The RB-603 or RB-645 retrofit board upgrades a Niagara R2 based JACE-403 and JACE-545 controller, respectively, to a unit with increased performance and the ability to run either Niagara R2 (build 2.301.535 or later) or NiagaraAX software, build 3.6.44 or later. Each retrofit board uses an NPM6E (Niagara Processor Module) that runs the QNX operating system and the Oracle Hotspot Java VM.

You no longer use the R2 “Admin Tool” for host-level configuration of an upgraded unit. Instead, you use Niagara Workbench 3.6.44 or later for all host (platform) configuration of a JACE-603 or JACE-645 controller—regardless if it will run Niagara R2 or NiagaraAX.

If you install Niagara R2 (the subject of this document), you continue to use the Niagara R2 JDE (Java Desktop Environment), build 2.301.535 or later, for all R2 station access and configuration. However, for ongoing host-level functions you use Niagara Workbench and a platform connection to the JACE-603 or JACE-645. This provides various platform views to change items like TCP/IP settings, date/time and time zone, host credentials (authentication), as well as an “R2 Platform Tool” view that provides numerous other functions formerly done in the R2 Admin Tool.

As shipped from the factory, the JACE retrofit board contains only the bare minimum of software to run the NiagaraAX platform daemon (niagarad), a Tridium certificate file, and your upgraded Niagara R2 license file. Note the JACE does not contain a complete Niagara R2 (or NiagaraAX) runtime environment, or collection of software modules and other items needed to run any type of station.

Instead, using Niagara Workbench, you must connect to the JACE and commission it. For Niagara R2, you use the Install Niagara R2 option to install the necessary Niagara R2 core software, plus software modules from your local (build 2.301.535 or later) R2 software files. This wizard option also lets you install your previously-saved Niagara R2 station, the updated R2 license, and any necessary R2 lexicon files.

You also do other platform configuration using Workbench. Related tasks include setting the JACE’s:

This document provides step-by-step instructions for these and other tasks.

For Niagara R2, you typically do not use^[2] the standard platform “Commissioning Wizard” to configure a JACE-603 or JACE-645—as you would for a unit to run NiagaraAX, or to upgrade it to a newer AX release. Instead (and always for a new factory-shipped unit), you initially use the Install Niagara R2 choice in the “Platform Administration” view, and thereafter the special “R2 Platform Tools” platform view in Workbench, which supersedes the R2 Admin Tool. In addition, before starting the “Install Niagara R2” process, make sure that you have all required software and licenses on your installation PC. See Niagara (AX and R2) and PC Requirements. We also recommend that you backup the R2 license shipped with the unit before doing any R2 Niagara or NiagaraAX commissioning. For a procedure, see Copy the installed R2 license file.