CategoryFilters is the frozen container slot of the SupervisorExportTagNetworkExt in a Supervisor station, used to hold CategoryFilter components that specify security categories on objects created via export tags. This container has no configuration properties; however, its importance is in its default view, as well as any child CategoryFilter components.

Usage of export tag category filters is optional. However, in some larger Supervisor configurations, this feature may be needed for “station level separation” of user access via security categories.

For example, consider a Supervisor that is accessed by two diverse organizations: “bigOil” and “cleanWater”. Users from each organization need login access to monitor their own sites, including PxViews, histories, and so on. However, it is important that they cannot see each other’s data. In this case, this separation of access in the Supervisor can be quickly accomplished at the “NiagaraStation level” using Category Filters.

A prerequisite of CategoryFilters is the configuration of “Station Info” under the JoinProfile in each subordinate (JACE) station. This involves adding one or more string slots and assigning string property values. Upon a Join, this metadata is exported to the Supervisor as properties of the “Station Info” extension of the NiagaraStation component that represents each JACE station. For related details, see StationInfo.

The following subsections provide more details on a Supervisor’s export tag Category Filters: