Frequently Asked Question

Title	Eliminating multiple Host ID on a single Microsoft Windows© platform

Solution	It is a known issue that Microsoft Windows© updates could change the Niagara Host ID. Tridium introduced a fix for this issue in our most recent supported releases of Niagara. These builds are- Niagara 3.8 Update 2 (3.8.213 and later) Niagara 4.3 (and later) Enterprise Security 2.3 Update 1 (2.3.118 and later which is based on Niagara 3.8.213)

Updating older versions of Niagara

Tridium always recommends that Niagara installations are upgraded to the latest released software in order to maintain the latest security protection and to gain benefit from latest features.
Tridium has created patch files to stabilize the Host ID for cases where customers have not upgraded to the latest version of Niagara (see installation instructions below). Once these patches are applied to the older versions of Workbench the Host ID is stabilized and should not change if Windows updates are installed.

IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING THE PATCHES

• Patches are only supported for the latest update version for the relevant release.
• Patches are not available for AX 3.5 and earlier, or Niagara 4.0 or 4.1.
• Builds prior to AX 3.8.213 are considered unsupported. Customers applying these patches do so at their own risk.
• Newer versions of Niagara (3.8U2 and 4.3) have introduced a stabilized method of managing the Host ID and do not require any patch.
• The patches do not eliminate the issue of different Host IDs generated when installing 32 bit and 64 bit Niagara.

Installation Instructions

Download and unzip the attached HOSTID_PATCHES.zip (file tab at top) into a temporary folder. The archive contains 'nre.dll' for various versions of Niagara AX and Niagara 4.2 in a directory structure identifying them first by Niagara version and sub-directory identifying 64-bit or 32-bit Windows. The 4.2 folder also contains 'njre.dll' which will need to be copied only for 4.2 installations. Follow these instructions:

1. Verify the installed java version to be either 64 or 32 bit. Start a Niagara Command Line (/bin/console.exe) from the desktop of the platform to be patched.
2. From the Niagara Command Line execute the command: nre -version One of the listed items will be java.vm.name. If the text contains “64-Bit” then the installation is 64 bit otherwise the installation is 32 bit.
3. Stop any running station using Workbench's Platform Application Director on the platform to be patched.
4. Exit Workbench if running on the platform to be patched.
5. From the Niagara Command Line (/bin/console.exe execute the command: plat uninstalldaemon
6. Make a copy of the existing nre.dll located in /bin folder. If Niagara 4.2 is being updated also make a copy of njre.dll located in /bin folder.
7. Copy the version appropriate and OS appropriate (64 or 32 bit) downloaded version of nre.dll file to the /bin folder. If Niagara 4.2 also copy njre.dll to /bin folder. Overwrite the existing file(s).
8. From the Niagara Command Line (/bin/console.exe) execute: plat installdaemon
9. Start Workbench.
10. Open a platform connection to the patched platform.
11. Using the Application Director, start the station.

Patches can be downloaded here : https://onesight.solutions/downloads/HOSTID_PATCHES.zip