Types of NiagaraAX platforms
NiagaraAX is hosted on a wide range of platforms from small embedded controllers to high end servers. Instances of NiagaraAX software that run on these platforms are referred to as “stations.” Depending on the platform used, a station can offer different features and capabilities and be complemented with different options. In describing the NiagaraAX platforms, the following information also provides a general overview of the NiagaraAX product model (see Figure 2) and the various standard functions and options available.
The NiagaraAX installation may consist of one or more of the following devices that may connect to or communicate on a NiagaraAX installation network:
JACE:
the term JACE (Java Application Control Engine) is used to describe a variety of dedicated host platforms. Typically a JACE runs on a Flash file system and provides battery backup. JACEs usually host a station and a daemon process, but not the NiagaraAX Workbench. JACEs typically run QNX or embedded Windows XP as their operating system.
Supervisor:
the term Supervisor is applied to a station running on a workstation or server class machine. Supervisors are typically stations that provide support services to other stations within a system such as graphics, history, or alarm concentration. Supervisors by definition run a station, and may potentially run the daemon or Workbench.
Client:
most often clients running a desktop OS such as Windows or Linux access NiagaraAX using Workbench or a web browser.
Figure 2 NiagaraAX product model
Types of JACE controllers
JACE (Java Application Control Engine) controllers are dedicated host platforms that provide integrated control, supervision, and network management services for networks of building monitoring and control devices. When JACEs are connected over an ethernet network using TCP/IP, they can communicate with each other on a peer-to-peer basis as well as communicate with other ethernet-based devices. Using the User Interface Station Pack (UI-SP), the JACE can also serve dynamic displays of the information contained in the connected devices to any standard web browser. JACE controllers run either the QNX operating system or a Win32 operating system. JACEs include the following:
- JACE-2
This device is a compact embedded controller and server platform with battery backup. It runs QNX RTOS, IBM J9 JVM, and NiagaraAX. - JACE-4 and JACE-5
These devices are compact embedded processor platforms with flash memory, running QNX RTOS. - JACE NX
This device is a compact PC with a conventional hard drive that runs an embedded version of Microsoft Windows XP and the Sun Hotspot VM. - SoftJACE
The AX SoftJACE (Java Application Control Engine) is NiagaraAX Framework software that runs on a user-supplied PC, providing many of the same benefits as a JACE controller. The PC must meet the minimum requirements stated in the AX SoftJACE data sheet (Windows XP OS), and be dedicated to the SoftJACE application (single-purpose host).
NiagaraAX Supervisor
This “device” is a network PC acting as a server for multiple connected JACE stations. The AXSupervisor has the following features:
- Provisioning of multi-JACE systems (tools for updating and installation of software modules)
- Support for integration with standard RDBMS (MS SQL, Oracle, DB2, etc.)
- Platform for enterprise applications (Energy Suite) and others in the future
- Central database storage for attached JACEs
- Archive destination / repository for log and alarm data
- Central server of graphics and aggregated data (single IP address)
WorkPlaceAX (and the NiagaraAX platform)
This is the engineering tool that is used to create applications by defining components and linking them together to create logic and displays. It allows the user to develop comprehensive applications for control, monitoring, alarming, data logging, reporting, and real-time data visualization using a single graphical tool. WorkplaceAX can run as a standalone application on a PC, can be bundled with an AXSupervisor, or be served up to a browser from an embedded JACE platform.
“Platform” is the name for everything that is installed on a NiagaraAX host that is not part of a NiagaraAX station. The platform interface provides a way to address all the support tasks that allow you to setup and support and troubleshoot a NiagaraAX host. The platform daemon is a compact executable written in native code, meaning the daemon does not require the NiagaraAX core runtime, or even a Java VM. The platform daemon is pre-installed on every JACE controller (even as factory-shipped), and runs whenever the JACE is booted up.
Platform tools require a platform connection, which is different from a station connection. When connected to a NiagaraAX platform, Workbench communicates (as a client) to that host's platform daemon (also known as “niagarad” for Niagara daemon), a server process. Unlike a station connection, which uses the Fox protocol, a client platform connection requires Workbench, meaning it is unavailable using a standard Web browser.
A NiagaraAX host's platform daemon monitors a different TCP/IP port for client connections than does any running station (if any). By default, this is port 3011. Finally, the platform daemon uses “host-level” authentication for signon access. This means a user account and password separate from any station user account, and should be considered the highest level access to that host.
Browser user interface
The term “browser user interface” or “BUI” simply indicates user access of a NiagaraAX station (JACE controller or AXSupervisor) using a standard web browser. The BUI interface provides remote administration and monitoring of building control systems on an intranet or over the Internet.