Sometimes called “embedded” JACE controllers, these include JACE-2,-3,-6,-7 series controllers as well as older JACE-4 and JACE-5 series models, all shipped with the QNX operating system. All these devices use onboard flash memory for file storage and provide wired Ethernet connectivity. The JACE-2,-3,-6,-7 series offer an option for an onboard wireless (GPRS) modem, and the JACE-700 offers a wireless 802.11b/g (WiFi) option.
Starting in AX-3.7, support ended for dialup modem operation in Niagara (dialup modem option card for a JACE controller, and/or
external dialup modem for a JACE controller or Supervisor).
The latest JACE-3E platform is available in 2013, introduced at the AX-3.7 update 1 release (AX-3.7u1). Positioned between a JACE-2 and JACE-6/6E in performance, a JACE-3E has onboard SRAM like a JACE-6E. At a prior 2012 AX-3.6 maintenance release (build 3.6.47), three other QNX-based JACE platforms were introduced: a JACE-6E controller (similar to JACE-6, but with onboard SRAM), and two “retrofit boards” for older Niagara R2 models of JACE-403 and JACE-545 controllers. With the retrofit board installed, these last two controllers are now considered “JACE-603” and “JACE-645” models.
See the following for further details on QNX-based JACEs:
Before AX-3.6, all QNX-based JACE controllers used the IBM J9 JVM (Java Virtual Machine) to host the Niagara Runtime Environment (NRE) for running a station. Starting in AX-3.6, more recent controllers (JACE-6, JACE-7), along with the newest (JACE-3E, JACE-6E, JACE-603, JACE-645), now use Oracle’s Sun Hotspot Java VM—the same VM type used in Windows-based NiagaraAX platforms.
For any JACE-6 or JACE-7 series controller upgraded from an earlier (pre-AX-3.6), the core software distribution automatically
replaces the J9 JVM with the Hotspot JVM. The associated license upgrade includes the required “sunj2se” feature, needed to allow the JACE to operate.
The Hotspot JVM provides a significant performance improvement. Plus, the Hotspot JVM provides J2SE support—useful for developers and system integrators skilled in creating program components or custom applications (written in Java). This allows many of the newer Java APIs, which have never been supported by the J2ME version in the IBM J9 JVM.
Due to resource limits, the JACE-2 series (all NPM2-based) controllers and previous (JACE-4, JACE-5) continue to use the IBM
J9 JVM, regardless of NiagaraAX release level. For the same reason in AX-3.7, these controllers also continue to use a Niagara
platform daemon (niagarad) written in “native code”, rather than a Java-based platform daemon (see Platform daemon (niagarad) for related details).
For the most part, these differences in Java VM and platform daemon are typically “transparent” to the normal configuration of the JACE’s hosted station or platform.
However, in AX-3.7 and later there are now notable advantages for a JACE using the Hotspot JVM, as follows:
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A Hotspot JACE supports IPv6 in its TCP/IP platform configuration. See TCP/IP changes in AX-3.6 for related details.
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A Hotspot JACE running AX-3.7 or later is capable of supporting secure encrypted (SSL) connections. See platform connection.
For reasons like these, the two subgroups of QNX-based JACE controllers are sometimes referred to as either “Hotspot JACE” or “J9 JACE” in this document.
Until availability of the JACE-6E series in early 2012 and now the JACE-3E series in 2013, all QNX-based JACE controllers include a standard, integrated, backup battery. Typically, this is a NiMH (nickel metal hydride) onboard battery. A few models also support an additional external 12V SLA (sealed lead acid) battery. The backup battery allows continuous operation during brief power outages.
The JACE provides a “power monitoring” component to track its AC power and backup battery level, with a configurable delay for orderly shutdown of the JACE upon AC power failures. Access power monitoring of a QNX-based JACE in the PowerMonitorService in a running station, see PlatformServices.
Starting at the initial AX-3.6 release, an “SRAM option card” became available for any JACE-2,-6,-7 series controller. If installed, the controller can operate without any backup battery, onboard NiMH or otherwise. SRAM support works via a station platform service, the “DataRecoveryService.”
The DataRecoveryService continuously records all database changes in SRAM, and upon reboot from a power event, restores (plays back) these changes. In the initial AX-3.6 release, the “DataRecoveryService” automatically replaced the “PowerMonitorService” in the JACE station’s PlatformServices.
Now, the latest JACE-3E and JACE-6E controllers include integral onboard SRAM, making the SRAM option card unnecessary. Although these controllers ship without a NiMH backup battery, you can field install a NiMH backup battery as an option.
Starting in AX-3.6.44, NiagaraAX support for SRAM and backup battery changed, to allow the usage of both backup methods. Now, any SRAM-equipped JACE controller can also have a backup battery, and be configured to use either SRAM or backup battery, or both. By default, its station’s PlatformServices contains both the PowerMonitorService and the DataRecoveryService.
For details, refer to the Engineering Notes II document JACE Data Recovery Service (SRAM support).
For any QNX-based platform, the following platform views differ from Windows-based platforms:
Also, in the Application Director, you cannot a station after manually stopping it—you must reboot the JACE instead. See Application and output controls.
Platform Administration for a QNX-based platform (Figure 4) differs as follows:
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An button is available. For details, see FTP/Telnet
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Selections possible in the Update Authentication function are simpler.
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Various data in summary information (repeated in View Details) differs greatly from Win32 hosts.
See Platform Administration for more details.
Starting in AX-3.6 build 3.6.44 and later, if platform connected to a JACE-603 or JACE-645 controller (QNX-based “retrofit
board” controller using an NPM6E processor), an additional button is available in the Platform Administration view, which
is labeled either:
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Install Niagara R2 — For a new uncommissioned controller, or one currently configured for NiagaraAX. Selecting this launches a wizard that removes all NiagaraAX configuration (including its station), and requires Niagara R2 2.301.535 or later installed on your Workbench PC.
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Uninstall Niagara R2 — For a controller configured for Niagara R2, instead of NiagaraAX. Selecting this removes all Niagara R2 configuration, including its Niagara R2 license and station.