backup-BackupService

This component provides for complete configuration backups to the Workbench PC or a browser PC (user with Wb web profile). By default, the BackupService is included when you create a new station using the New Station wizard. The target host (JACE, Supervisor) must have the backup module installed.

The default view of a station’s BackupService is the BackupManager, which provides a Backup button to manually initiate a backup. A backup automatically performs a local station save first, and is run as a standard station job. This means each backup provides a progress bar, and upon completion, a popup notification. Under the station’s JobService, any backup appears as a Fox Backup.

About a backup .dist

A backup is saved as 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.

The backup .dist contains the zipped nre-config for that host (including license and certificate 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 controller platform in zipped .dist file format. This allows for a complete image restoration.

CAUTION: Be careful to keep backup .dist files in a secure location. They have always contained sensitive information, for example a station’s config.bog file. They also may contain sensitive host platform information. In update releases, this includes unique key ring files used for client password encryption.

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

The default backup destination depends on your station connection, as either:

Workbench(Fox) — !backups
A subdirectory backups under your software release directory. If you have not previously made station backups, the software automatically creates this directory.
Browser access (Wb Web Profile) — !backups
A niagara\wbapplet\backups folder under your Windows user profile location.

The default name for a backup file uses a format of: backup_stationName_YYMMDD_HHMM.dist

For example, backup_demo_250412_1429.dist for a backup made of station “demo” on April 12, 2025 at 2:29 pm.

Restoring a backup

To restore a backup .dist using Workbench, you open a platform connection to the controller and use the platform Distribution File Installer to install the backup .dist file.

Restoring from a backup may be necessary if the host failed in some manner to allow recovery (to the same hardware, or to replacement hardware).
Another usage is to install the same backup .dist file on multiple hosts, such that each host (controller) has the identical configuration, including station database. When performing these replicated host installations of a backup .dist, the platform Distribution File Installer allows you to choose if TCP/IP settings from the backup .dist should be restored (the default is to not). Typically you do not, as TCP/IP settings must be unique on each host.
For details, see the Niagara Platform Guide.

BackupService configuration

Configuration lets you define the file types and/or folders not included in a station backup. The service’s property sheet provides the following properties for configuration:

Property	Value	Description
Enabled	true or false	Activates (true) and deactivates (false) use of the object (network, device, point, component, table, schedule, descriptor, etc.).
Exclude Files	string of names (each delimited by a semi-colon (`;`)	Specifies file types to exclude from the backup dist, either by name or extension. By default, the following files are excluded:`.hdb;.adb;.lock;backup;console.;config.bog.b;config_backup`
Exclude directories	string of Ords with Ord Chooser control	Specifies station subdirectories to exclude from the backup dist, using relative ORD syntax. An Ord Chooser control provides a Directory Chooser window in which to select station subfolders. By default, the following subfolders are excluded: `file:^history, file:^alarm`
Offline Exclude Files	string of names (each delimited by a semi-colon (`;`)	Specifies file types to exclude from the backup dist, when the station is stopped on the source host. either by name or extension. By default, the following files are excluded: `.lock;backup;console.;config.bog.b;config_backup` Note: History (`.hdb`) and alarm (`.adb`) files are backed up, unlike with a running backup.
Offline Exclude Directories	string of Ords with Ord Chooser control	Specifies station subdirectories to exclude from the backup dist, when the station is stopped on the source host. Directories are specified using relative Ord syntax. An Ord chooser control provides a Directory Chooser dialog in which you can select station subfolders. By default, no directories are excluded, unlike with a running backup.