This file contains installation instructions and compatibility information for SystemLink.
You can find more release information on ni.com.
SystemLink Release Notes: Known issues, bugs fixed since the last release, and other notes about this release
SystemLink Manual: New features, behavior changes, and other documentation
If you plan to use LabVIEW NXG, refer to LabVIEW NXG Support and Considerations.
Overview
System Requirements
Application Software Support
Installation Instructions
Product Security and Critical Updates
Accessing the Help
Finding Examples
LabVIEW NXG Support and Considerations
Automating the Installation of NI Products
Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10
Unsupported Windows Operating Systems
Legal Information
Overview
Use SystemLink to discover and manage systems on a server. Create and deploy packages to all your managed systems. Leverage SystemLink data services to visualize data, trigger alarms, monitor tests, manage assets, and transfer files to a server. SystemLink TDM is a Big Analog Data™ solution for automated preparation and analysis of large amounts of data in various formats and structures from different geographic locations.
System Requirements
SystemLink has the following minimum system requirements:
Server Requirements
Windows, less than 50 nodes
Windows, 50+ nodes, SystemLink TDM
OS (64-bit only)
Windows Server 2019 R2
Windows Server 2016
Windows 10 or higher
Windows Server 2019 R2
Windows Server 2016
Windows 10 or higher
Processor
4-core recommended or higher
8-core recommended or higher
RAM
16 GB minimum
32+ GB recommended
32 GB minimum
64+ GB recommended
Disk
6 GB minimum
8+ GB recommended
16+ GB recommended
Note: SystemLink TDM does not support server versions from the Microsoft Semi-Annual Channel. In addition, SystemLink TDM does not support Windows Server Core mode.
Target Requirements (Managed Nodes)
Windows
NI Linux Real-Time
OS
Windows 7 SP1 (64-bit) or higher
Windows 7 SP1 (32-bit) or higher
NI Linux Real-Time 2019, 2020
(Supports LabVIEW RT 2019, 2020, and NXG 5.0 and later)
Processor
Pentium 4 G1 (or equivalent) or later
All Intel and ARM models supported
RAM
2 GB minimum
4 GB recommended
512 MB minimum
1+ GB recommended
Disk
1 GB minimum
2+ GB recommended
512 MB
Note: VxWorks and Phar Lap OS are not supported.
Additional Requirements for Servers and Targets
.NET Framework 4.6.2
Latest version of one of the following browsers:
Chrome
Firefox
Edge (Chromium)
Safari
Note: SystemLink 2021 R1 does not support Microsoft Edge Legacy versions (version 44 and below).
Note: Refer to Unsupported Windows Operating Systems for more information about support for Microsoft Windows OSes.
SystemLink 2021 R1 supports the following application software versions, including service packs.
Application Software
Versions Supported by SystemLink
LabVIEW
2017 and later
LabVIEW RT
2017 and later
LabVIEW NXG
5.0 and later
TestStand
2014 and later
DIAdem
2015 and later (2020 recommended)
NI SystemLink Python SDK
3.7 and 3.8
Note: SystemLink TDM Analysis Automation does not support NI SystemLink Python 3.8 SDK. To use Python scripts in Analysis Automation, select NI SystemLink Python 3.7 SDK under “Additional items you may wish to install” when installing SystemLink Suite.
Installation Instructions
Download the SystemLink 2021 R1 installer from ni.com/downloads. NI software includes NI Package Manager to handle the installation. Refer to the NI Package Manager Manual for more information about installing, removing, and upgrading NI software using NI Package Manager.
Notes
If you purchased this product with an NI Software Suite or NI Product Bundle, use the installation media that shipped with your purchase to install this product.
Use the serial number that is included with your software to activate SystemLink. For more information on SystemLink activation, refer to NI Software Activation.
Product Security and Critical Updates
Visit ni.com/security to view and subscribe to receive security notifications about NI products. Visit ni.com/critical-updates for information about critical updates from NI.
Accessing the Help
Refer to the SystemLink Help, accessible from ni.com, for information about SystemLink.
Finding Examples
Refer to the following SystemLink repositories on GitHub for SystemLink code examples:
SystemLink Server Examples
SystemLink Client Docs
SystemLink Operations Handbook
LabVIEW NXG Support and Considerations
The following sections detail considerations for using LabVIEW NXG 5.0 and later with SystemLink 2021 R1.
LabVIEW NXG Operating Systems and System Requirements
Software support for LabVIEW NXG differs in the following ways:
System requirements—Only 64-bit (x64) processors are supported.
Operating system—Only 64-bit operating systems are supported.
LabVIEW NXG Help
View context help in LabVIEW by pressing <Ctrl-H> and hovering over an object.
Search for items using the search bar in the upper right corner of the LabVIEW window. You can also view context help for the search results.
Additional documentation is available online at ni.com/manuals.
LabVIEW NXG Examples
Launch LabVIEW and click the Learning tab.
LabVIEW lessons are located in the Lessons tab, and LabVIEW Examples are located in the Examples tab. Follow the instructions in the lessons and examples.
Automating the Installation of NI Products
You can automate the installation of most NI products using command-line arguments to suppress some or all of the installer user interface and dialog boxes.
If the NI product you are installing uses Microsoft .NET 4.6.2, the .NET installer may run before any NI software installs and may require a reboot before the installation of NI software begins. To avoid a .NET reboot, install .NET 4.6.2 separately before you install NI software.
For more information about automating the installation of NI products, refer to Automating an Installer in the NI Package Manager manual.
Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10
Microsoft Windows 10 is the latest version of the Windows operating system and features significant changes compared to previous versions. Windows 10 introduces several new capabilities and also combines features from both Windows 7 and Windows 8. For more information about NI support for Windows 10, visit ni.com/windows10.
Unsupported Windows Operating Systems
SystemLink no longer supports Windows Vista/XP/7/8.x, Windows Server 2003/2008/2012, or any 32-bit Windows operating system. Versions of this product that ship after May 1, 2021, may not install or execute correctly on these operating systems. For detailed information about NI operating system support, visit http://www.ni.com/r/win32bitsupport.
Legal Information
Copyright
© 2021 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.
Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation.
NI respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.
End-User License Agreements and Third-Party Legal Notices
You can find end-user license agreements (EULAs) and third-party legal notices in the following locations after installation:
Notices are located in the <National Instruments>\_Legal Information and <National Instruments> directories.
EULAs are located in the <National Instruments>\Shared\MDF\Legal\license directory.
Review <National Instruments>\_Legal Information.txt for information on including legal information in installers built with NI products.
U.S. Government Restricted Rights
If you are an agency, department, or other entity of the United States Government ("Government"), the use, duplication, reproduction, release, modification, disclosure or transfer of the technical data included in this manual is governed by the Restricted Rights provisions under Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.227-14 for civilian agencies and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Section 252.227-7014 and 252.227-7015 for military agencies.
IVI Foundation Copyright Notice
Content from the IVI specifications reproduced with permission from the IVI Foundation.
The IVI Foundation and its member companies make no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The IVI Foundation and its member companies shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.
Trademarks
Refer to the NI Trademarks and Logo Guidelines at ni.com/trademarks for information on NI trademarks. Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
Patents
For patents covering the NI products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the NI Patent Notice at ni.com/patents.