across multiple connected compute platforms, referred to as endpoints. Deterministic behavior of the communication and the compute are prerequisites, but coordinating and managing both in a holistic way is a significant challenge. Converged real-time networks based on Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) are considered the key enabler across industries for the required connectivity. To date, the potential of TSN cannot be exploited due to many sub-standards still being under development, gaps in the management and configuration functions, lack of best practices and unresolved integration with higher application layers and domain specific engineering. Previous work, focusing on a modular open source framework for the engineering and management of distributed real-time applications, identified a unified approach for TSN-based endpoints as a key gap. This paper presents a novel endpoint architecture to operate, engineer and manage distributed real-time applications by seamlessly integrating real-time networking and compute. The architecture provides interfaces to a central engineering, allows to integrate centralized as well as distributed network management and offers a unified data management. An abstraction layer for applications allows the efficient use and complements existing open source solutions.