User configurable data messages in industrial networks

A flexible network system for network data transmission, wherein the data transmission occurs over a network, the flexible system comprising:

• a first network device and a second network device, wherein both the first network device and the second network device are coupled to the network, wherein the first network device and the second network device are operable to communicate with each other using the communication network by transmitting and receiving one or more data messages, wherein the first network device comprises at least one of one or more inputs and one or more outputs, wherein the second network device comprises at least one of one or more inputs and one or more outputs;
• and
• a graphical configuration tool operable to configure contents of a first data message of the one or more data messages, wherein said configuring operates on both the first network device and the second network device;
• wherein the first network device is operable to generate the first data message, wherein the first data message is operable to be propagated and received by the second network device, wherein the first data message groups together one of a first of the one or more inputs and a second of the one or more inputs or a first of the one or more outputs and a second of the one or more outputs.

A method for configuring network communication between a plurality of network devices, the method comprising:

• coupling a first network device out of the plurality of network devices to a network;
• coupling a second network device out of the plurality of network devices to the network, wherein the network is operable to communicate one or more data messages between the first network device and the second network device, wherein each of the first network device and the second network device comprises at least one of one or more inputs and one or more outputs, wherein the second network device is coupled to a first computer system;
• configuring the at least one of the one or more inputs and the one or more outputs on the first network device;
• configuring the at least one of the one or more inputs and the one or more outputs on the second network device;
• configuring a first data message of the one or more data messages, wherein the first data message comprises data for the at least one of the one or more inputs and the one or more outputs, wherein the first data message contains one of input data and output data;
• and
• propagating the first data message from the first network device to the second network device.