PlatformConnection (provisioningNiagara-PlatformConnection)

This component is used by the ProvisioningNwExt to poll each station.

To configure each host’s newly-created PlatformConnection component, you access the Platform Connection property sheet by right-clicking ProvisioningNwExt and clicking Views > Property Sheet. Then you specify both the connection’s HTTP port and platform credentials (username and password). No special view, other than the property sheet, exists for this component.

Most provisioning jobs use secure platform connections (platformssl for versions 3.7 and 3.8; platformtls for versions 4.0 and later).

Figure 14. Platform Connection Properties

To access these properties, expand Config > Drivers > NiagaraNetwork > NiagaraStation, and double-click Platform Connection. NiagaraStation represents your station name.

Property	Value	Description
Status	read-only	Reports the condition of the entity or process at last polling. `{ok}` indicates that the component is licensed and polling successfully. `{down}` indicates that the last check was unsuccessful, perhaps because of an incorrect property, or possibly loss of network connection. `{disabled}` indicates that the `Enable` property is set to `false`. `{fault}` indicates another problem. Refer to `Fault Cause` for more information.
Fault Cause	read-only	Indicates the reason why a system object (network, device, component, extension, etc.) is not working (in fault). This property is empty unless a fault exists.
Port	number (defaults to 3011 for a connection that is not secure; defaults to 5011 for a secure connection)	Identifies the port on which the platform daemon in the station’s host is listening. Displays as Platform Port in the Add or Edit windows when working in the Station Manager view.
Credentials	Username and password	Specifies the credentials used for a platform connection to the host’s running station. Credentials display as Platform User and Platform Password in the Add or Edit windows when working in the Station Manager view.
Secure	`true` (must be `true` for N4.0 and later) or `false` (default for AX-3.7 and AX-3.8)	Specifies if a secure connection should be used to the host. Displays as Secure Platform in the Add or Edit dialog in the Station Manager view.
Health	text	Contains information about the success or failure of the last pings, and is similar to the standard “Health” slot in most driver networks.
Alarm Source Info		Specifies how and if alarms are to be generated as a result of ping monitor failures, similar to the standard Alarm Source Info slot in most driver networks.

Action

A single Ping action is available on the Platform Connection, to immediately force a short message to the host’s platform daemon. Its Health property updates with ping results. To test their validity, issue this action after entering port and credentials properties.