BACnet Routers and Gateways
Offload and Segment JACE BACnet MS/TP Traffic
While the JACE can receive or route MS/TP traffic over one of its serial ports, handling the intensive overhead of the BACnet MS/TP token passing protocol burdens the JACE's CPU and reduces its performance. This results in increased system resource usage that could be used for other functions such as trending, alarming, and graphics/dashboards.
The JACE CPU resource usage can be improved by offloading the task of MS/TP token passing to external BACnet MS/TP to BACnet/IP routers. This is especially important if you require the JACE to be connected to multiple MS/TP segments, where signal quality issues may arise. The use of BASrouter or BASrouterLX routers allows you to segment your BACnet network by using a router on each MS/TP segment and routing the traffic to IP. Use an Ethernet switch to interconnect the BACnet routers. The JACE then receives all traffic from all MS/TP segments through its Ethernet port.
Contemporary Control's BASrouters provide the solution. These routers offer stand-alone routing between BACnet/IP, BACnet Ethernet, and BACnet MS/TP networks — allowing the system integrator to mix BACnet network technologies within a single BACnet inter-network.
Simplify Modbus Integration to the JACE
Although the JACE can communicate Modbus Serial over one of its serial ports, the Modbus protocol does not allow points to be discovered like BACnet points, which requires manual configuration of each Modbus register. This can be difficult and very time consuming. By using the BASgatewayLX with pre-defined Modbus device profiles, configuration of Modbus device registers is as quick as configuring BACnet points. This greatly reducing the time to configure Modbus devices in the field. Modbus Serial or Modbus TCP/IP points appear to the JACE's Ethernet port as BACnet/IP discoverable points.