Backing up a JACE before making changes is the single most important habit for field technicians. This guide covers every backup method, what they include, and how to recover when things go wrong.
| Situation | Backup Required? |
|---|---|
| Before any programming change | Yes |
| Before firmware upgrade | Yes |
| Before leaving site | Yes |
| After successful commissioning | Yes |
| Scheduled maintenance | Yes |
| Before certificate renewal | Yes |
| Routine site visit (no changes) | Recommended |
The fastest and most reliable backup method:
USB Drive Requirements:
Format: FAT32 (NTFS will NOT work)
Size: 2 GB - 128 GB (larger drives may fail)
Label: Any (no special naming required)
Step-by-Step:
1. Insert FAT32-formatted USB drive into JACE USB port
2. Wait for USB LED to stop blinking (drive recognized)
3. Press and hold the USB Backup button for 3 seconds
4. LED blinks during backup (typically 30-120 seconds)
5. LED goes solid when complete
6. Remove USB drive
Backup Location on USB:
/niagara_backup/
station.zip
platform.zip
backup_manifest.json
Step-by-Step:
1. Insert USB drive with backup files into JACE
2. Power cycle the JACE while holding the Restore button
3. Release Restore button when LED pattern changes
4. Wait for restore to complete (2-5 minutes)
5. JACE will reboot automatically
6. Verify station comes online
Backup through the Niagara Workbench software:
Workbench Backup Steps:
1. Connect to station in Workbench
2. Right-click on station in Nav tree
3. Select "Station Copy Out"
4. Choose destination folder on laptop
5. Wait for transfer to complete
6. Verify backup file size is reasonable
Backup Output:
StationName_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.dist
(Distribution file containing full station)
Includes the platform daemon, station, and all configuration:
Platform Backup (via Workbench):
1. Connect to platform (not station)
2. Navigate to Platform Administration
3. Select "Backup Platform"
4. Save .dist file
Includes:
- Platform daemon configuration
- Station files
- License information
- Network configuration
- Certificate store
- User credentials
| Content | USB Backup | Station Copy | Platform Backup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Station programming | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| History data | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm configuration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Graphics (PX pages) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| User accounts | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Network config | No | No | Yes |
| Platform daemon | No | No | Yes |
| Certificates | No | No | Yes |
| License | No | No | Reference only |
| Module files (.jar) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
If you are locked out of the platform:
Recovery Procedure:
1. Connect laptop directly to JACE via Ethernet
2. Navigate to https://[JACE-IP]:3011/recover
3. Enter the JACE serial number (on the label)
4. Create a new platform admin account
5. Log in with new credentials
6. Station data is preserved
Note: This only works if:
- Physical access to the JACE
- JACE serial number known
- Recovery feature enabled (default: enabled)
When replacing hardware:
Cross-Controller Restore:
1. Back up the old JACE (if possible)
2. Install same firmware version on new JACE
3. Restore station backup to new JACE
4. Update network configuration (IP, hostname)
5. Install new license (different host ID)
6. Re-establish supervisor connection
7. Verify all integrations function
Important:
- Licenses are tied to host ID (hardware-specific)
- Contact Tridium or distributor for license transfer
- The new JACE must run the same or newer firmware
When upgrading from Niagara AX (3.x) to Niagara 4:
Migration Steps:
1. Back up AX station (station.bog file)
2. Install Niagara 4 with AX Migration module
3. Open migration tool in N4 Workbench
4. Select the AX station.bog file
5. Run migration wizard
6. Review and fix migration warnings
7. Deploy migrated station to N4 JACE
8. Commission and verify all points
Common Migration Issues:
- AX drivers not available in N4 → find N4 equivalent
- PX Graphics may need rebuild (different rendering)
- Alarm routing configuration changes
- Schedule format differences
| Failure | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| USB backup doesn't start | NTFS-formatted drive | Reformat to FAT32 |
| USB backup hangs | Drive too large (>128GB) | Use smaller drive |
| USB not recognized | Bad USB port or drive | Try different port/drive |
| Workbench copy fails | Network timeout | Use USB backup instead |
| Restore fails to boot | Firmware version mismatch | Match firmware versions |
| Corrupt backup | Drive removed during backup | Always wait for solid LED |
| "Incompatible platform" | Wrong JACE model | Backup is model-specific |
Naming Convention:
SiteName_JACE-ID_YYYY-MM-DD_Description.dist
Example:
CampusHQ_JACE01_2026-01-15_Pre-Upgrade.dist
CampusHQ_JACE01_2026-01-16_Post-Upgrade-Verified.dist
The best backup is the one you took five minutes ago, right before you made that change you were "pretty sure" would work.