Networks are the top-level component for any NiagaraAX driver. For drivers that use field bus communications, such as Lonworks, BACnet, and Modbus (among many others), this often corresponds directly to a physical network of devices. Often (except for BACnet), the network component matches one-to-one with a specific comm port on the NiagaraAX host platform, such as a serial (RS-232 or RS-485) port, Lonworks FTT-10 port, or Ethernet port.

A BacnetNetwork component is unique because it supports multiple logical BACnet networks, which sometimes use different comm ports (e.g. if a JACE with BACnet MS/TP, one or more RS-485 ports). See the Bacnet Guide for more details.

Other “non field bus” drivers also use a network architecture, for example the Ndio driver (Niagara Direct Input / Output) and Nrio driver (Niagara Remote Input/Output) each have a network (NdioNetwork, NrioNetwork, respectively) to interface to physical I/O points on the appropriate host JACE or hardware I/O module (either directly attached or remotely connected). Also, “database” drivers also use a network architecture, for example the “rdbSqlServer” driver includes an RdbmsNetwork. (Database drivers apply only to Supervisor or AX SoftJACE hosts.)