A data processing and transmission system comprising a device for data exchange by PROFINET, wherein a target topology responsive to a set of configuration-relevant information for a particular variant of a modular plant or machine is generated
In order to configure network nodes as part of the planning and setting-up of an in particular real-time-based and isochronous data transmission between the network nodes, a method and apparatus are proposed, wherein a node is connected via the network to the apparatus which is programmed in such a way that, in response to at least one item of configuration-related information specified by an operator, it generates a set of configuration data which are necessary for configuring at least the one node and transmits at least a subset of this generated set of configuration data to the node via the network.