A process control system can include data processing devices, control processors, input/output (I/O) modules, and process devices, such as sensors, transmitters, and valves. In a process control system, a data processing device can provide configuration data for a process to a control processor. The configuration data identifies devices to be controlled by the control processor to perform the process, relationships between the devices, and drivers and other parameters of the devices. Based on the configuration data, the control processor can provide control data to the controlled devices to perform the process.
Some process control systems store configuration data in the form of images. In such systems, changes cannot be made to stored configuration data without materially affecting the integrity of the images. Such systems can lack efficiency in their storage of configuration data, thereby inhibiting their utility.