Niagara MPX Bacnet Network Used with BACNet Network - MSTP in same Jace

[MatthewBurkhart]

I was wondering if I add a MPX BACNet Network to a JACE, if we can also add a BACNet Network (Niagara) to the JACE also.  When i try to add both, I get a duplicate local device which I cannot rename.  Can a MSTP network be used in a Jace with a MPX Network?  Thanks, Matt

[Jim_Okapal]

My understanding is that you can only have one or the other for bacnet

interfaces, but not both in the same jace.  MSTP can be added to

the MPX Bacnet Interface

[MatthewBurkhart]

Thanks Jim, it's too bad they aren't both allowed, it would make adding MPX controllers to an existing Jace easier.  

[RandyDavis]

This has been discussed, especially in an instance where you are adding MP controllers to an existing site.  This should be placed as an enhancement.

Jim is correct that MSTP networks should be added in the MPX BACnet network

[mikelotkowski_p]

Randy,

Hope this is added in the future. Could get a little scary when adding a MPX device to an existing system with BACnet IP/MSTP devices. Could see things going sideways real quick replacing the existing Niagara Bacnet Network with the new MPX Bacnet Network.

Am I remembering correctly that there is an issue discovering MNB devices using the MPX Bacnet Network? Thought that came up in the earlier webinar. If that is the case, has it been addressed?

[RandyDavis]

@mikelotkowski_p  An MS/TP network can be added to the MPX Bacnet Network and devices discovered and added to it.  I have tested MNB and I am sure third party devices will work as well.

[mikelotkowski_p]

@RandyDavis ,

Had an existing Niagara Bacnet Network on our testing JACE with a few BACnet devices on it. Added the new MPX Bacnet Network, moved the existing BACnet devices to the new MPX network, deleted the old Niagara Bacnet Network, and rebooted the station. After all that, the existing MNB devices do not display in either Schneider Device Manager or AX Bacnet Device Manger. These are MNB-1000's. The devices are listed when I preform a discover on the network. Just not in the "database" pane. 

[RandyDavis]

Are the MNB 1000 MS/TP or IP?  This is a different workflow then I tried so I will do this and confirm your findings.  I simply added an MS/TP network, discovered devices, added them, and discovered points

[mikelotkowski_p]

These are IP devices.

[Will_Workman · Accepted solution]

@mikelotkowski_p ,

I have seen that as well.  The existing devices still communicate but don't show up in the device discovery view.

The devices that were under the original BACnet Network are basic BACnet controllers.  The MPX BACnet Network is an extension of the BACnet AWS Network so it only shows BACnet AWS devices and MPX Devices.

If you are building a new site with a mix of MPX devices and MNBs/3rd party devices, then you can add the MNBs/3rd party devices as generic AWS BACnet devices and they will show up under the Schneider Device Manager.

[mikelotkowski_p]

Is this something that will be corrected in a future build? Thinking of existing sites that we would want to expand on using MPX devices. Would be a lot of work, depending on project size, to switch from the regular Niagara BACnet devices to generic AWS devices. Not to mention if the copy/paste is not done correctly major issues could happen. Would be nice to have the MPXBacnetNetwork able to run along side of the NiagaraBacnetNetwork.

[Will_Workman]

@mikelotkowski_p ,

The plan is to have the ability to upgrade a regular BACnet Network to a MPX BACnet Network with a software utility.  That will avoid having to copy/paste and potential issues with that.  We are working with Tridium to develop that utility.

[mikelotkowski_p]

@Will_Workman ,

Was going to suggest that as a possible migration tool. Once the traditional BACnet devices are switch to AWS BACnet devices they show up in the device manager. A software tool would make this change much easier and reduce possible issues.