Summary
Conserve It’s PlantPRO 1.0 optimisation and control solution has been utilised in hundreds of buildings around the world to reduce energy consumption and provide powerful monitoring and verification for building owners.
Some years ago, Conserve It released the PlantPRO 2.0 product to supersede PlantPRO 1.0. The PlantPRO 2.0 solution provides numerous advantages in security, usability, visualisation, optimisation and control when compared to PlantPRO 1.0.
The PlantPRO 1.0 solution is built upon the Niagara AX Framework, which has now been announced by Tridium to become end of life as at 30th June 2021.
As such, Conserve It is announcing that the PlantPRO 1.0 solution will also become end of life as at 30th June 2021. While current PlantPRO 1.0 sites will continue to operate they are today, support and maintenance for PlantPRO 1.0 will no longer be available after the noted EOL date.
For any existing site, it is recommended that an upgrade from PlantPRO 1.0 to PlantPRO 2.0 be considered so the site can benefit from the latest features in PlantPRO 2.0 and can subsequently remain supported.
Conserve It has noted a number of key FAQ regarding the PlantPRO 1.0 EOL.
To reiterate, as at 30th June 2021, PlantPRO 1.0 running on the Niagara AX framework will become end of life and will no longer be supported or maintained, existing PlantPRO 1.0 sites will continue operating as they are today, however an upgrade to the latest PlantPRO 2.0 is recommended by Conserve It.
PlantPRO 2.0 and PlantPRO CORE are not affected by this announcement, PlantPRO 2.0 remains actively supported and maintained, the Conserve It development team is constantly working on continuous improvements and new major features for the PlantPRO 2.0 solution. The latest release of PlantPRO 2.0 was recently announced, with some great new features and user interface upgrades, PlantPRO 2.0, v.2.2.0, is the greatest version of PlantPRO yet. For more information about PlantPRO 2.0, v.2.2.0, follow this link: https://www.conserveitiot.com/post/new-plantpro-and-plantpro-core-release-plantpro-v2-2-0 .
For more information, please contact plantpro@conserveitiot.com or your local PlantPRO Value Added Reseller .
Important Dates
Milestone Date Note Last date of support and maintenance for all PlantPRO 1.x installations is 30th June 2021
General
Will PlantPRO 1.0 stop working when we get to the relevant Niagara AX and PlantPRO 1.0 EOL date?
PlantPRO will continue to operate normally.
What does the Niagara AX EOL and PlantPRO 1.0 EOL mean for my PlantPRO 1.0 site?
PlantPRO 1.0 installation were based upon the Niagara AX framework, as at 30th June 2021 the Niagara AX framework will no longer be supported by Tridium and in addition the PlantPRO 1.0 application running on the Niagara AX framework will no longer be supported by Conserve It.
PlantPRO VAR partners with PlantPRO 1.0 sites installed have two options are available:
a) Continue using the PlantPRO 1.0 application running on the Niagara AX Framework as is with no future support for PlantPRO or Niagara AX
b) Upgrade to the current generation PlantPRO 2.0 application running on the Niagara 4 Framework. (Recommended)
What are the benefits of upgrading? Support will no longer be provided by Conserve It for the PlantPRO 1.0 application or by Tridium for the Niagara AX framework that underpins PlantPRO 1.0. By upgrading from PlantPRO 1.0 to PlantPRO 2.0 a number of major benefits are present, namely: a) Long-term Niagara support ( Up-to-date security patches and bug fixes for the Niagara 4 Framework from Tridium) b) Long-term PlantPRO support (New features including performance and security updates, bug fixes, access to support via PlantPRO VAR channels) c) Significant improvement in controller operating system cyber security and Niagara framework cyber security d) Fully HTML-based PlantPRO end-user dashboard screens accessible using standard web browser. No more JAVA dependencies. e) Mobile phone support for PlantPRO end-user dashboard screens. f) Improved plant optimisation strategies for more efficient and more stable plant operation For more information about the features and benefits of PlantPRO v2.0, please see https://www.conserveitiot.com/plantpro or our YouTube video series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxrqnfcw8s6CZm12MQiJ-9SICmg4fKyXu .
If I want to upgrade, how long do I have to upgrade my site from PlantPRO 1.0 to PlantPRO 2.0?
The upgrade must be completed by the 30th of June 2021.
What's involved in upgrading from PlantPRO 1.0 to PlantPRO 2.0? The following process will need to be undertaken to upgrade PlantPRO 1.0 to PlantPRO 2.0.
If I decide to upgrade from PlantPRO 1.0 to PlantPRO 2.0, will historical data be retained?
Historical data from the PlantPRO 1.0 application will still be available offline on the old PlantPRO 1.0 controller unless the old controller has become faulty. The data can be accessed and backed up by the PlantPRO VAR using standard Niagara tools. Historical data from PlantPRO 1.0 will however not be copied across to the PlantPRO 2.0 application.
If Smart Sequence chiller models have been generated, machine learning coefficients can be manually carried over from PlantPRO 1.0 to PlantPRO 2.0.
Will I still need to buy PlantPRO 1.0 annual maintenance for my PlantPRO 1.0 site after EOL date? No, PlantPRO 1.0 annual maintenance will no longer be offered after 30th June 2021. If you wish to renew PlantPRO annual maintenance for a 1.0 site prior to 30th June 2021, the price will be calculated prorata from last expiry until 30th June 2021. Please contact orders@conserveitiot.com or plantpro@conserveitiot.com or your local PlantPRO Value Added Reseller for a quote.
Support
If the PlantPRO 1.0 hardware fails or the host ID of the controller changes, will I be able to transfer the licenses to a replacement hardware? (Assuming the hardware is under warranty) No, license transfers will no longer be possible past the 30th of June 2021.
What happens if I need support with the PlantPRO 1.0 application? If you have an active PlantPRO annual maintenance for the site, support will be provided until the 30th of June 2021. No support will be provided beyond this date.
If I'm upgrading the HVAC equipment (Chiller/Pump/Cooling Tower) on site, can I update the HVAC equipment configuration within PlantPRO if I have active PlantPRO annual maintenance? Yes, this will still be possible as long as the PlantPRO 1.0 license allows for it. If the PlantPRO 1.0 license does not allow for it, it will not be possible to upgrade the PlantPRO license beyond the 30th of June 2021.
If I decide to stay with PlantPRO 1.0 and the AX Framework, if I need to add additional Niagara network drivers or increase the Niagara point limitation for current drivers, will I be able to do so? No changes to the Niagara AX license will be possible past the 30th of June 2021, unless it is to upgrade the license from AX to N4 using software maintenance and the Niagara license is a supervisor-type license.
What if I decide to upgrade after the 30th of June 2021? License transfers and upgrades will no longer be possible. This scenario will be treated as a new project and quoted accordingly.
Further Information
For further information, please contact plantpro@conserveitiot.com or your local PlantPRO Value Added Reseller.
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