As shipped from the factory, a QNX-based JACE controller contains, at most, only a minimum core Niagara software load and a Tridium certificate, but not all items needed to run a station. Some JACE models ship with only the bare minimum of software to run the Niagara platform daemon (niagarad). In all cases, the JACE does not contain the complete Niagara runtime environment, Java VM, and collection of software modules and other items needed to run a station—including a usable license.

Starting in AX-3.7, you can also configure any properly licensed QNX-based “Hotspot JACE” (most except for a JACE-2 or JACE-4/5) for secure, encrypted (SSL or TLS) platform access, as well as SSL access for station (Fox) client connections or station browser (WebService) connections. Details are outside the scope of this document. See the NiagaraAX SSL Connectivity Guide for complete details.

Using NiagaraAX Workbench, you must connect to any new JACE and commission it to install the necessary Niagara core software, selected modules, license(s), and do other platform configuration. Some important related tasks include setting the JACE’s:

This document provides step-by-step instructions for these and other tasks. As described ahead, the most straightforward way is to use the platform Commissioning Wizard.

The Commissioning Wizard is the only way to install the needed NiagaraAX core software in a JACE. It is no longer possible to “inadvertently install” core software from the Software Manager, Station Copier, or Distribution File Installer (in some cases with pre-AX-3.5 releases, this caused reconnection issues). Note that most steps in the Commissioning Wizard remain available as separate platform views. For example, there is a Software Manager, License Manager, and many others. Using these views individually may be useful after commissioning a JACE. See the “Niagara platform” section in the Platform Guide.However, always use the Commissioning Wizard to commission a new JACE for NiagaraAX, as well as to upgrade any JACE from one NiagaraAX point release to another—and make sure a license file is available!