Glossary · Change, versions and configuration
Behavior version
Also known as: behaviour version
In systems engineering, a behavior version is the version of the state, reaction and fault logic of a system or interface. It changes when the system reacts differently, even if the data format and protocol stay the same.
- Data and interfaces
- Systems engineering
In one sentence
A behavior version tracks changes in state, reaction and fault logic that a protocol or data model version alone would not reveal.
Example
A press controller keeps its fieldbus protocol and data layout, but a new behavior version changes the reaction to a lost heartbeat from a warning to a stop category 1, so the operating manual must be updated.
How it applies
- Integrated systems: Version behavior separately from the protocol version and the data model version. Two peers can exchange valid messages and still disagree about what happens next.
- Machine safety: Changes to the state model, timeouts or fault reactions can affect safety functions. They usually need an impact analysis and renewed verification.
- Technical documentation: Operating and maintenance instructions describe behavior, so a new behavior version is a trigger for reviewing them, even when no interface field changed.
- Evidence: Tests and safety claims should state which behavior version they refer to.
Behavior version vs. protocol version
The protocol version covers the rules of communication. The behavior version covers what the system does with the communication: states, reactions, fault handling. A silent change of behavior under an unchanged protocol version is a common cause of integration surprises.