The PROFINET IO-Device driver allows the simulator to communicate with one or multiple pieces of equipment configured with a PROFINET IO Controller interface.
The simulator can instantiate to which controllers can connect and send read/write commands.

The PROFINET IO-Device interface can operate over TCP/IP using an Ethernet physical link connected to a network and be detected via DCP (Discovery and Configuration Protocol).
The user must load a GSDML file and select the correct configuration that matches the network configuration of the card and IO controller(s).

PROFINET (Process Field Network) is an industry technical standard for data communication over Industrial Ethernet, designed for collecting data from, and controlling equipment in industrial systems, with a particular strength in delivering data under tight time constraints. The standard is maintained and supported by PROFIBUS and PROFINET International, an umbrella organization headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany (source: Wikipedia).