Method and device for testing a firmware update for an edge device

A test system for testing a connection device which is arranged in an automation system with a plurality of field devices between the field devices of the automation system and an external server platform, wherein the connection device is assigned to the test system which serves to check the quality of the a version of firmware intended for the connection device, wherein the quality is checked with regard to specified quality criteria, the test system comprising:

• a real-time computing unit on which the new version of the firmware of the connection device is installed;
• a simulation unit that communicates with the real-time computing unit and provides the real-time computing unit with test data, wherein actions and reactions of the new version of the firmware to the test data provided are used to check whether the firmware fulfills the quality criteria specified by the system operator;
• a listener unit that monitors the data traffic between the computing unit and the simulation unit;
• an output unit on which the data listened to and possibly further processed by the listener unit is output.