The Local Station reflects a collection of (read-only) “Sys Def” properties, as shown in Figure 136.

These properties would be “sync’ed up” to a remote Supervisor station (if the local station was defined as its subordinate).

The Sys Def Provider (BogProvider) is the API handler for queries about the “Sys Def” hierarchy, for any remote stations configured as subordinates. It persists these definitions with child “ProviderStations” in the local station’s bog file (as the default storage method).

As shown in Figure 137, by default the property sheet of a NiagaraNetwork’s Sys Def Provider shows only two status properties: Status and Fault Cause. However, if you go to its slot sheet you may see additional child “ProviderStation” components.

To see child properties of a ProviderStation, you can clear the “Hidden” config flag, as shown being done in Figure 138. In turn, the slot sheet of that component also has more hidden properties. Note a child ProviderStation for the local station is also included under any Sys Def Provider (BogProvider).

An alternative configuration of ProviderStation persistence is possible, using an Orion database instead of station bog storage. That topic is outside the scope of this document.

Using the hierarchical definitions in the “Role Manager” components of Sys Def device extensions in NiagaraStations (in the NiagaraNetwork of various distributed stations), Sys Def information can be automatically “sync’ed upwards” from the lowest subordinate level stations to “intermediate level” stations. Such stations would be defined as the Supervisor to some stations, but as a subordinate to another station. In this way, “master” Supervisors could have the latest Sys Def information about many more stations than the ones represented locally. This information could be useful in system queries.

Sys Def information includes various connection-type property values, what different services the station is running, and a number of other items,