Discovering, Defining, or Importing Devices (Release 3.3 and Prior)
For SmartServer 3.4 and higher, see Discovering, Defining, or Importing Devices.
You can discover, define, or import devices that you plan to use with your SmartServer. For BACnet, Modbus, and IAP devices, always use the SmartServer CMS to add and provision these devices.
Managing licenses with SmartServer 3.3 or higher
You can manage your SmartServer device capacity and maintenance licenses with SmartServer 3.3 or higher. See Manage Licenses for more information.
For LON devices, the SmartServer can be used in one of the following ways:
- LON Independent Management Mode (IMM) – use IzoT CT or other tool based on IzoT Net Server to add and commission all SmartServers and other LON devices. You must switch to IMM mode (see (Optional) Switch From LON Management) before using IzoT CT or IzoT Net Server. You cannot add or provision LON devices using the CMS with IMM.
- LON Device Management Mode (DMM) – use the SmartServer CMS to add and provision LON devices. You can create LON devices as applications that run on your SmartServer. These are SmartServer internal devices. If you do not add or provision any external LON devices, you can manage your internal LON devices from an external tool such as IzoT CT. If you add or provision any external LON devices to your DMM SmartServer, you cannot add or provision the LON devices using an external tool such as IzoT CT.
- LON IP-852 Self-installed Repeater – use the Network and LON Configuration pages with LON DMM to configure IP addresses and enable IP-852. An external tool such as IzoT CT and the SmartServer CMS are not required for a SmartServer used only as an IP-852 router. You must use an IP-852 Configuration Server to configure the IP-852 routers in your network.
If you will be using your SmartServer on a LON network managed with an IzoT Net Server or LNS Server, then you can continue to define and commission the devices using a tool based on the IzoT Net Server or LNS Server such as the IzoT Commissioning Tool (CT) and then export the device definitions from the IzoT Net Server or LNS Server to the SmartServer as described in Importing LON Devices from an LNS Network with IzoT CT. This section consists of the following:
Discovering Devices
You can discover previously installed BACnet, LON, or Modbus devices. To discover devices, follow these steps:
- Define the device interfaces for the devices to be discovered as described in Collecting or Creating Device Definitions.
- For BACnet device discovery, you need to enable BACnet using the BACnet Configuration page as described in (Optional) Add a BACnet Interface.
Define CMS device types for the devices to be discovered as described in Defining Device Types.
Note: If you import device type definition files (.dtp file) prior to device discovery, then only the datapoints that are defined in the package will be available in the CMS.
- In the SmartServer CMS, click the Discover button () on the Devices widget.
When you click the Discover button, the SmartServer initiates discovery for BACnet, LON, and Modbus devices. The SmartServer adds each discovered device that is not already defined in the SmartServer, first identifying or creating a CMS device type as follows:
- If the SmartServer discovers a program ID in the device, the CMS searches for a CMS device type using the discovered program ID. If the SmartServer finds multiple CMS device types with the same program ID, the SmartServer uses the first one found with a the default property set to true, and if there are no default device types the SmartServer uses the first device type found with the matching program ID.
- If there is no matching CMS device type but there is an XIF file with a matching program ID, the SmartServer creates a CMS device type for the XIF file with the same name as the XIF file.
- If there is no matching CMS device type or XIF, the SmartServer creates a CMS device type for the driver/program ID pair named <driverName>-<programID> and assigns it to the device. For example, if a device is discovered with a program ID of 9FFF:FF05:0184:0460, and there is no CMS device type or XIF file for the program ID, the CMS creates a new device type called LON-9FFF:FF05:0184:0460.
Device discovery remains active from the time you start discovery until 3 minutes pass without a discovery event.
The SmartServer creates a name for each discovered device that is not already defined in the SmartServer using the following naming format: Discovered-<deviceType>-<installCode>-<instance>, where
- <devicetype> is the CMS device type name assigned above
- <installCode> is the last five hex digits of the unique ID
- <instance> is the instance number for this device type/install code pair (ordinal starting at 1 for each CMS device type/install code and increments forever without re-use for each CMS device type/install code)
For example, if three devices are discovered for the LON-9FFF:FF05:0184:0460 device type with unique IDs ending in 07F07, 07F08, and 07F09, then the three devices will be named:
- LON-9FFF:FF05:0184:0460-07F07-1
- LON-9FFF:FF05:0184:0460-07F08-1
- LON-9FFF:FF05:0184:0460-07F09-1
- Once the device discovery is completed, you can provision the devices using the CMS Devices widget as described in Provisioning, Deprovisioning, and Replacing Devices.
Creating Devices
You can manually create devices as described in this section, and you can manually bulk create devices as described in Creating Devices in Bulk.
- With SmartServer 2.7 or higher, to create a device, click the Create button () on the Devices widget.
or
Click the Action button () on the Devices widget and select the Create Device action. - Enter the device parameters as appropriate, including:
- Name
- Context – provides a digital representation of the physical world entities in the system with SmartServer 2.8 and higher
- Select a category (Segment Controller or Edge Device)
- Select a customer – not used with SmartServer 2.8 or higher
- Latitude
- Longitude
- Click NEXT.
- Enter the Segment Controller parameters as appropriate, including:
- MAC Address
- Timezone – not used with SmartServer 2.8 or higher
- Asset Tag
- Description
or
Enter the Edge Device parameters as appropriate, including:- UID
- For Modbus RTU (RS-485) devices, this field uses the form <channel type>:<logical address>, where the <channel type> is always 01 and the <logical address> is an 8-bit station address.
Example: for a Modbus RTU (RS-485) device at address 4, the UID is 01:4
For Modbus TCP devices, this field uses the form <channel type>:<IP address>[:<logical address>], where the <channel type> is always 02 and the <IP address> is an IPV4 address. The 8-bit [:<logical address>] is optional for a Modbus TCP device and only required if the target Modbus TCP device also resides at a specific Modbus logical address at this IP address.
Example: for a Modbus TCP device at IP address 192.168.42.42 with a logical address of 3, the UID is 02:192.168.42.42:3
- For BACnet, this field defines the Device Instance Number (also referred to as Device ID)
Example: 0130055
- For Modbus RTU (RS-485) devices, this field uses the form <channel type>:<logical address>, where the <channel type> is always 01 and the <logical address> is an 8-bit station address.
- Select a method (Manual Assignment or Guided Discovery)
- Owner
- Select a driver – BACnet, LON, IAP, or Modbus
- Asset Tag
- Description – not used with SmartServer 2.8 and higher
- Firmware Version (Guided Discovery only) – not used with SmartServer 2.8 or higher
- Model Number (Guided Discovery only) – not used with SmartServer 2.8 or higher
- Installation Date (Guided Discovery only) – not used with SmartServer 2.8 or higher
- Removal Time (Guided Discovery only) – not used with SmartServer 2.8 or higher
Manual Assignment
Guided Discovery - Click SAVE to create the new device.
Creating Devices in Bulk
- With SmartServer IoT 2.7 or higher, to create devices in bulk, click the Bulk Create button () on the Devices widget.
or
Click the Action button () on the Devices widget and select the Bulk Create Devices action. - Enter the edge device properties as appropriate, including:
- Name
- Count
- From
- Context – provides a digital representation of a real world region, area, or space, available with SmartServer 2.8 and higher
- Select a category (Segment Controller or Edge Device)
- Select a customer – not used with SmartServe 2.8 or higher
- Latitude
- Longitude
- Timezone – used for Segment Controller
- Click NEXT.
- Enter the Segment Controller parameters as appropriate, including:
- Asset Tag
- Description
or
Enter the edge device properties as appropriate, including:- UID
For Modbus RTU (RS-485) devices, this field uses the form <channel type>:<logical address>, where the <channel type> is always 01 and the <logical address> is an 8-bit station address.
Example: for a Modbus RTU (RS-485) device at address 4, the UID is 01:4
For Modbus TCP devices, this field uses the form <channel type>:<IP address>[:<logical address>], where the <channel type> is always 02 and the <IP address> is an IPV4 address. The 8-bit [:<logical address>] is optional for a Modbus TCP device and only required if the target Modbus TCP device also resides at a specific Modbus logical address at this IP address.
Example: for a Modbus TCP device at IP address 192.168.42.42 with a logical address of 3, the UID is 02:192.168.42.42:3
- For BACnet, this field defines the Device Instance Number (also referred to as Device ID)
Example: 0130055
- Select a method (Manual Assignment or Guided Discovery)
- Owner
- Select a driver – BACnet, LON, IAP, or Modbus
- Asset Tag
- Description
Manual Assignment or Guided Discovery - Click SAVE to bulk create the new devices.
Creating a Modbus Device
Each Modbus device added in the CMS must have a unique identifier (device UID). The UID is defined when a Modbus device is created using the SmartServer CMS in one of the following ways:
- Creating a single Modbus device
- Bulk loading multiple Modbus devices
- Importing devices from a file using a previously exported device CSV/DTD file
- Importing device type information using a previously exported DTP file from the Device Types widget (see Defining Device Types)
The Modbus device UID format is as follows:
- For Modbus RTU (RS-485) devices, this field uses the form <channel type>:<logical address>, where the <channel type> is always 01 and the <logical address> is an 8-bit station address.
Example: for a Modbus RTU (RS-485) device at address 4, the UID is 01:4
For Modbus TCP devices, this field uses the form <channel type>:<IP address>[:<logical address>], where the <channel type> is always 02 and the <IP address> is an IPV4 address. The 8-bit [:<logical address>] is optional for a Modbus TCP device and only required if the target Modbus TCP device also resides at a specific Modbus logical address at this IP address.
Example: for a Modbus TCP device at IP address 192.168.42.42 with a logical address of 3, the UID is 02:192.168.42.42:3
Continue setting up Modbus following the steps in the section below: Provisioning a Modbus Device.
Importing Devices
You can import device definitions from a CSV file as described in this section. If you have devices that were defined and commissioned using a tool based on the IzoT Net Server or LNS Server such as the IzoT Commissioning Tool, you can import the definitions from the IzoT Net Server or LNS Server as described in Importing LON Devices from an LNS Network with IzoT CT. To import device definitions from a CSV file, follow these steps:
- Open the SmartServer CMS.
- Click the Action button () on the Devices widget.
- Click the Import Devices action.
- Drag the file to be imported to the DROP FILE HERE area.
- Click IMPORT FILE.
Exporting a Device
- To export a device, click the Action button () on the Devices widget.
- Select the Export Device action.
A CSV file is created with the device information.
Assigning a Device to a Context
Devices that are not assigned to a context appear with a yellow indicator on the device image on the Devices widget.
- To assign a device to a context, click the Action button () on the Devices widget for the desired device.
- Select the Assign to Context action.
The Assign to context dialogue box appears. - Use the dropdown list to select the desired context.
- Click ASSIGN.
The device is assigned to the context.
Unassigning a Device from a Context
- To unassign a device to a context, click the Action button () on the Devices widget for the desired device.
- Select the Unassign from Context action.
The device is unassigned from the context and appears with a yellow indicator on the device image
Creating Groups
The Groups widget is used to assign devices or datapoints to a group. Any defined device with any device type, or any defined datapoint on a device of any device type, including LON, BACnet, Modbus, and IAP, can be added to or deleted from a group. Devices within a group may also be provisioned or deprovisioned using the Groups widget.
The Groups widget is available with SmartServer 2.6 and higher.
- To create a group, click the Action button () located on the Groups widget and select the Create Group action.
- Enter the new group information, including name and geozone.
- Click SAVE.
The new group is added to the list.
Showing a Group on a Map
To show a group on a map, click the Action button () on the Groups widget and select the Show on Map action.
or
To show multiple groups on a map, click on the desired group(s). A checkmark appears.
Then click the Action button () on the Groups widget and select the Show Selected Groups on Map action.
The Map widget displays the selected group(s).
Assigning Devices to a Group
Devices can be assigned to a group either using the Devices widget or using the Groups widget. The procedures in this section describe both options.
Using the Groups Widget
To add devices to a group, click the Action button () for the desired group on the Groups widget and select the Edit Group action.
The Group members view appears.Note: To best view all of the information on this widget, click the Expand button (
).Click the Add Members button () to add devices to a group. Available devices appear.
- Click the Action button () for the desired device and select the Add to Group action.
or
To select multiple devices, click the checkmark for the desired devices.
Then click the Action button () and select the Add Selected to Group action.
The selected device(s) are added to the group. Click BACK to return to the Groups widget view.
Using the Devices Widget
- To assign a device to a group, select the desired device on the Devices widget.
A checkmark will appear. - Click the Action button () on the Devices widget and select the Assign Selected to a Group action.
- Select the group to which you wish to assign the device from the dropdown list.
- Click ASSIGN.
The device is added to the selected group.
Removing Devices from a Group
- To remove devices from a group, click the Action button () for the desired group on the Groups widget and select the Edit Group action.
The Group members view appears.Note: To best view all of the information on this widget, click the Expand button (
). - Click the Action button () for the desired device and select the Remove from Group action.
or
To select multiple devices, click the checkmark for the desired devices.
Then click the Action button () and select the Remove Selected from Group action.
The selected device(s) are removed from the group. Click BACK to return to the Groups widget view.
Removing a Group
- To remove a group, click the Action button () located on the Groups widget and select the Delete Group action.
- Click OK in the Confirmation dialog box to delete the selected group.
or - To delete multiple groups, click the desired groups.
A checkmark appears next to the selected group. - To delete the groups, click the Action button () located on the Groups widget and select the Remove Selected Groups action.
- Click OK in the Confirmation dialog box to delete the selected group.