As shown in Figure 19, the ProvisioningNwExt has a single Start Backup action.
When invoked, a provisioning job to backup every NiagaraStation (providing its Backup extension is enabled) is immediately submitted to the batch job queue.
Note that invoking this action is generally equivalent to doing the following:
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Double-clicking the ProvisioningNwExt for its Niagara Network Job Builder view.
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Adding a Backup Stations step in the view’s “Steps for each station List”.
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Adding all stations in the view’s Stations List.
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In the buttons area, clicking .
However, note either method (single action shown, or equivalent steps) is generally not recommended.
On a large system where a Supervisor has many JACEs, invoking the action shown above (or equivalent steps listed) creates a provisioning job that can take an excessive amount of time. Further, it can put an undue load on the system at a peak time—when an administrator invokes it. Finally, unlike a provisioning job from a NiagaraNetworkJobPrototype (the preferred way), the accumulated backup .dist files remain stored on the Supervisor until manually deleted—not available to “job retention” policies. Without manual intervention, over a long period of time this could lead to a “disk full” condition on a Supervisor.
What is recommended, particularly for a large enterprise system where a Supervisor has many JACEs, is to add multiple NiagaraNetworkJobPrototype components in the Supervisor’s station, copying from the provisioningNiagara palette. Then you can configure each one for a custom backup job, selecting some of the system’s JACE stations in each one.
To run each backup job at some periodic interval, perhaps at an “off hours” time, you could add and link a standard TriggerSchedule component (also available on the provisioningNiagara palette). By using multiple TriggerSchedules (one configured slightly differently for each linked NiagaraNetworkJobPrototype), backups could constructively “stage” in sequence—say 10 minutes apart from one another.
Additionally, each NiagaraNetworkJobPrototype component has configurable “job retention” policies, via its “Prototype Job List” view. You can (and typically should) configure them to provide automatic disposal of older saved backup .dist files, based on age or some number of earlier saved backup .dist file. For an example procedure including NiagaraNetworkJobPrototypes, see Example Supervisor configured for “Job Prototype” backups of stations.
For other related details, see the following sections: