  Digital twin networks (DTNs) serve as an emerging facilitator in the
industrial networking sector, enabling the management of new classes of
services, which require tailored support for improved resource utilization, low
latencies and accurate data fidelity. In this paper, we explore the
intersection between theoretical recommendations and practical implications of
applying DTNs to industrial networked environments, sharing empirical findings
and lessons learned from our ongoing work. To this end, we first provide
experimental examples from selected aspects of data representations and
fidelity, mixed-criticality workload support, and application-driven services.
Then, we introduce an architectural framework for DTNs, exposing a more
practical extension of existing standards; notably the ITU-T Y.3090 (2022)
recommendation. Specifically, we explore and discuss the dual nature of DTNs,
meant as a digital twin of the network and a network of digital twins, allowing
the co-existence of both paradigms.
