Project Engineering 2

Accelerated Engineering Using Templates and

Provisioning
Accelerated Engineering
Using Templates and
Provisioning

Learn how the latest

provisioning tools make
commissioning JACE and EDGE
controllers a breeze in a deep
dive demonstration.
 Kyle Sardinia
Senior Application System Sales
Engineer
Tridium

CHARLOTTE, NC | APRIL 4-6

Time Flies…
April 2018 Niagara
Summit
July 2020 Niagara 4.9
July 2018 Niagara 4.6
March 2021 Niagara 4.10
October 2018 Niagara
4.7 December 2021 Niagara 4.11

August 2019 Niagara 4.8

Overview - Templates
• A deployable package of Niagara objects which might include
station components, images and px files.
• Contained in a file that has an *.ntpl (Niagara Template) extension.
• Stored in either the stationTemplates or templates directories
under the Niagara User Home.
• Designed to eliminate unnecessary repetition when deploying
multiple instances of components with similar functionality.
• Compared to using palettes or partial bog files, provides
versioning and better portability.
Template Planning
• Identify external inputs such as schedules, global set points or
data values.
• Identify outputs such as global data values.
• Identify relations that need to be created upon deployment.
• Identify which tag dictionaries are required.
• Ideally before creating a template all tags and relations should be
assigned, control logic tested and graphics designed.
Template Types
• Station
• The entire station is templated.
• During commissioning of a new station, you can choose the template to
apply
• Device
• A device template, during commissioning of a new device you can apply a
template.
• Component
• Any component, that you can then drag-and-drop to apply
• Application
• Similar to station templates, but application templates can be installed to a
running station and upgraded.
Template Creation
Tabs
• Right click a • Template Info
component and select • Component
Make Template
• Configuration
• Launches the Template
View used to configure • Relations
the template • Template I/O
• Graphics
• Subtemplates
Template Info
• Filename – a unique name for the ntpl file.
• Title – preferred name for the template displayed in the
Workbench.
• Vendor – name of the organization or manufacturer.
• Version – a unique number for versioning control.
• Description – a short description of the template usage or
purpose.
Template
Info
Component Tab
• Component tree displayed which provides access to property
sheet, wire sheet and slot sheet of the components.
• Allows making changes such as adding, editing or deleting
properties.
• Allows creating links or relations as needed.
Component
Tab
Configuration Tab
• Allows exposing specific properties which the user is prompted to
edit when deploying the template.
• Assign default values to configuration properties.
Configuration
Tab
Relations Tab
• Allows defining a relation to be created during template
deployment
• Relate Hints (NEQL) helps filter list of entities in the station.
• Relation Ids are displayed from modules with tag dictionaries and
from tag dictionaries under the Niagara User Home.
• Relation can be inbound or outbound.
Relations Tab
Template IO tab
• Allows for you to create hints and searches to help the user
connect internal points within the template to external points at
deployment
• Link any IO points that reference any External points
• Tags can help!
Template IO
tab
 Graphics
• Allows viewing and
editing the Px view if
desired.
Subtemplates Tab
• Shows any contained subtemplates.
• Initially add subtemplates using the wiresheet view on the
component tab of the parent template.
• Tab provides provisioning tools to upgrade or detach
subtemplates.
Subtemplates
Tab
Template Files
• Template side bar displays templates from modules and Niagara
• User Home sub folder.
• Allows access to the Template View.
• Template View allows viewing current template configuration and
making changes to save an updated template version.
• Template file contains all required Px files, images and component
bog file.
Template Files
Template Tools
Template Service
• Provides management support for templates that are deployed in
the station.
• Required in a station to use templates.
• Displays status of data links (Inputs and Outputs) and relations.
• Used to detach and upgrade deployed templates.
• Use to bulk deploy templates using Excel files.
Template Service
Deploy Station Template
• Tools> New Station
Deploy
Device/
Component
Template

• Drag from
Template
Pane
Bulk Deploy From Excel
Bulk Deploy From Excel
Bulk Deploy From Excel
Application Templates
• Mechanism to deploy and entire station application to a running
station, used primarily with Edge devices.
• Similar to station templates, but application templates can be
installed to a running station and upgraded.
• Use an NAPL file extension to differentiate from station and device
templates.
• Stored in applicationTemplates sub folder under Niagara user
home.
• Right click root Config node in station and select Templates menu
item allows making an application template from current station or
installing an application template to the Edge device.
Application Templates
Provisioning
Beyond Templating
Overview - Provisioning
• Niagara Provisioning is a service in the Supervisor station used to
automate specific Workbench tasks.
• Tasks can be triggered manually or scheduled for later execution.
• Station components located in the provisioningNiagara palette.
Setup - Batch Job Service
• Requires the Batch Job Service to be in the services container of
the Supervisor station.
• The Job Queue Max Threads defaults to 1 thread but can be
adjusted to allow multiple jobs to run concurrently.
• The Alarm Class property should be set to a specific alarm class
to facilitate routing provisioning related alarms.
Setup - Batch Job Service
Setup – ProvisioningNwExt

• ProvisioningNwExt must be added to the Niagara Network in the

Supervisor station.
• Results in additional extensions being automatically added to
Niagara station device.
• Use the Provisioning Manager, alternate view on the Niagara
Network, to configure the platform credentials to be used by the
station to connect to the platform of each JACE.
Provisioning Device Extensions
• Platform Connection – properties used to configure credentials
for the Supervisor to make automated platform connections to the
remote hosts.
• Station Proxy – provides access to the application director for the
remote host via the Supervisor station.
• Software – provides a Software Manager view of the remote host
via the Supervisor station.
• Backup – displays information regarding the last backup of the
remote host.
Provisioning Device Extensions
• Licenses – provides basic information about the remote hosts’s
licenses and certificates such as the host ID, what licenses and
certificates are installed and their expiration.
• Templates – provides functionality to deploy templates to remote
station.
• Device Bootstrap – enables provisioning remote devices with
default platform credentials and passphrase.
Provisioning
Device Extensions
ProvisioningNwExt
• Software – manages modules installed on the Supervisor and
remote hosts.
• Licenses – displays license summary information for all remote
hosts.
• Poll Scheduler – configures polling
of the station proxy extensions.
Niagara Network Job Builder
• Primary view on the ProvisioningNwExt component.
• May generate an alarm when a step fails or when a job
completes successfully.
• Select from various job steps and select the desired hosts to run
the job against.
• Niagara Network Job List is a secondary view on the
ProvisioningNwExt component which displays a list of completed
jobs.
Jobs
 Type Description Type Description
Add Station User Add a new user to the station. Run Robot Run a robot on each station
Backup Stations Back up each station in the job Security Job Steps Add all security related job steps
Configure Niagara IdP and SAML Configure the remote SAML Authentication Set Certificate Alias Set the certificate alias for platform, FoxService, and
Scheme Schemes and local SAML IdP Service WebService
Copy Local File Copy a local file to each station in the job Set Platform Credentials Create a new platform account and remove default
platform account
Copy Supervisor File Copy a file from the supervisor's filesystem to each Set Platform User Password Change password for an existing platform user
station in the job
Deploy Template Deploy a template file to each station in the job Set Property Set or add a property
Enable Bootstrap Mode Enable bootstrap mode for the stations. Set Station Connection Credentials Set the station credentials used to connect to the
remote station.
Export Application Template Exports an application template configuration as an Set Station User Password Set the password of the current station user
Configuration xlsx file
Export Certificate Signing Request Export a CSR from each device for external signing Set System Passphrase Set System Passphrase
Jobs

Generate Certificate Generate and install a certificate on each station Set TLS Level Set the minimum TLS level for platform, FoxService,
and WebService
Import Signed Certificate Import a signed certificate for each device Set Time Set the time for each device
Install Application Template Install an application template file to each station Setup Reciprocal Connection Setup the Niagara Network connection from remote
in the job station to supervisor station
Install Certificate Install a certificate to the user trust store of each Sign Certificate Sign a certificate on each station
station
Install Clean Distribution Install clean distribution file to each system Update Connections Using Niagara Network Update station connections using Niagara Network
platform in the job Discovery discovery.
Install Software Install software to the stations in the job Update Connections Using Provisioning Station's Update station connections using the provisioning
DHCP Server station's DHCP server leases.
Reboot Reboot each station in the job Update Licenses Update all of the station(s), importing licenses from the
licensing server
Remove Platform User Remove a user from the platform. Update Template or Application Configuration Update configuration of deployed templates or
installed applications on each station in the job
Remove Property Remove a dynamic property Upgrade Application Template Upgrade an application template installed on stations
in the job
Remove Station User Remove a user from the station. Upgrade Out-of-date Software Upgrade out-of-date software for each station in the
job
Rename Device Station This step will change the name of the station to Upgrade Template Upgrade deployed template instances on each station
match the name that in the job
it was given in the Niagara network.
Jobs
System Upgrade Using Provisioning
Niagara Provisioning may be used to upgrade an enterprise system
of JACEs.

• Upgrade the Supervisor to the new build.

• Run a job to update licenses on all hosts if needed.
• Verify all host licenses updated successfully.
• Run a job to Upgrade Out-Of-Date Software on all hosts.
• Verify all hosts upgraded successfully.
System Upgrade Using Provisioning
Security Job Steps
Disaster Recovery Backups
• Many customer IT groups require disaster recovery backup plans
to be formalized.
• Recovery plans typically apply to servers and specific files on
client PCs, but often don’t include building automation
controllers.
• Should coordinate with customer to determine required
frequency of backups and what time of day is considered off-
peak for network traffic.
• Coordinate with IT group to backup the Supervisor station and
potentially move JACE backups off disk.
Disaster Recovery Backup Job
• Create one or more Niagara Network Job Prototypes with a job
step to backup a select group of stations.
• Use multiple jobs to backup stations during off-peak network
usage times.
• Add a Trigger Schedule and link to the Submit Job action.
• Configure the Retention Policy on the Job Prototype to
automatically dispose of old jobs.
Disaster Recovery Backup Job
Template Jobs
• Use Niagara Network Job Builder view to Copy Templates from
Workbench to the Supervisor’s file space.
• When initially deploying, must copy both the template ntpl file and
Excel spreadsheet to the Supervisor.
• When upgrading, only the template ntpl file is required.
Copy
Templates
Template Jobs
Set Up SAML SSO
Certificate Management Jobs
Set Properties
 Provisioning Step Evolution

4.4 4.6 4.7 PI 24

4.8
Backup Stations Deploy Template Enable Bootstrap Mode Add Station User
Copy Local File Generate Certificate Update Connections Using Remove Station User
Copy Supervisor File Import Signed Certificate Niagara Network Discovery Set Property
Install Certificate Set Certificate Alias Update Connections Using Set Station Connection
Install Software Set Platform Credentials Provisioning Station's DHCP Credentials
Reboot Set System Passphrase Server
Run Robot Set TLS Level Export Certificate Signing
Update licenses Setup Reciprocal Connection Request
Upgrade out of date software Sign Certificate Install Application Template
Upgrade Template Rename Device Station
Set Station User Password
Set Time
Provisioning Step Evolution
4.9 4.10 4.12
4.11 PI 24
Update Template or Export Application Template Remove Platform User
Configuration Remove Property
Application Configuration
Set Platform User Password
Upgrade Application
Template
Configure Niagara IdP and
SAML Scheme
Edge 10 and Niagara Provisioning
• Bootstrap Mode – enables provisioning station to connect to
Edge controllers out of the box without having to change default
passphrase or platform/station credentials while using a default
self-signed certificate.
• Update Connections – updates IP connection for Edge controllers
• Utilize Niagara network discovery (broadcast UDP)
• Utilize DHCP server lease information (JACE-8 secondary network port)
• Install Application Template – deploys application templates to
Edge controllers utilizing Excel spread sheet to specify unique
configuration properties.
• Standard steps for updating licenses, upgrading/installing
software and managing PKI certificates.
Summary - Provisioning
• The Niagara Provisioning feature is included with every
Supervisor license.
• Every Supervisor should have provisioning setup.
• Should at least setup backup jobs to maintain disaster recovery
backups of all JACEs.
• There are many jobs which can be used to automate performing
repetitive tasks such as deploying templates, managing TLS
certificates and configuring platform and station security.