NiagaraAX introduction

NiagaraAX introduction

The NiagaraAX framework includes integrated network management tools and a comprehensive toolset that enables non-programmers to build rich applications in a drag-and-drop environment. The primary characteristics of the NiagaraAX Framework are listed and described below:

Java-based

The NiagaraAX framework uses the Java VM as a common runtime environment across various operating systems and hardware platforms. The core framework scales from small embedded controllers to high end servers. The framework runtime is targeted for J2ME compliant VMs. The user interface toolkit and graphical programming tools are targeted for J2SE 1.4 VMs.

Heterogeneous system integration

NiagaraAX is designed from the ground up to assume that there will never be any one “standard” network protocol, distributed architecture, or fieldbus. NiagaraAX's design center is to integrate cleanly with all networks and protocols. The Niagara Framework standardizes what's inside the box, not what the box talks to.

Programming for non-programmers

Most features in the Niagara Framework are designed for dual use. These features are designed around a set of Java APIs to be accessed by developers writing Java code. At the same, most features are also designed to be used through high level graphical programming and configuration tools. This vastly increases the scope of users capable of building applications on the NiagaraAX platform.

Embedded systems

NiagaraAX is designed to run across the entire range of processors from small embedded devices to server class machines. Niagara is targeted for embedded systems capable of running a Java VM. This excludes some very low-end devices that lack 32-bit processors or have only several megabytes of RAM, but opens up a wide range of processor platforms. Embedded systems with the power of low end workstations have special needs. They have no integral display monitor and require remote administration. Embedded systems also tend to use solid state storage with limited write cycles and much smaller volume capacities than hard drives.

Distributed systems

The framework is designed to provide scalability to highly distributed systems composed of 10,000s of nodes running the Niagara Framework software. Systems of this size span a wide range of network topologies and usually communicate over unreliable Internet connections. NiagaraAX is designed to provide an infrastructure for managing systems of this scale.