Switching from Central Conttroller Upload to Individual SMARTBOX/ SMARTBOX PRO Upload

This document describes the supported workflow when a machine has two upload sources:

  1. Central Controller (Optimizer) uploading data centrally through the Airnet.
  2. Individual SmartBox/SmartBox Pro installed on the individual machines under the airnet and uploading data independently.

When the Central Controller becomes unavailable or goes offline, the machine can be switched to use data from the individual SmartBox/SmartBox Pro device. However, it is important to understand the data implications before making this change.


Scenario 1: Central Controller Goes Offline

Background:

In this setup, the individual SmartBox/SmartBox Pro are capable of uploading data for the same machine. The machine assigned to the site is typically the one linked to the Central Controller.

If the Central Controller goes offline due to hardware, connectivity, or other issues, users can continue monitoring the machine using data uploaded directly from the SmartBox/SmartBox Pro.

Steps

  1. Navigate to the site where the machine is currently assigned through the Central Controller.
  2. Remove the machine associated with the Central Controller from the site.
  3. Locate the corresponding machine under Tools -->  Unassigned Machines. This will be the machine uploading data through the SmartBox/SmartBox Pro.
  4. Assign the SmartBox/SmartBox Pro machine to the site.
  5. The original Central Controller machine will appear under Removed Machines.

Benefits

  1. Data collection continues without interruption.
  2. Smart Events generation becomes more accurate because data is collected directly from the machine at a more granular level.
  3. Monitoring and analytics remain available while the Central Controller is offline.

Important Consequences

⚠️ This change is not reversible without data loss.

When the SmartBox/SmartBox Pro machine is assigned:

  • A new machine record is created under the site.
  • Historical data from the original Central Controller (Optimizer) machine is not merged with the new machine.
  • The two machine records are treated as separate entities.

If, at a later time, you want to remove the SmartBox/SmartBox Pro machine and want to reassign the original Central Controller machine, this will be not supported. The best scenario will be to delete the machine with central controller under the removed machines section.

Recommendation

Before replacing an Optimizer-based machine with a SmartBox/SmartBox Pro machine, ensure that all stakeholders understand that:

  • Historical data will not be merged.
  • The operation cannot be simply undone.
  • Returning to the original machine record will require starting data collection again from that machine's existing record.

Scenario 2: Central Controller Comes Online Again

Background

After a period of operating with the SmartBox/SmartBox Pro machine assigned to the site, the Central Controller may come back online.

In this situation, the system supports migration from SmartBox/SmartBox Pro back to the Central Controller (Optimizer) while preserving data continuity.

Steps

  1. Upload the Wizair Commissioning File on the site. 
  2. This will merge the data from Smartbox/ Smartbox Pro to Central controller.

Result

The system will:

  • Recreate the Optimizer machine under the site.
  • Merge the data collected through the SmartBox/SmartBox Pro with the newly restored Optimizer machine.
  • Maintain a continuous machine history after the merge.

Supported Direction

Supported

SmartBox/SmartBox Pro → Central Controller (Optimizer)

  • Data merge is supported.
  • Historical records can be consolidated into the restored Optimizer machine.

Unsupported Direction

Not Supported

Central Controller (Optimizer) → SmartBox/SmartBox Pro

  • Data merge is not supported.
  • A new machine record is created.
  • Historical data remains separated between the two machine records.


Key Takeaway

When switching from an Optimizer-managed machine to a SmartBox/SmartBox Pro machine, the system creates a separate machine record and historical data cannot be merged later. However, when the Central Controller is restored and recommissioned using the Visual Commissioning File, the SmartBox/SmartBox Pro data can be merged back into the Optimizer machine.

Therefore, migration from SmartBox/SmartBox Pro to Optimizer is supported, whereas migration from Optimizer to SmartBox/SmartBox Pro is not supported from a data continuity perspective.