--- alias: user-guide-automation-connect-iot tags: - automation - connect iot description: "Visualize and manage active automation instances within the system’s automation framework" --- # Connect IoT :lock: Automation.**NavigationPane** :lock: AutomationControllerInstance.**Show** :lock: AutomationDriverInstance.**Show** The **Connect IoT** page enables the user to visualize the existing **Automation** instances, belonging to the *Automation Controller* and the *Automation Driver Definition* and that are Active in the system. The user is able to filter the **Automation** instances according to their states, namely their *Controller State*, *Driver State* and *Communication State*. The system also provides the user with the possibility to search for a particular Automation instance, by using the *Search* box. ![automation_list_view][automation_list_view] The user can choose to see the automation instances in a matrix form: ![automation_matrix_view][automation_matrix_view] In addition, from this page, the user has the possibility to perform several operations on the **Automation** instances. These operations are explained in detail herein. ## Start Automation Controller Instance :lock: AutomationControllerInstance.**Start** To Start an Automation Controller Instance, simply tick the corresponding Automation Controller instance from the list and press the **Start** button on the toolbar. When the *Start Automation Controller Instance* wizard is displayed, confirm the details being presented and press **Start** to complete the operation. ![start_controller_instance][start_controller_instance] ## Stop Automation Controller Instance :lock: AutomationControllerInstance.**Stop** To Stop an Automation Controller Instance, tick the desired Automation Controller instance from the list and press the **Stop** button on the toolbar. When the *Stop Automation Controller Instance* wizard is displayed, confirm the details being presented and press **Start** to complete the operation. ![stop_controller_instance][stop_controller_instance] ## Restart Automation Controller Instance :lock: AutomationControllerInstance.**Restart** Restart an Automation Controller Instance by ticking the desired Automation Controller instance on the list and press the **Restart** button on the toolbar. When the *Restart Automation Controller Instance* wizard is displayed, confirm the details being presented and press **Restart** to complete the operation. ![restart_controller_instance][restart_controller_instance] ## Update Automation Controller Instance :lock: AutomationControllerInstance.**UpdateVersions** To update an Automation Controller Instance version, chose the desired Automation Controller instance from the list and press the **Update** button on the toolbar. When the *Update Automation Controller Instance Version* wizard is displayed, confirm the details being presented. Then, select **Next** to move onto the *Automation Driver Instances* wizard. Confirm the details and press **Update** to complete the operation. For when to update an instance, what the update costs, and how to roll back, see [[user-guide-automation-controller-versions]]. ![update_controller_instance][update_controller_instance] ## Instance States When the page loads, it asks each **Automation Manager** for the current state of its instances. If a manager does not reply within 30 seconds, the page shows its instances as `Unknown`, except those already `NotRunning`. An instance is healthy when its controller instance is `Running` and each of its driver instances is `Running` and `Communicating`. | State | Color | Meaning | | ------------ | ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Unknown` | Gray | No state is known. The instance has not run yet, or its **Automation Manager** did not reply. | | `Starting` | Light green | **Start** was requested, and the process does not run yet. | | `Running` | Green | The process runs. A controller instance reports it after its workflows start, and a driver instance after the controller receives its connection details. | | `Stopping` | Orange | **Stop** or **Restart** was requested, and the process is being stopped. | | `NotRunning` | Red | The process is stopped. | Table: Controller State and Driver State values The state filters also list `Upgrading`, `ScheduledForUpdate`, and `Fault`. In 12.0, neither MES nor the **Automation Manager** sets these states on a controller or driver instance. After **Start**, **Stop**, or **Restart**, the page waits 60 seconds for the instance to leave `Starting` or `Stopping`. If it does not, the page warns that the action was not successful and shows the instance and its driver instances as `Unknown`. **Update** is available only for an instance in `Unknown` or `NotRunning`. The *Communication State* of a driver instance is the MES name for the state of the driver's connection to the equipment. The controller records each change in MES and logs `DriverInstance Communication State updated in MES to `. | State | Color | Driver connection states | Meaning | | --------------------- | ----- | ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Unknown` | Gray | - | No state is recorded yet, or the **Automation Manager** did not reply. | | `Ready` | Gray | `Unknown`, `Ready` | The driver runs, and no connection is requested. | | `AttemptingToConnect` | Gray | `Connecting`, `ConnectingFailed`, `Setup` | The driver opens the connection, retries after a failed attempt, or waits for the setup to end. | | `Communicating` | Green | `Communicating` | The connection is up, and the setup has ended. | | `Disconnected` | Red | `Disconnecting`, `Disconnected` | The connection is closed or closing. Stopping the instance also sets this state. | Table: Communication State values !!! info For the driver connection states, see [[user-guide-automation-protocol-protocols-index#communication-states|Communication States]]. For a driver instance that stays in `AttemptingToConnect`, see [[user-guide-automation-troubleshooting-symptoms#the-connection-never-comes-up|The Connection Never Comes Up]]. For the restart of a process that stops answering the Automation Monitor heartbeat, see [[installation-guide-connectiotautomationmanagerconfig#process-heartbeat-settings|Process Heartbeat Settings]]. [automation_matrix_view]: ../images/automation_matrix_view.png [automation_list_view]: ../images/automation_list_view.png [start_controller_instance]: ../images/start_controller_instance.png [stop_controller_instance]: ../images/stop_controller_instance.png [restart_controller_instance]: ../images/restart_controller_instance.png [update_controller_instance]: ../images/update_controller_instance.png