This file contains basic information on the DataFinder Server Edition 2015. The file contains the following information:
System Requirements
Clients
New Features
Corrected Errors and Incompatibilities
Known Issues with the Microsoft SQL Adaptor
Automatic_Installation_of_NI_Products
How to Use NI Software with Microsoft Windows Server 2012
NI DataFinder Server Edition Drops Support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, and Windows Server 2008 in 2016
Legal Information
System Requirements
The following system requirements are estimated system requirements for DataFinder Server Edition. If your computer has less than the minimum system requirements, you cannot install the product correctly. The system requirements vary depending on your system configuration, the number of clients which access the server, and the number of data to be indexed.
Minimum system requirements
CPU
2 Processor cores, clock frequency 1.4 GHz
Memory
2 GB
Operating Systems
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012 including R2
Recommended system requirements
CPU
4 to 8 processor kernels or more, clock frequency 2.5 GHz or more
Memory
16 GB or more
Hard disks for operating system and index
15.000 rpm SAS drives or SSD drives; National Instruments recommends storing the DataFinder index on a separate drive.
Operating Systems
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012 including R2
Miscellaneous
Internet Explorer Version 6.0 Service Pack 1 or later
If you do not install DIAdem, you need the Windows Scripting Host if you use VBS-DataPlugins.
Note DataFinder Server Edition, LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit, and DIAdem Version 10.0 and later versions install and use a common software component (DataFinder client), which is refreshed by the installation of the DataFinder Server Edition. When you uninstall DataFinder Server Edition, the current version of the shared component remains. This is intentional and has been tested extensively.
DataFinder Server Edition 1.0, LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit 2009, DIAdem 9.0, LabWindows/CVI 8.1, and LabVIEW 7.1 and later versions install and use a common software component (USI), which is refreshed by the installation of the DataFinder Server Edition. When you uninstall DataFinder Server Edition, the current version of the shared component remains. This is intentional and has been tested extensively.
Note DataFinder Server Edition does not support the volume license manager from National Instruments.
Clients of DataFinder Server Edition 2015
Some of the new features and improvements of DataFinder Server Edition can only be used with the respective National Instruments DataFinder clients.
National Instruments recommends the use of the following products for the implementation of DataFinder Server Edition 2015.
DIAdem 2015
LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit 2015
If you are a member of a federation you can use DataFinder Server Edition 2014 or higher. Every program that supports the ASAM ODS CORBA interface, can connect to the DataFinder ASAM ODS server.
New FeaturesNew Features in DataFinder Server Edition 2015
Backup and Restore DataFinder Servers
Improved search performance through column-oriented search
Continuous scan for new and changed files which are then indexed.
Display of extended statistical information about the indexed data
Automation interface for creating DataFinder servers and configuring the most important DataFinder server settings
New Features in DataFinder Server Edition 2014
DataFinder Server Edition 2014 is a 64-bit application.
With the DataFinder federation server you can access up to 100 DataFinder servers simultaneously through a common interface.
You can configure the system storage, which the DataFinder index uses, in detail.
If you use DataFinder Server Edition 2014 as an ASAM ODS server or create a DataFinder federation, you can use the new dialog box in the DataFinder manager in order to create a user-defined navigation hierarchy. To do so, you use optimized custom properties from the file level or group level of the TDM data model without changing the data.
You can synchronize DataPlugins between DIAdem or LabVIEW clients and a DataFinder server.
New Features in DataFinder Server Edition 2013
The security settings for DataFinder server has been revised. The permissions for the clients will continue to be set in the Windows permission dialog boxes, but the DataFinder saves all security settings with the program. You also can define individual security settings for individual search areas.
The DataFinder compresses the data to be transferred in order to increase throughput, especially in network environments with a low transfer rate.
Sort your indexed data stores,for example, according to year and month to get a different view. You can also filter the views.
You can now use the DataFinder Server Edition as ASAM ODS server:
- Read-only ASAM ODS CORBA interface
- Application model which can be extended during runtime (compatible with ASAM ODS version 5.3) with a user-defined test hierarchy and units catalog.
- Windows Active Directory based security settings
- UNICODE support
- Generic ATF/XML support
You can now add search areas to a DataFinder server which the DataFinder Manager cannot access. This covers the case in which the DataFinder Manager is executed by a different user than the actual DataFinder server.
In the DataFinder Manager you can now search for updates of existing DataPlugins and install these DataPlugins by pressing a button.
New Features in DataFinder Server Edition 2012
You can now enable automatic indexing of data in the search areas. You can specify whether the DataFinder indexes new or changed files immediately or whether a job file regularly executes the indexing tasks.
The DataFinder Server Edition can now refresh the content of the index more quickly because it uses several parallel indexing processes when indexing new and changed files.
You can use a scheduler to regularly optimize the index in order to process search queries more quickly.
New Features in DataFinder Server Edition 2011
Use the Microsoft SQL Server Index Adaptor to integrate the DataFinder Server Edition in companies with existing Microsoft SQL Server database systems. DataFinder Server Edition in this case uses the features of the Microsoft SQL Server for sophisticated, business critical applications, and can also be integrated into existing maintenance processes, for example backup/restore or optimization. To use the SQL Server index-adaptor, you need Microsoft SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, or SQL Server 2008 R2.
Corrected Errors and Incompatibilities
The following section lists some of the issues fixed in DataFinder Server Edition. This is not an exhaustive list of issues fixed in the current DIAdem version. If you have a CAR ID, you can search this list to validate that the issue has been fixed.
Fixed Issues in DataFinder Server Edition 2015 SP2
CAR ID
Description
572307
If in DataFinder Server Edition custom properties are excluded from optimization, DIAdem as a client does not display suggestion lists for optimized custom properties in versions prior to version 15.
Fixed Issues in DataFinder Server Edition 2015 SP 1
CAR ID
Description
539169
DataFinder Federations do not support an upgrade to the current version.
537300
Configuration files with filenames containing Unicode characters, for example, through the use of custom properties with Unicode characters in ASAM configurations, lead to storage and restore problems.
535726
Navigating from the last configured level of the ASAM tree to the file level might be slow.
539165
The automation interface for the configuration of DataFinder servers does not support the creation of backup copies of DataFinder Server versions before 2015.
539167
The specified backup interval for an active DataFinder server is not correctly displayed in the DataFinder manager or in the automation interface.
560138
When writing TDMS files in a search area of the DataFinder, LabVIEW sometimes creates invalid TDMS files.
Fixed Issues in DataFinder Server Edition 2015
CAR ID
Description
490875
DataFinder does not allow you to specify a "Fully Qualified Server Name".
434889
DataFinder does not allow you to copy and paste the security settings of search areas.
Incompatibilities of DataFinder Server Edition Version 2015 with Previous Versions
Indexing TDM files may lead to timeouts.
File information from disabled DataPlugins is no longer indexed.
Navigating in the tree view of the DataFinder manager no longer triggers automatic indexing. You can use the indexing function in the context menu instead.
Due to performance optimizations, the number of indexed groups and channels can no longer be determined from DIAdem or DataFinder Toolkit. Alternatively, you can use the statistics information of the DataFinder manager.
Fixed Issues in DataFinder Server Edition 2014
CAR ID
Description
436239
You can access an ASAM server without a password even if the the security settings are enabled.
444626
Famos cannot read any bulk data from National Instruments ASAM servers.
475693
The security settings of a search area cannot be exported or duplicated.
Incompatibilities of DataFinder Server Edition Version 2014 with Previous Versions
You can no longer install DataFinder Server Edition on a 32-bit operating system.
You can no longer delete earlier DataFinder server versions in the DataFinder manager.
By default DataFinder Server Edition 2014 enables only TDM and TDMS DataPlugins when a new DataFinder server is created. If an ASAM ODS server is being created, the ATFX_TDM DataPlugin is also enabled. All further DataPlugins you need, you must enable manually.
DataFinder Server Edition 2014 searches for a search term with umlauts in the same way as for a search term without umlauts. Searching for a search term containing the letter Ä, for example, returns the results of a search for a search term with the letter A. The same applies for sorting search results with Order By.
Fixed Issues in DataFinder Server Edition 2013
If you install the DataFinder Server Edition on Windows Server 2008 R2, authentication may not be possible in some network environments. If the security settings of the DataFinder are active in such a network environment, DataFinder clients, such as DIAdem or DataFinder Toolkit, cannot establish a connection with a DataFinder server, even if they have the necessary access rights.
Incompatibilities of DataFinder Server Edition Version 2013 with Previous Versions
Since version 2013, the DataFinder Server Edition has been using its own security settings instead of the Windows security settings.
When creating a new DataFinder index, the DataFinder no longer adds the register properties to the individual levels.
Earlier DataFinder servers can only be upgraded to version 2010.
From version 2013 the DataFinder Server Edition will show in the DataFinder manager only DataFinder servers up to and including 2010. If you want to use DataFinders from earlier versions, you can upgrade the DataFinder with an earlier version of the DataFinder manager to a version which supports the DataFinder Server Edition 2013. You can also create a new DataFinder server in the current version.
From Version 2013, the DataFinder Server Edition does not index the file, group, and channel properties with the names registertxt1 ... registertxt3, and the channel properties with the names registerint1 ... registerint6, and registerval1 ... registerval6. This means that these properties are no longer available for search queries.
Fixed Issues in DataFinder Server Edition 2012
The following list contains the CAR IDs and the descriptions of the problems solved between DataFinder Server Edition 2011 and DataFinder Server Edition 2012. Use the CAR ID to check the list whether the issue has been fixed.
CAR ID
Description
333333
On Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7, mapped network drives may not be displayed in the browser.
Known Issues with the Microsoft SQL Adaptor
You cannot use the DataFinder with a Microsoft SQL adaptor if the DataFinder is running on a computer with Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, or an earlier version. Install Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 to solve this error. Microsoft describes this problem on the Microsoft website in the KnowledgeBase entry 2640696. A hotfix for this issue is on the Microsoft website in the KnowledgeBase entry 983246.
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. However, starting with the August 2012 releases (products using NI Installers version 3.1 or later), you may need to perform additional steps before or during a silent installation of NI software.
If the NI product you are installing uses Microsoft .NET 4.0, 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 4.0 separately before you install NI software.
For more information, refer to the following KnowledgeBase articles:
Refer to KB 4CJDP38M, Automating the Installation of a Single Installer for more information on automatic installations of individual NI products.
For more information on silent installations of suited NI products, such as NI Developer Suite, refer to KB 4GGGDQH0, Automating the Installation of a Suited Installer.
Refer to KB 4CJDR18M, How Can I Determine the Type and Version of My National Instruments Installer? for a description of the version of the NI Installer your product contains.
How to Use NI Software with Microsoft Windows Server 2012
When you install National Instruments software on Microsoft Windows Server 2012, you will notice a few additional tiles on the Start screen, including shortcuts to NI LabVIEW, Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), and the new NI Launcher.
Using NI Launcher
NI Launcher helps you find and launch installed NI products. It provides you with a method of finding NI products similar to the Start menu in previous versions of Microsoft Windows. To use NI Launcher, click the NI Launcher tile on the Start screen. NI Launcher launches the desktop and opens a menu containing a list of NI products. Click any NI product to launch it.
Note Unlike previous versions of Microsoft Windows Server 2012, MAX does not appear as a desktop shortcut. You can launch MAX either from the Start screen or from within NI Launcher.
Pinning Frequently Used Applications
For convenience, you can pin your most-used NI applications, such as MAX, to either the Start screen or the Taskbar on the desktop, as necessary:
Current Application
Program Location
Pin to Action
Windows Server 2012 Desktop
Desktop Taskbar
Right-click application and select Pin to Taskbar
Windows Server 2012 Desktop
Start screen
Right-click application and select Pin to Start
Windows Server 2012 Start Page
Desktop Taskbar
Right-click application and select Pin to taskbar from the menu bar on the bottom of the screen
Finding All Programs
If you want to find a particular application or related files, such as documentation files, from the Start screen, you can access all installed files by right-clicking anywhere on the Start screen and selecting All apps. A list of all installed software and related files appears, in alphabetical order by creator or type.
NI DataFinder Server Edition Drops Support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, and Windows Server 2008 in 2016
National Instruments DataFinder Server Edition Drops Support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, and Windows Server 2008 as of July 1, 2016. Versions of DataFinder Server Edition that ship after July 1, 2016 will not install or run on Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, and Windows Server 2008. Windows Server 2008 R2 will continue to be supported after July 1, 2016.
You can no longer install DataFinder Server Edition version 2014 and later on a 32-bit operating system.
For detailed information about NI application software product life cycles, visit ni.com/info and enter one of the following Info Codes:
Product
Info Code
NI LabVIEW
lifecycle
NI LabWindows/CVI
cvi_lifecycle
NI Measurement Studio
mstudiolifecycle
NI TestStand
tslcp
NI DIAdem
ddlcp
NI SignalExpress
selcp
NI VeriStand
nivslifecycle
Legal Information
Copyright
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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:
Legal notice: Notices are located in the <National Instruments>\_Legal Information and <National Instruments> directories.
EULAs: EULAs are located in the <National Instruments>\Shared\MDF\Legal\license directory.
Information on including legal information in installers built with NI products: <National Instruments>\_Legal Information.txt
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 for military agencies.
IVI Foundation Copyright Notice
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Refer to the NI Trademarks and Logo Guidelines at ni.com/trademarks for information on National Instruments trademarks. Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
Patents
For patents covering the National Instruments products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the National Instruments Patent Notice at ni.com/patents.