Brau Union Z1U Dispenser

This article explains which parameters a Brau Union Z1 dispenser requires for a connection to a bessa product. bessa implements the Z1U-LAN BUÖ POS protocol (API version 1.0.2). The connection runs over the network only.

Prerequisites

• The dispenser is equipped with the network module.

• The dispenser firmware is at least 1.8.6.

• A static IP from the local network is configured on LAN 6 of the dispenser.

• The Brau Union router is unplugged and disabled for the dispenser.

• The manager or technician key is inserted during the initial connect — without it, the pairing cannot be confirmed.

• A dispenser profile exists in the bessa Manager, populated with the article PLUs of the dispenser. The entry is only present if the dispenser module was ordered from bessa beforehand. See Dispensers.

Parameters

The Z1U protocol runs on the Network connection type only. The values are entered in the respective bessa product — on the Sales Point under Dispenser Settings.

There are no further fields. Digit settings and a checksum switch as used by the E protocol do not apply here, because Z1U transmits all payload data as JSON over HTTPS.

Pairing with the dispenser

After the connection details have been saved, the pairing has to be triggered once and confirmed directly on the dispenser's display. On the Sales Point this is done through the Reset credit action in the menu of the dispenser detail view — see Dispenser Settings.

The dispenser identifies the connected device by an identifier and a display name. Neither has to be entered — the device's own ID and name are sent automatically. During pairing, the dispenser's display therefore shows the name assigned to this Sales Point in the bessa Manager.

The pairing yields an access key that is used for all further requests. If the key expires or is revoked on the dispenser, sign-in happens again automatically. If the pairing was deleted on the dispenser, it has to be confirmed again via Reset credit.

Encryption

Communication runs over HTTPS on TCP 443. The dispenser uses a self-signed certificate that cannot be validated against a public certificate authority — the dispenser driver therefore accepts it deliberately. Transmission within the local network is encrypted, but a TLS-terminating proxy or an SSL inspection firewall on the path to the dispenser prevents the connection.

FAQ

Why can't the dispenser be pinged? This is a deliberate requirement from Heineken. Use TCP 443 instead of ICMP for diagnostics.

Why does the manager or technician key have to be inserted? The initial pairing has to be confirmed on the device. Without an authorised key, the dispenser does not show the confirmation prompt.

Can a Z1U unit be connected serially? No. In bessa the Z1U protocol is available for the Network connection type only.

What is "Reset credit" for? The action clears all open credits from the dispenser's memory and performs a pairing in the process. It is required during initial setup and is afterwards the tool of choice whenever the device and the dispenser have drifted apart.

Troubleshooting

• If the emergency key is inserted, credit orders are neither displayed nor enabled at the dispenser.

• The connection test fails — the Brau Union router is still active, the static IP is not applied on LAN 6, or the device and the dispenser sit in separate VLANs without routing.

• The pairing is not confirmed — the manager or technician key is not inserted, or the confirmation on the dispenser's display was not acknowledged.

• The connection drops after a short time — an SSL inspection firewall on the path to the dispenser breaks up the TLS connection.

• Dispenser firmware older than 1.8.6 — the POS interface is not yet available in the required form.

Related topics

• Dispenser Systems — overview of the supported protocols

• Dispenser Settings — connecting a dispenser on the Sales Point

• Dispensers — articles, users, tables and operating mode in the bessa Manager

• Network security & port requirements