Refactor p-net into Rust for Enhanced Safety and Modernization

[DonavanMartin]

Description

This issue proposes refactoring the p-net library, which implements the PROFINET protocol for industrial automation, from C into Rust. The goal is to create a Rust-native implementation (p-net-rs) that maintains p-net’s functionality while leveraging Rust’s memory safety, concurrency, and modern ecosystem to improve reliability and developer experience in real-time industrial applications.

Motivation

• No Rust Equivalent: As of June 2025, there is no mature Rust library for PROFINET, despite Rust’s growing adoption in industrial systems.
• Safety: Rust eliminates C issues like buffer overflows and memory leaks, critical for PROFINET’s real-time, safety-critical use cases.
• Performance: Rust’s performance is comparable to C, suitable for PROFINET’s real-time requirements.
• Ecosystem: Integration with Rust crates (e.g., tokio for async networking) can enhance p-net for Industry 4.0 applications.

Goals

• Develop a Rust-native p-net-rs library supporting core PROFINET features (e.g., RT communication, device discovery, cyclic data exchange).
• Ensure compatibility with industrial systems (e.g., PLCs, Siemens devices).
• Provide idiomatic Rust APIs that are safe and easy to use.
• Support cross-platform use (Linux, Windows, RTOS).

Non-Goals

• Replacing the C implementation (Rust version can coexist).
• Adding new PROFINET features beyond the current implementation.

Proposed Approach

Setup:

• Create a new repo (p-net-rs) or Rust submodule in p-net.
• Use cargo and MIT license (matching p-net).

Implementation:

• Port PROFINET stack (e.g., DCE/RPC, RT messaging) to Rust with safe abstractions.
• Use tokio or smol for async Ethernet communication.
• Implement core features: device identification, cyclic I/O, alarms.

Testing:

• Unit tests with cargo test.
• Integration tests with PROFINET devices or simulators (e.g., Siemens TIA Portal).

Documentation:

Rustdoc and examples for common PROFINET use cases (e.g., factory automation).