Automated topology scan

A method for automatically registering a topology of a fieldbus network from a device access software, wherein the device access software is installed in a host which is in data connection with the fieldbus network, and wherein the fieldbus network includes a plurality of field devices and gateway devices, the method comprising:

• scanning an address space of a field access device or of a predetermined gateway device of the fieldbus network to find gateway devices and field devices present in the address space;
• querying device specifications from the gateway devices and the field devices present in the address space, wherein the device specifications include a hardware version, a software version, and a protocol version of a queried device;
• comparing a first device driver with the device specifications of the queried device and determining of a quality value of the first device driver based on differences between the first device driver and the device specifications of the queried device;
• instantiating and integrating into the device access software the first device driver when the quality value of the first device driver is above a predetermined limit value;
• scanning an additional address space provided by each found gateway device to find additional gateway devices and additional field devices present in the additional address space;
• querying the device specifications from the additional gateway devices and the additional field devices present in the additional address space;
• comparing a second device driver with the device specifications of a queried additional device and determining of a quality value of the second device driver based on differences between the second device driver and the device specifications of the queried additional device;
• instantiating and integrating into the device access software the second device driver when the quality value of the second device driver is above the predetermined limit value;
• repeating the scanning of an additional address space for each found additional gateway device until all gateway devices present in the fieldbus network in a region below the field access device or below the predetermined gateway device are found or until a break condition is fulfilled;
• and
• comparing a result of the registering of the topology of the fieldbus network with a stored earlier version of the topology of the fieldbus network and highlighting possible changes compared with the earlier version.