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NI TestStand
Migrating TestStand Base Deployment Engine from 2013 to 2018
Solved!
Several years ago, I built a TestStand-based system for a customer. They bought the Base Deployment Engine license for TestStand 2013.
Now, they'd like some features added to the system.
My main development PC now has TestStand 2018. If I use this version to create a new deployment for them, will they need to buy a new Base Deployment Engine license?
Hello JKSH,
I'm pretty sure that the Development license is linked to a specific version of TestStand Engine. So the TS engine 2013 should not allow you to run TS 2018 sequences.
I think that changing the Engine for your customer is not the easiest way (for your customer). Why don't you install TestSTand 2013 on your dev computer ?
TestStand versions can coexists on a same computer, you just have to select the active version of the Engine. Use the TestStand Version Selector for that:
- Managing Multiple Versions of TestStand With TestStand Version Selector
- TestStand Version Selector (TestStand 2017 Help)
Note : at Mesulog, we use virtual machines (VirtualBox). It allow us to keep separate our customer specific developement environment (one project started in TS2016 + LV2017, an other with TestSTand 4.2.1, another one with TS2019...). It also allow to "archive" a VM in order to bring easy support, even years after the end of the project. In your particular case, it would had been easy to launch the Virtual Machine running TestStand 2013.
Regards,
Thanks for your suggestions, Mathieu.
Yes I have VMs for development, and yes I can still create TestStand 2013 deployments.
However, I was asking if I am allowed to upgrade my customer's PC to newer versions of the TestStand runtime engine (and LabVIEW, and data acquisition drivers).
@Mathieu_R. wrote:
I'm pretty sure that the Development license is linked to a specific version of TestStand Engine. So the TS engine 2013 should not allow you to run TS 2018 sequences.
To clarify, my question was this: If my customer were to upgrade to a newer TestStand runtime engine, can they still use their existing Deployment license, or do they need to buy a new license?
@Mathieu_R. wrote:
I think that changing the Engine for your customer is not the easiest way (for your customer). Why don't you install TestSTand 2013 on your dev computer ?
As I mentioned before, I already have a development machine with TestStand 2013. I would just like to know if I'm allowed to upgrade the engine on my customer's machine.
I will not ask my customer to perform the upgrade themselves; I plan to do the upgrades and testing personally.
I know it is not the easiest way, but I'd still like to know my customer's options.
I pick a look on product pages, and that's not obvious. There is no mention of the version for TestStand Deployment Engine, and the part number seems to be the same for years : 777774-35 (I've check old quotes). It lets me think that it could work...
Okay, so that's a very good question... and I don't know. I'm interested in the definitive answer.
Regards,
NI support pointed me to this article, "National Instruments Upgrade Policy for Run-Time or Deployment Licenses": https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA00Z0000019LXcSAM&l=en-US
In short, run-time/deployment licenses get free upgrades. Thank you, NI!
