Keeping Track of Test Systems (Configurations)

[Gregory]

Hi all, I got a few responses on breakpoint, but I wanted to post here as well because I know many LabVIEW developers also deal with maintaining a lot of test systems.

I'm looking for ideas on how to keep track of what's installed on a lab PC or test system so that it is easy to restore or duplicate the PC. Most of our PCs do have LabVIEW applications on them, but not all of them do.

I want it to be specific enough that any of the engineers could set up the system if they had to, but not so cumbersome that no one wants to keep the information up to date.

What I'm thinking so far is a spreadsheet with the following info. Please tell me any ideas or things that have worked well for you. Thank you!

PC Name (ex: thermal_tester)

Alias (ex: Temp Test)

Location: (ex: Room X)

Operating System

Installed Applications / Drivers (ex: Office 2016, TempTest Ver 1.0.1, NI Package Manager...)

Specialty Hardware (ex: GPIB PCI Card, NI PCI-5122 Scope Card...)

[ederzer]

Hello, 

I've worked on something similar, I made a silent installer for many applications and drivers that we install on our standar PC for testing, and after the installer runs I search the installing folders of the applications just like a checklist; then it saves or upload info to db.

You should search installation folders, or run some cmd of the applications that you've installed, even use logfiles after installations.

[Gregory]

Hi ederzer,

Interesting, so you search for folders that should be there as a check that everything installed properly?

[ederzer]

My first option was to read the log files; I activate that option of making log files since I'm installing all the software via cmd, .exe and .msi have a many options for installation via commands (I used silent)

for instance this would be a command for installing torgit with a log file, "msiexec /qn /i torgit.msi /log <path to log file>" after that you search that created log file and search for an Installation Success string or do something similar; and just to make sure I also search the installation folder to make sure it exists.

[DavidBoyd]

A little different intent on my part, but I do have a system now in place that is test-equipment centered.  I have a VI written to extract extensive DAQmx hardware info from a passed in global task or channel, another to do the same for NI-SWITCH devices that comprise a Switch Executive system, and then a few other like routines specific to VISA or IVI instruments we use.  All of these accumulate their results into a nearly-common data structure - device model, serial, alias on the system, calibration info...

Then I pass those records to a VI which invokes a stored procedure on a SQL server (we use the venerable Database Toolkit to store test results, as well as this device info).  The stored procedure has the smarts to tag the data with the current timestamp, the invoking application name, and decide if an existing record just needs an update to its  "last seen" field, or if a new record should be generated.  The end result is an easily queryable table, able to track what equipment is where (or where it was), and what may be coming due for calibration or maintenance.

Just some food for thought.

Dave

[Gregory]

That sounds like a great system for keeping your equipment calibrated, David