Distech Controls EC-Net Licensing Demystified · Niagara point licenses are available in the following point counts for outright purchase: 100, 250, 500, ... Tridium has opted for

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DISTECH CONTROLS EC-NET LICENSING DEMYSTIFIED

UNDERSTANDING THE LICENSING OF THE NIAGARA FRAMEWORK

CRAIG POTTER ILED PTY LTD

[email protected]

FEBRUARY 6, 2018

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Contents EC-Net and the Niagara Framework ............................................................................................................... 2

The EC-Bos / JACE ....................................................................................................................................... 2

Why buy your JACE from iLED? ............................................................................................................... 2

Initial purchase ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Future Upgrades ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Niagara AX (Legacy Support)................................................................................................................... 5

Additional Drivers ................................................................................................................................... 5

The Distech Driver for other OEMs ......................................................................................................... 6

The Supervisor ............................................................................................................................................ 7

Niagara Supervisor Connections ............................................................................................................. 7

Upgrades and Expansion ......................................................................................................................... 8

Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) .............................................................................................. 8

Niagara Supervisor Proxy Points ............................................................................................................. 9

Niagara Supervisor Drivers ..................................................................................................................... 9

FAQ’s .............................................................................................................................................................10

Features ....................................................................................................................................................10

Security .....................................................................................................................................................10

Stations .....................................................................................................................................................11

Documentation .........................................................................................................................................11

Development Roadmap ............................................................................................................................12

Compatibility .............................................................................................................................................12

Migration ..................................................................................................................................................13

Demo Site ..................................................................................................................................................13

Applications ..............................................................................................................................................13

EC-Net Selection Tool ...................................................................................................................................14

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EC-Net and the Niagara Framework Licensing in Niagara can be somewhat daunting. The most important concept to understand is that on

top of licensing the actual software, Niagara also licenses BOTH Niagara Connections, and Niagara Proxy

Points. Let us begin by defining these:

• Niagara Connection: A connection established between two Niagara Stations1. For example, the

connection between the Supervisor and the EC-Bos.

• Niagara Proxy Point: Any data point that is imported into the Niagara framework from outside.

For example, a temperature point from a BACnet controller is represented by a single Proxy

Point in Niagara when it is imported into the Niagara database.

The EC-Bos / JACE The EC-Bos is Distech’s Niagara JACE. Currently only the EC-Bos 8

(JACE-8000) should be used going forward, as the EC-Bos 3 and EC-

Bos 6’s are being phased out.

The EC-Bos is a field server designed to act as either a standalone

BMS for small applications, or to form part of a large BMS. In either

case, the EC-Bos acts as a data translator by bringing field buses such

as BACnet, Lon, Modbus and many others into the Niagara

framework.

Distech’s EC-Bos 8 is slightly more expensive than other OEM’s JACE-8000s as it includes additional

licenses for drivers, additional software such as the Productivity Enhancing Tools, Premade Applications,

and the high quality Distech Controls Image Library. These features can be added to other OEM’s JACEs at

the cost of a license (that generally works out more expensive than if the EC-Bos 8 had been purchased

outright).

IMPORTANT: When using Distech Controls BACnet or Lon controllers, it is required to have the Distech

Controls Wizard Service licensed and running on the Niagara station. This is included in the EC-Bos’s but

will need to be purchased as above for other OEM’s from Niagara 4 onwards.

Why buy your JACE from iLED? It’s true that EC-Bos is more expensive than JACE-8000’s from other OEMs. How do we justify this higher

price? Simple:

• EC-BOS includes the Distech Controls Support Pack. Required when programming a Distech

Controller through the JACE.

• Additional modules such as the Productivity Enhancing Tools, Pre-made applications & DC

Images.

• World class technical support based locally by the ONLY Niagara Certified Developer in Southern

Africa.

• World class and internationally certified training on Niagara and Distech Controls through iLED

University.

1 A Niagara Station is the “Project File” that contains all the Niagara programming, databases, graphics, histories, networks etc.

Figure 1. The EC-Bos 8

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• ILED recommend certified SI's to the industry through Consulting Engineers and Property

Owners/Developers - We only recommend SI's that support iLED.

Initial purchase When purchasing any EC-Bos/JACE you require three things:

1. Hardware: the physical EC-Bos 8. Includes the required SD Card2.

2. Core Software: the Niagara framework and all associated licenses

3. Software Maintenance Agreement3: The SMA is the period for which you subscribe to software

updates from Niagara

The Hardware The only choice to make is whether you would like your EC-Bos to have Wi-Fi or not. This is a hardware

change, so it can NOT be added/changed later. ILED only supply the option With Worldwide Wi-Fi

EC-BOS-8 with Worldwide Wi-Fi

EC-BOS-8 includes two isolated RS485 ports, two 10/100MB Ethernet ports, USB Backup & Restore and Wi-Fi connectivity. Worldwide Wi-Fi enabled.

EC-BOS-8 with Permanently Disabled Wi-Fi

EC-BOS-8 includes two isolated RS485 ports, two 10/100MB Ethernet ports and USB Backup & Restore. Wi-Fi setting permanently disabled.

Core Software This is the main software package and licenses bundled together. You need to decide how many points

you are expecting this EC-Bos to import and proxy from field controllers. If you are not sure, budget 50

points per controller. These points are any proxied points from any of the standard Niagara drivers such

as BACnet, Lon, Modbus etc.

Niagara point licenses are available in the following point counts for outright purchase: 100, 250, 500,

1250, 5000 and 10000.

If you require a point count that does not fit neatly into the available options, then an Integration Pack

can be added to the outright purchase to add points to the core pack in the following point counts: 500,

1250, 2500.

EC-BOS-8 Core - 100 Points EC-BOS-8 core software. Includes standard open drivers. Supports up to 100 points. Requires EC-Net 4.1 or higher. Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) must be purchased in conjunction with this item (use EC-BOS-8 (250 Points) SMA).

EC-BOS-8 Core - 250 Points EC-BOS-8 core software. Includes standard open drivers. Supports up to 250 points. Requires EC-Net 4.1 or higher. Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) must be purchased in conjunction with core software.

2 This special and encrypted SD card contains the operating system, Niagara and licenses etc. If you lose it, you are required to purchase another as a normal SD card will not work. P/N: EC-BOS-8 microSD card 3 . After the first SMA expires you are not required to renew, however, you will lose access to future updates & patches. If you are out of SMA and wish to renew, you will need to pay for the period you were out of SMA in addition to the new SMA.

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EC-BOS-8 Core - 10000 Points

EC-BOS-8 core software. Includes standard open drivers. Supports up to 10000 points. Requires EC-Net 4.1 or higher. Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) must be purchased in conjunction with core software.

Note: Integration Packs can only be purchased with the Core Software. Upgrades will be addressed later.

Software Maintenance Agreement To fund continual software development, upgrades, patches and security features, Tridium has opted for

the SMA model. This guarantees customer access to continued support and updates for the SMA period,

providing peace of mind and ensuring the system is secure and reliable as possible.

The SMA is linked to the Core Software’s Point count. If, for example, you purchased the “EC-Bos-8-Core

– 250 Points” then you will purchase the SMA for 250 points, choosing the duration that best suits the

customer.

NOTE: The 18-month SMA must be used in the initial purchase (although this can be upgraded to the 3 or

5-year option). Thereafter only the 1, 3 or 5-year options can be purchased.

NOTE: If integration packs are added, this will not affect the SMA.

The SMA can be purchased for the following durations: 1 year, 18 months, 3 years and 5 years.

EC-BOS-8 (250 Points) 18-month SMA EC-BOS-8 (5000 Points) 18-month SMA

EC-BOS-8 (250 Points) 1-year SMA EC-BOS-8 (5000 Points) 1-year SMA



EC-BOS-8 (500 Points) 18-month SMA EC-BOS-8 (10000 Points) 1-year SMA

EC-BOS-8 (500 Points) 1-year SMA EC-BOS-8 (10000 Points) 18-month SMA



EC-BOS-8 (1250 Points) 18-month SMA

EC-BOS-8 (1250 Points) 1-year SMA



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Future Upgrades It is possible to add more points to an EC-Bos at a later stage, allowing modular upgrades while reducing

upfront cost however Upgrade packs are more expensive than Integration packs.

Integration packs are available in the following point counts: 500, 1250, 2500.

NOTE: Integration packs do not affect the SMA.

EC-BOS-8 Upgrade Pack - 500

EC-BOS-8 device upgrade pack purchased any time after initial core software purchase. Adds support for additional 500 points to core software.





Niagara AX (Legacy Support) To support legacy systems and drivers, the EC-Bos 8 can run Niagara AX. This feature can only be

unlocked through the purchase of an additional license.

EC-BOS-8 AX Station Pack Enables EC-BOS-8 to run EC-Net AX 3.8U.

Additional Drivers There are hundreds of 3rd-party drivers for the Niagara framework. All these drivers are available and

should be compatible with the EC-Bos, however compatibility cannot be guaranteed, and full technical

support cannot be provided by Distech Controls for these drivers. The driver developers remain the

technical support resource for these drivers.

Some drivers are only compatible with Niagara AX, while others work only for N4. Some have different

versions for each Niagara. Also, some drivers require additional external hardware. Please contact us to

confirm the details for your driver requirements.

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The Distech Driver for other OEMs As of Niagara 4, any Niagara station running with a Brand ID4 other than Distech will need to purchase a

license to use all the Distech Controls’ services, modules etc.

These modules are required to program any Distech Controllers through the Niagara Station, as well as to

take advantage of all the add-ons provided by Distech’s Wizard Service5.

This Support Package is licensed in Device Packs of 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 or 200. Packs can be purchased in

any combination to make up the required controller amount.

NOTE: In the Support Package, each device in the pack adds 50 points to a “points pool”. For example, a

10 Device Pack allows you to import up to 10 Distech Controllers OR up to 500 proxy points from Distech

Controllers (whichever is reached first). If there is 1 Distech Controller on the above license with 500

points, then the license has been fully utilized and no more points/controllers can be added until another

points pack is purchased.

EC-Net Support Package - 5 Device Pack

EC-Net Support Package - Enables Distech Services for support of up to 5 Distech Controls’ devices or 250 points on EC-BOSs or EC-Net Supervisors running EC-Net v4.x or higher and licensed with Brand IDs other than "Distech".











4 The Brand ID can be found in the Platform’s Application Director, or alternatively in the Niagara License file 5 A Niagara service that adds many time saving features to Niagara and allows programming of ECB and ECL controllers.

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The Supervisor The Niagara Supervisor runs EC-Net. This Supervisor is usually a dedicated PC whose role is central

management, data storage, archival and serving the front end amongst many others.

The supervisor imports data either from the EC-Bos’s, or directly from IP-Based field controllers.

The licensing for the Supervisor is broken down into two categories:

• Niagara Connection Count

• Niagara Proxy Point Count

A Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) must also be purchased with the Supervisor.

Niagara Supervisor Connections Niagara connections are defined as the number of Niagara devices connected to the Supervisor. One

connection is required for every EC-Bos that connects to the Supervisor.

Niagara Supervisor connections are available in the following quantities: 0, 1, 2, 3, 10, 100 and unlimited.

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 0 EC-NetAX Supervisor with 0 Niagara network connections - for managing IP devices only. Includes standard drivers. Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) must be purchased in conjunction with Supervisor software.

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 1 EC-NetAX Supervisor with 1 Niagara network connection. Includes standard drivers. Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) must be purchased in conjunction with Supervisor software.

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 2 EC-NetAX Supervisor with 2 Niagara network connections. Includes standard drivers. Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) must be purchased in conjunction with Supervisor software.




EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor UNL EC-NetAX Supervisor with Unlimited Niagara network connections. Includes standard drivers. Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) must be purchased in conjunction with Supervisor software.

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Upgrades and Expansion Where required, either with the outright purchase or for a later upgrade, additional Niagara connections

can be added with the Niagara Connection Adder.

Niagara Connection Adder Adds one additional Niagara connection to EC-NetAX Supervisor.

It is also possible to upgrade between bundles of Niagara connection packs.

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 100 Upgrade

Upgrades "small" EC-NetAX Supervisor (EC-NetAX Supervisor 0 through EC-NetAX Supervisor 10) to 100 Niagara connections. Will maintain any Niagara Connection Adder that were added to original license.

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor UNL Upgrade

Upgrades EC-NetAX Supervisor 100 to unlimited Niagara connections.

Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) To fund continual software development, upgrades, patches and security features, Tridium has opted for

the SMA model. This guarantees customer access to continued support and updates for the SMA period,

providing peace of mind and ensuring the system is secure and reliable as possible.

The SMA is linked to the Supervisor’s Niagara Connection Count. If, for example, you purchased the “EC-

Net 4/AX Supervisor 10” then you will purchase the SMA for 10 connections, choosing the duration that

best suits the customer.

NOTE: The 18-month SMA must be used in the initial purchase (although this can be upgraded to the 3 or

5-year option). Thereafter only the 1, 3 or 5-year options can be purchased.

NOTE: If additional connections are added, this will not affect the SMA.

The SMA can be purchased for the following durations: 1 year, 18 months, 3 years and 5 years.

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 0 - 18-month SMA EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 10 - 18-month SMA

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 0 - 1-year SMA EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 10 - 1-year SMA



EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 1 - 18-month SMA EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 100 -18-month SMA




EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 2 - 18-month SMA EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor UNL - 18-month SMA

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 2 - 1-year SMA EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor UNL - 1-year SMA



EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 3 - 18-month SMA

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor 3 - 1-year SMA



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Niagara Supervisor Proxy Points It is possible to import and proxy points directly into the Niagara Supervisor. This means that the

Supervisor can directly monitor the points provided they are available on IP. In the case of a system with

IP only controllers, or IP to fieldbus converters, it is possible to not need any EC-Bos’s on the site.

As with the EC-Bos, each point imported into the Supervisor’s proxy point database will use a proxy point

license.

NOTE: If a point has already been proxied into an EC-Bos, no additional license points are required to get

that data point into the supervisor. This data point will be sent to the supervisor from the EC-Bos via the

Niagara network connection licensed earlier. In other words, a proxy point license is only used when

converting a point from a fieldbus to Niagara. Once in Niagara, it is free to be transferred and shared

within the framework at no additional cost.

Proxy point licenses are added to an EC-Net Supervisor using an Integration Pack. These can be purchased

either outright, or later. The Integration packs are stackable and modular, giving you a flexible approach

to the licensing scheme.

Integration packs are available in the following point quantities: 500, 1250, 2500, 10000, 25000, 50000.

EC-Net 4/AX Supervisor Integration Pack - 500

Supports up to 500 points (Standard drivers included).













Niagara Supervisor Drivers There are hundreds of 3rd-party drivers for the Niagara framework. All these drivers are available and

should be compatible with the EC-Net Supervisor, however compatibility cannot be guaranteed, and full

technical support cannot be provided by Distech Controls for these drivers. The driver developers remain

the technical support resource for these drivers.

Some drivers are only compatible with Niagara AX, while others work only for N4. Some have different

versions for each Niagara. Also, some drivers require additional external hardware. Please contact us to

confirm the details for your driver requirements.

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FAQ’s

Features Q: Is the newer visualization/Web feature essentially the same, but just based on HTML5?

A: Common end user’s views will now be available in HTML/HTML5. These views include Charting,

Scheduler, Alarm Console, Database Manager, User Manager, Hierarchy Navigation, Search and Property

Sheet.

Q: Is the JAVA applet completely gone?

A: No, most engineering views are still rendered in JAVA applet technology. However, most end user

views have been converted to HTML5. The applet will still be available to anyone who chooses to use it,

though using it is not recommended.

Q: What about BajaScript?

A: BajaScript v1.0 applications will need to be re-factored to be compatible with EC-Net 4, which utilizes a

more modular and efficient BajaScript v2.0.

Q: Is it true that BajaScript v2.0 makes it more difficult to create custom UIs?

A: No, that is not true. BS2.0 is more modular, efficient and flexible, making it easier than ever to create

custom UI in Niagara by leveraging open Web technologies (HTML5, JSON, JavaScript, CSS3, etc).

Q: Does EC-Net 4 support SVG (vector graphics)?

A: Yes, in fact there is a new SVG graphics library included. You will have the ability to zoom in and out

without any degradation of the image quality, which means that graphics will display equally well on

small devices such as phones as they do on large screen monitors.

Security Q: How is security being improved with EC-Net 4?

A: Here are some examples of the security enhancements that have been made to EC-Net 4:

• Data in motion and sensitive data at rest are encrypted (foxs/https/platformtls)

• Supports features such as strong hashed passwords, TLSv1 for secure communications and

certificate management tools for authentication

• EC-Net 4 can be integrated with existing enterprise identity and access management systems,

such as LDAP and Kerberos

• Employs a Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for simplified configuration of user access and

permission controls

• All user actions, along with any security issues, are recorded in an audit log for increased

traceability.

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Stations Q: How can charts be output directly from the station?

A: There is an Export feature that will allow charts to be saved as PDF files.

Licensing

Q: Will an EC-Net 4 license work with EC-NetAX Pro, the same way a 3.8 license worked for EC-NetAX

Pro 3.7 for example?

A: EC-Net 4 and EC-NetAX have different licenses, although both can be present on the same PC.

Q: What about the current "office demo" license that needs to be renewed yearly? Will that be

available?

A: Yes, demo licenses for EC-Net 4 Supervisor and EC-BOS-8 will be available. In fact, EC-Net 4 versions of

all current EC-NetAX Supervisor, EC-BOS-3AX, EC-BOS-6AX and EC-BOS-7AX demo licenses are already

available at no extra cost.

Maintenance

Q: Is maintenance mandatory? Will this be a mandatory recurring cost for customers?

A: A Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) must be purchased alongside an initial purchase of EC-Net

4 Supervisor or EC-BOS-8. A minimum 18-month SMA must be purchased or an optional 3- or 5-year SMA

can be purchased instead. You can choose whether you want to extend or renew the SMA by purchasing

a 1-, 3- or 5-year SMA before or after the initial maintenance period expires.

Q: When does this 18 months of the SMA start?

A: The SMA period begins when the license for the product is created, i.e. just after it is ordered.

Q: If a 3-year SMA is purchased, does that make the SMA period 4 years (1 year included + 3 years)?

A: The SMA 3-year option that is available at initial purchase is for a period of 3 years.

Documentation Q: Where can I find the EC-Net 4 technical documentation?

A: EC-Net 4 technical documentation is accessible from several places:

1. Complete EC-Net 4 technical documentation is included in the EC-Net 4 Installation Directory under the

"docs" folder with every "Released" image of EC-Net 4.

2. Also, technical documentation is available in the EC-Net 4 Pro Help system, as HTML. Select "Help"

from the EC-Net 4 Pro main menus.

3. Finally, new and updated technical documents for EC-Net 4 (not complete legacy set of documents) are

located on SmartSource here: http://www.distech-controls.com/en/us/login/

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Development Roadmap Q: What if I need a driver for a proprietary/legacy system within an EC-Net 4 station?

A: You will need an EC-Net 4 version of that driver even if an EC-NetAX version already exists. Many of

these drivers have already been re-developed for EC-Net 4 and will be available from Distech Controls.

Q: Have you entertained UUKL (UL864)?

A: Distech Controls offers a UUKL UL864 certified EC-BOS-6AX. If you have a project that requires an EC-

Net 4 based UUKL UL864 certified system, please contact your Distech Controls Regional Sales Manager

or [email protected].

Q: Will all EC-NetAX based products currently offered by Distech Controls be re-developed for EC-Net

4?

A: Yes, EC-Net 4 versions of almost all EC-NetAX based products are being developed including

ENVYSION, EnerVue and, Security. We encourage you to keep an eye out for related release

communications from Distech Controls Marketing. Release dates may vary from product to product.

Compatibility

Minimum required versions for EC-NetAX communications compatibility with EC-Net 4: 3.6U4+, 3.7U1+,

3.8R+

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Migration Q: How is Distech Controls assisting customers with upgrading the EC-NetAX platform to EC-Net 4?

A: Distech Controls is providing an EC-Net 4 Migration Tool that will convert an EC-NetAX 3.8 station to an

EC-Net 4 stations.

Q: Do you need to upgrade to 3.8 first, to migrate stations to EC-Net 4?

A: Yes, the Migration Tool needs a 3.8 station as input.

Q: Will program objects migrate to EC-Net 4 without some modification?

A: Possibly. The Migration Tool will identify all program objects in a station and attempts to compile

them. Even if they compile successfully, it is highly recommended that you verify the functionality, as the

behaviour of the Niagara APIs may have changed.

Demo Site Q: Is there a live EC-Net 4 demo we can access?

A: The EC-Net 4 demo site is currently being developed.

Applications Q: Does EC-Net 4’s improved "designed for mobile" interface mean that no Niagara Mobile App

services are necessary?

A: Niagara Mobile Apps are not necessary for EC-Net 4, just as they were not necessary for 3.7 or 3.8.

However, there are Niagara Mobile

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EC-Net Selection Tool Distech Controls has created a tool to make selecting the P/N’s required for EC-Net and the EC-Bos an

easy and automated task. The spreadsheet can be downloaded at the link below:

EC-Net Selection Tool

Contact Us

iLED Pty Ltd

Master Distributor of Distech Controls in Sub-Saharan Africa

011 958 2529

[email protected]

http://www.iled.co.za

https://iledza-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/craigp_iled_co_za/EsbJ7pxP3thHqmTKaOs2qTsBYxnOAOUVTUs-J4-BsFn6Hg?e=Go6dIC

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.iled.co.za/

Documents

Distech Controls EC-Net Licensing Demystified · Niagara point licenses are available in the following point counts for outright purchase: 100, 250, 500, ... Tridium has opted for