JACE 8000 to JACE 9000 Upgrade: End of Life, Licence Transfer and Migration Guide

The JACE 8000 is end of sale and cannot run Niagara 5. Here is how to plan the JACE 9000 upgrade, use the licence transfer offer and migrate without downtime.

The JACE 8000 has been the backbone of Niagara 4 sites in the UK for a decade. It is reliable and it will keep running, but it has reached the end of its road: Tridium has stopped selling it, it will never run Niagara 5, and Niagara 4.15 is the last release it can install. This guide explains what that means for your sites, what the JACE 9000 offers in return, how the licence transfer promotion works, and the exact steps we follow when we swap a JACE 8000 for a JACE 9000.

Why upgrade from a JACE 8000?

End of sale

Tridium announced the end of sale of the JACE 8000. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa it was available until 31 December 2025; in North America and APAC until 31 December 2026. After those dates you cannot buy new JACE 8000 hardware through normal channels, which matters most when a controller fails and you need a like-for-like spare.

No Niagara 5

Niagara 5 moves the framework to Java 21, introduces a redesigned user interface and requires every module to be digitally signed. The JACE 8000's hardware is not supported on it. Your JACE 8000 will stay on Niagara 4, and Niagara 4.15 LTS is its final version.

That is not an immediate emergency. Niagara 4.15 is a long-term support release that Tridium has said will receive updates and maintenance until Q4 2028, and a Niagara 5 supervisor can still supervise Niagara 4 JACEs. But every year after that, a JACE 8000 site falls further behind on security patches, new drivers and new features.

Security and cyber insurance

Building systems are now in scope for IT security audits, cyber insurance questionnaires and frameworks such as the UK's NCSC guidance. Auditors increasingly ask whether OT controllers run supported firmware. A controller with no path to future security fixes is a finding you will have to explain.

Performance

The JACE 9000 has a quad-core NXP i.MX 8M Plus processor and 2 GB of RAM. Stations that sit at the edge of the JACE 8000's memory, typically those with many histories, heavy BACnet trending or large Px graphics, run comfortably on a 9000 and start considerably faster.

JACE 8000 vs JACE 9000: key differences

The form factor and mounting are similar, so a JACE 9000 normally fits the space left by a JACE 8000. Check your expansion modules: most JACE 8000 option modules carry over, but confirm each one against the JACE 9000 compatibility list before the site visit.

The JACE 9000 licence transfer promotion

To make the move cheaper, Tridium runs a licence transfer promotion. Instead of buying a new JACE 9000 licence at full price, you pay a licence transfer fee and move the existing JACE 8000 licence (points, drivers and features) onto a new JACE 9000.

Eligibility

• The existing controller must be a JACE 8000 or JACE 834.
• The JACE 8000 must have an active Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) at the time of transfer. If the SMA has lapsed, it must be renewed first.
• You buy an unlicensed JACE 9000 controller and SD card.
• The existing JACE 8000 SD card is returned as part of the process.
• A transfer fee applies per controller.

Deadline

The promotion has been extended more than once. At the time of writing it runs until 31 October 2026. Hardware must be ordered and the transfer requested before the deadline, so if you have a batch of JACE 8000s to replace, order early. You can buy the JACE 8000 to 9000 upgrade and an unlicensed JACE 9000 from us, and we handle the licence transfer with Tridium.

When the promotion is not the cheapest route

If a JACE 8000's SMA lapsed years ago, the cost of reinstating it plus the transfer fee can approach the price of a new licence. Send us the Host ID and licence file and we will compare both options before you order.

Should you upgrade to a JACE 9000 or an IONA?

A like-for-like swap to a JACE 9000 is the right choice when you want to stay on Tridium hardware and be ready for Niagara 5. But an upgrade is also the moment to check whether the panel still needs the same design.

Consider the IONA Niagara 4 controller when:

• the panel also contains separate I/O modules that IONA's 24 onboard points (6 UI, 6 DI, 4 DO, 8 AO) could replace
• the site would benefit from LoRaWAN wireless sensors without adding a separate gateway
• the panel has no reliable wired network and a built-in 4G connection would help
• the site is small enough that IONA's licence tiers from 50 points give a better price

The station itself is portable either way, because both controllers run Niagara 4. See IONA vs JACE for the full comparison.

Step-by-step: migrating a JACE 8000 to a JACE 9000

This is the procedure our engineers use. Allow half a day per controller on site, plus preparation.

Before the site visit

1. Record the JACE 8000's Host ID, licence and SMA expiry date. You need them for the licence transfer.
2. Take a full backup of the station and platform from Workbench (Platform > Distribution File). Keep a second copy off the laptop.
3. Note the Niagara version and every installed module, including third-party drivers. The JACE 9000 needs Niagara 4.13 or later, so a station on an older release must be upgraded. Third-party drivers must exist in builds for the target version, so check with each vendor. Tyrrell Products drivers are published for every supported release.
4. Upgrade the station on your PC first. Open a copy of the station in a matching Workbench and resolve any module or licence warnings before you go to site.
5. Document the network settings: IP addresses, gateway, DNS, NTP, the Fox/FoxS ports and any firewall rules. The JACE 9000 has its own firewall, so non-standard ports may need a manual firewall entry.
6. Check expansion modules and wiring. Confirm RS-485 polarity and termination, which you will reconnect to the new controller (see RS-485 wiring and termination).
7. Arrange the licence transfer so the JACE 9000 licence is ready before the visit.

On site

1. Tell the building operator that the BMS front end will be unavailable for a short period. Plant controlled by field controllers keeps running; anything controlled directly by the JACE's logic or remote I/O will need a manual-override plan.
2. Power down the JACE 8000 and photograph the wiring.
3. Mount and wire the JACE 9000, moving across the RS-485 trunks, expansion modules and power.
4. Commission the JACE 9000 with the Workbench Commissioning Wizard: install the licence, set the IP address and time, install the modules and copy the upgraded station across.
5. Verify every network. Check each driver goes to {ok}, sample points from every device, and confirm alarms, histories and schedules are running.
6. Reconnect the supervisor. Update the Niagara network connection on the supervisor if certificates or credentials changed, and confirm history import and alarm routing.
7. Return the old SD card as required by the licence transfer.

After the visit

• Leave the site on the new controller for a week and compare trend data with the previous week.
• Update the O&M documentation with the new Host ID, IP settings and credentials.
• Add the JACE 9000's SMA renewal date to your maintenance calendar.

Planning a multi-site or estate-wide upgrade

For estates with tens or hundreds of JACE 8000s, a phased plan works best:

1. Audit every controller: model, Niagara version, licence size, SMA status, drivers and criticality.
2. Prioritise controllers with lapsed SMAs, unsupported Niagara versions, known faults or critical plant.
3. Standardise on Niagara 4.15 LTS across the estate where possible. It is also the required starting point for migrating to Niagara 5.
4. Upgrade the supervisor first. The supervisor must always run the highest Niagara version in the architecture.
5. Batch the licence transfers before the promotion deadline.

Our Niagara 5 readiness checklist walks through the estate-wide preparation in more detail.

What does a JACE 9000 upgrade cost?

The total cost of moving one controller has four parts, and the hardware is rarely the largest:

The licence transfer route typically saves the largest single line, the licence, which on a mid-size controller is worth more than the hardware itself. On estate-wide programmes, preparation done once and reused across sites (a standard station upgrade procedure, a tested driver set, a template commissioning checklist) brings the engineering cost per controller down sharply.

If you would rather not upgrade yet, at least keep the JACE 8000's SMA active. It keeps the licence transfer option open, gives you access to 4.15 LTS updates, and is a precondition for most migration offers.

Common problems during a JACE 8000 to 9000 swap

The station will not start on the JACE 9000. Usually a module missing from the new controller or built for the wrong Niagara version. Check the application director output and install the exact module builds.

A third-party driver is unlicensed. The licence transfer only moves features that were on the original licence. If a driver was licensed separately by its vendor, ask them to reissue it against the new Host ID.

The supervisor shows the JACE as down. Certificates changed with the new hardware. Accept or re-import the JACE 9000's certificate on the supervisor and check the FoxS port is open on both firewalls.

RS-485 devices are offline. Check A/B polarity, termination and biasing, and the serial port settings in the driver. The new port's name may differ from the old one.

Frequently asked questions

Is the JACE 8000 end of life?

The JACE 8000 is end of sale: it was available in Europe until 31 December 2025 and elsewhere until 31 December 2026. It is limited to Niagara 4, with 4.15 LTS as its final supported version.

Will my JACE 8000 stop working?

No. A JACE 8000 keeps running its current station indefinitely. What it loses over time is access to new Niagara versions, security patches after Niagara 4 support ends, and replacement hardware.

Can I transfer my JACE 8000 licence to a JACE 9000?

Yes, under Tridium's licence transfer promotion, if the JACE 8000 or JACE 834 has an active SMA. You buy an unlicensed JACE 9000 and pay a transfer fee instead of buying a new licence.

Can a JACE 8000 be upgraded to Niagara 5?

No. Niagara 5 needs a JACE 9000 or another supported controller. A Niagara 5 supervisor can still supervise JACE 8000s running Niagara 4.

How long does a JACE 9000 swap take?

With preparation done in advance, around half a day on site per controller, including testing. Most of the work is in preparing the station and licence beforehand.

What happened to the Niagara Edge 10?

The Edge 10 is also end of life, with its last time buy in Europe on 31 December 2025. Replacements include the JACE 9000 with remote I/O, or the IONA controller with onboard I/O.

Related guides

• What is a JACE controller?
• Niagara 5 readiness checklist
• IONA vs JACE
• Niagara Edge 10 end of life and replacements
• Niagara Workbench versions and compatibility