Computer system for controlling peripheral devices

A computer system comprising:

• at least one peripheral device;
• a control module to control the peripheral device;
• and
• a connection module that is connected to the control module via a first data link, the connection module comprising I/O data ports for exchanging pieces of information with the peripheral device, the peripheral device being connected to one or a plurality of the I/O data ports via a second data link,
• wherein a number of channels in the first data link is smaller than a number of I/O data ports of the connection module,
• wherein the control module includes a first gateway, which receives pieces of setpoint state information relating to the I/O data ports of the connection module,
• wherein the first gateway is configured to send, in response to the receipt of pieces of setpoint state information of an I/O data port, a configuration message to the connection module via the first data link, which predefines a setpoint state of the I/O data port on the connection module, and
• wherein the connection module is configured to receive the configuration message via a second gateway and to set the I/O data ports accordingly.