Supplementary information 
  16.7 Basics and terminology of fault-tolerant communication 
CPU 410-5H Process Automation/CPU 410 SMART 
System Manual, 10/2013, A5E32631667-AA 
237 
Unlike an S7 connection, a fault-tolerant S7 connection consists of at least two underlying 
subconnections. From the perspective of the user program, configuration, and connection 
diagnostics, the fault-tolerant S7 connection with its underlying subconnections is 
represented by exactly one ID (just like a standard S7 connection). Depending on the 
configuration, it can consist of a maximum of four subconnections. To maintain 
communication in the event of an error, two of the four subconnections are always 
connected (active) at any given time. The number of subconnections depends on the 
possible alternative paths (see figure below) and is determined automatically. Within an S7-
H connection, only subconnections over CP or over the integrated CPU interface are used in 
the configuration. 
The following examples and the possible configurations in STEP 7 are based on a maximum 
of two subnets and a maximum of 4 CPs in the redundant fault-tolerant system. 
Configurations with a higher number of CPs or networks are not supported in STEP 7.