Ethernet has been equally established as a dependable wired solution in both computer and automation networks. The open standard allows terminals to be quickly and simply connected as well as easily scaled to exchange data with relatively inexpensive hardware. Ethernet was, however, not originally designed to meet the requirements posed by automation technology, particularly in regards to guaranteed and real-time communication. Therefore, various bus systems in automation have evolved using Ethernet on a physical level while implementing proprietary real-time protocols on top. These systems often lead to the exclusive use of the network infrastructure as well as vendor dependencies.