BACeye now fit for BACnet/SC

The tried-and-tested software for network diagnostics is up to date with BACnet Secure Connect

BACeye, the manufacturer-independent quasi-standard from MBS GmbH, is now ready for BACnet Secure Connect (BACnet/SC). The "Swiss army knife" for commissioning, maintenance, diagnosis and repair of building automation networks, which is popular with customers, has been upgraded to the current revision 22 of the BACnet standard. "This makes our innovative tool ideal for use in networks that rely on the BACnet/SC security infrastructure," emphasizes Nils-Gunnar Fritz, Managing Director of MBS GmbH in Krefeld.

Document and compare system statuses with snapshots

BACeye/SC combines the features of the proven BACeye 2.0 tool with the full range of BACnet/SC functions - such as access restriction, authentication, authorization and encryption. It can be used in protected communication environments and allows encrypted browsing. Nevertheless, the browser can also be used in traditional systems that communicate via BACnet/IP, for example. It is also possible to display BACnet Port Object and visualize it completely with all properties in the interface.

The highlight, which makes the work of system integrators, commissioning engineers, operators and end users particularly easy: a system status can be mapped as a snapshot, which can be exported and imported again. In the event of faults, for example, the status that was documented as a snapshot during commissioning can be compared with the current system status. This simplifies troubleshooting and speeds it up considerably.

The right tool at the right time

"In view of normative requirements, such as the German government's KRITIS directive, building automation systems will increasingly communicate in encrypted form," expects Fritz. This is because manufacturers are now launching more and more BACnet/SC-based devices on the market. BACeye/SC is an indispensable tool for visualizing and checking these networks.

For users, BACeye has long been a brand name when it comes to solving problems in BACnet networks. Fritz expects the upgrade to revision 22 to give BACeye/SC a leading role in the market. Some customers are already using the tool in their systems. As always with MBS products, their wishes and suggestions have been incorporated into the software development.

BACeye/SC is now available. As with its predecessor, there is a free version that does not include any read and write operations (such as the snapshot function). MBS is making its customers a fair offer for the paid versions: users who have purchased BACeye 2.0 in the last six months only pay the difference in price between the old and the new version for the upgrade. And customers who have owned BACeye 2.0 for more than half a year only pay half the license costs for BACeye/SC.