the active communication assembly b 1 and other active communication assemblies not shown here the control assembly sb controls the communication assemblies b 1 b 2 when one of the communication assemblies b 1 b 2 is started u201c started up u201d the necessary operating software is first transferred from the control assembly sb to the respective communication assembly b 1 b 2 this operating software is used to start the communication assemblies b 1 b 2 when these have been started the control assembly transfers to the respective communication assembly b 1 b 2 the configuration data relating to the terminals which are respectively being managed by the communication assembly b 1 b 2 finally the respective communication assembly b 1 b 2 is activated by the control assembly sb as a result of the assignment of the respective network address of the communication assembly b 1 b 2 the procedure just outlined is also referred to as u201c loading u201d the assembly in the normal error free operating state of the communication network shown in fig3 initially only the communication assembly b 1 is loaded with operating software configuration data and a network address the communication assembly b 2 remains passive inactive at first since the terminal eg 3 stores the network address associated with the communication assembly b 1 the terminal eg 3 can register with this communication assembly b 1 when the terminal eg 3 registers and is set up the communication assembly b 1 creates and alters configuration data a copy of which is saved at regular intervals of time in a memory in the control assembly the control assembly sb monitors the communication assembly b 1 at regular intervals of time and to this end.