Method for managing and configuring field devices of an automation system

A method for managing and configuring one or more field devices of an automation system, the method comprising:

• physically detecting a field device using a configuration tool designed to physically detect the field device in the automation system, to logically integrate the detected field device in the automation system and to configure the detected field device in the automation system, the configuration tool drawing on, for the managing and configuring, a predefined information package that is specific to the detected field device and describes at least some functions and data of the detected field device;
• forming, with the configuration tool, an FDI-based data package from the predefined field device-specific information package;
• forming, with the configuration tool, an integrated data package comprising (i) a first FDT-based data layer, (ii) a second FDT-based data layer nested within the first FDT-based data layer, and (iii) the FDI-based data package nested within the second FDT-based data layer;
• transmitting the FDI-based data package, via one or more FDT-based communications components, from the configuration tool and to the detected field device;
• and
• with the detected field device, unpacking and executing the FDI-based data package.