This section presents an overview of:

• system size limits and address space capabilities;
• details about EIB's shared variable run-time model;
• EIB's resource management features and how these are exploited for the…
• … configuration and customization of devices in an installation.

It is shown how the OSI communication stack of the EIB system fulfills this requirements; quite naturally, this is reflected in the PDU (Protocol Data Unit) structure of the EIB frame or "telegram".

Finally, together with the protocol running on them, the physical transmission media embody the EIB digital communication bus which brings the network to life.