Insertion of management packet into a deterministic track

An apparatus comprising:

• a device interface circuit;
• and
• a processor circuit configured for identifying first and second slots for transmission of a data packet toward a destination device along a deterministic track of a deterministic network, the first slot reserved for the apparatus, operating as a first network device, receiving the data packet from a second network device and the second slot reserved for transmission by the apparatus of the data packet toward the destination device along the deterministic track;
• the processor circuit further configured for detecting, in the first slot, an absence of receiving the data packet from the second network device, and in response to the detected absence selectively generating a management packet and causing transmission, by the device interface circuit, of the management packet along the deterministic track in the second slot.

One or more non-transitory tangible media encoded with logic for execution by a machine and when executed by the machine operable for:

• the machine, operating as a first network device, identifying first and second slots for transmission of a data packet toward a destination device along a deterministic track of a deterministic network, the first slot reserved for the first network device receiving the data packet from a second network device and the second slot reserved for transmission by the first network device of the data packet toward the destination device along the deterministic track;
• the first network device detecting, in the first slot, an absence of receiving the data packet from the second network device;
• and
• the first network device selectively generating and transmitting in the second slot, in response to the absence of receiving the data packet, a management packet along the deterministic track.