NiagaraAX backups

NiagaraAX backups

A NiagaraAX station includes a Backup Service. The BackupService provides for complete configuration backup of a JACE to your local Workbench PC or a to a browser PC (for users with Wb web or default Hx profile). By default, the BackupService is included when you create a new station using the New Station wizard. The remote Niagara host (JACE, Supervisor) must have the backup module installed.

A backup is a dist file (a zipped format) including, minimally, the station's config.bog, current station console output (.txt file), and backup.log file. If other station file types and subfolders are not excluded (in the “BackupService configuration”), the backup dist file contains them too–for example, files of type: Px, nav, html, jpg, png, and so forth. Also, the backup dist contains the zipped “nre-config” for that host (including license and certificates files), as well as pointers to the installed “nre-core,” OS, and JVM, each by version. Essentially, a backup dist provides a “configuration snapshot” of the entire JACE platform in zipped “dist” file format. This allows for a complete image restoration.

Note: Not included in a backup is runtime data that is actively managed by the station, such as the alarm and history databases. This data should be “backed up” using standard alarm routing and history archiving to a Supervisor host.

To restore a backup dist from Workbench, you open a platform connection to the JACE, then use the platform Distribution File Installer to install. Restoring from a backup may be necessary if the host hardware was replaced.