Automation Controller 2 Way Comms with CNI's

[Digby_Brock]

I began work on an app on the 5500NAC back in June but got distracted with other tasks. This is where I got to, ( just a quick video demo ) but I’m curious to know if anyone else sees any benefit to this?

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/dsyv...ey=0c92fjwm65k24xvnby0kaz6rm&st=nqznb3ua&dl=0

The Initial idea was raised as we work on a lot of large commercial installations utilising C-Bus Ethernet backbones running schedule plus on dated PC's and a number of CNI networks, typically 1 CNI network per floor or tenancy. Its probably not too applicable to a residential installation unless you have a situation where its difficult to get a c-bus cable between 2 buildings ( main house / outhouse or detached garage ) but you can get Wi-Fi or have an Ethernet connection there.

Most commercial sites these days wish to do away with maintaining a dedicated windows PC and software and the Automation controller is a reliable replacement providing convieniant web access for the facility manager to dial in too or display, however this means either changing all the CNI's to Automation controllers and using a BACnet device as a central platform to control all the networks or replacing all the CNI's with Bridges and wiring a c-bus backbone so the Automation controller can communicate to all networks.

Are there any plans to enable native communication like c-bus over Ethernet or an API allowing Automation Controller device discovery and object control between Automation controllers? This would allow exising CNI's to be replaced with Automation controllers that can communicate with each other natively and choosing 1 to host the graphics and UI on.

I've yet to begin testing this on the 5500AC2 platform, it’s still very much a work in progress, the initial intention is to facilitate a method of upgrading existing sites utilising a CNI Ethernet backbone and schedule plus with a NAC / SHAC controller and modern web accessible interface.

Another hurdle is supporting all applications for each CNI network. The limitation is currently the way the Automation Controller is handling Applications. I've noticed while using the same application with a different network addresses on the AC (e.g. 0/56/1, 1/56/1, 2/56/1, even 253/56/1) that if I send a message to one object, all objects on the AC with the same application will update to the same value. It seems the Automation controller treats all common applications as one. All objects on the AC with the same application/group will update to the same value, similar to the way a wired bridged network operates.

Would have loved for the objects to remain independent or have the option to enable or disable the behaviour to allow different networks to operate independently.

[Digby_Brock]

For some context this is a brief demo of an initial version with out the app interface:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ggergn6g6763iq7mm6r7w/CNI-Comms.MOV?rlkey=hqis49dix97k2uv6fodyln7s4&s...

[Coppo]

previously we have done comms between NAC/SHACS/ AC2's using BACnet on your ethernet cable and project services team setting up a NAC as a BACnet client for you.

you then used a lua script for schedules syncing between nac's.

Only caveat being it locks you to the 1 firmware. 

NAC2 AC2 V2.0 firmwares plan is to support a plugin in the shopping cart for BACnet Client, so installers can install the plugin themselves as required and still be able to update to 2.0>> firmwares as they roll out,.