Open Access

ARTICLE

Resilient Time-Sensitive Networking Architectures for Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication in Converged Ethernet–5G Systems

Issue Vol. 3 No. 01 (2026): Volume 03 Issue 01 --- Section Articles

Abstract

Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) has emerged as a foundational technology for enabling deterministic, ultra-reliable, and low-latency communication over standard Ethernet infrastructures. Its evolution reflects a broader transformation in communication systems, where heterogeneous traffic types, stringent timing constraints, and mission-critical applications increasingly converge across industrial automation, vehicular systems, smart grids, and next-generation mobile networks. Parallel to this development, fifth-generation (5G) systems have introduced architectural innovations aimed at supporting Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC), network slicing, and tight synchronization across distributed domains. The convergence of TSN and 5G thus represents not merely a technological integration challenge, but a paradigmatic shift in how temporal determinism, resilience, and configurability are conceptualized in modern networks.

This article presents a comprehensive, theoretically grounded, and critically engaged investigation into resilient TSN architectures within converged Ethernet–5G environments. Drawing strictly on the provided body of literature, the study situates recent IEEE 802.1 amendments, particularly those addressing timing, synchronization, hot standby mechanisms, and configuration enhancements, within the broader historical and architectural trajectory of deterministic networking. Special attention is given to the role of clock synchronization accuracy, redundancy mechanisms, and dynamic reconfiguration capabilities as essential enablers of reliability under fault conditions and variable network loads. The analysis further integrates perspectives from 3GPP system and security architectures, examining how 5G core functions, time distribution mechanisms, and security procedures intersect with TSN requirements at both the control and data planes.

Methodologically, the article adopts a qualitative, literature-driven analytical framework that synthesizes standards documents, experimental studies, simulation-based analyses, and survey research. Rather than summarizing findings, the study elaborates each concept through deep theoretical exposition, scholarly debate, and critical comparison of competing approaches. The results are presented as interpretive insights into performance behavior, architectural trade-offs, and systemic constraints, particularly in relation to latency bounds, microburst mitigation, schedule optimization, and interoperability challenges. These insights are contextualized within service provider networks, industrial automation scenarios, and wireless extensions of TSN, including emerging IEEE 802.11 developments.

The discussion extends these findings by interrogating unresolved tensions between determinism and flexibility, static scheduling and runtime adaptability, and centralized versus distributed control paradigms. Limitations inherent in current standards and experimental methodologies are critically assessed, and future research directions are articulated with respect to cross-domain synchronization, security–timing co-design, and large-scale deployment validation. By offering an expansive and integrative treatment of resilient TSN architectures in converged Ethernet–5G systems, this article contributes a foundational reference for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and advance the state of ultra-reliable low-latency networking.

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