MES Role-Based Installation

The MES Setup tool allows you to select role-based groups of products and components for installation on a node. The Setup tool also allows you to customize the installation by selecting specific components.

Role-based installation provides a combination of MES features specific to a node's role in a multi-node system. For example, if the node is going to be located on the production floor for use only by production operators, then only the Operator role's set of components needs to be installed.

Note that more than one role can be selected for installation on a node, to support nodes that will be running a number of MES clients or services. Although the MES installation software includes a limited version of BI Gateway Server, none of the MES roles will install BI Gateway. During the installation, you have to select the customize option to manually select the BI Gateway components.

It is recommended that you identify the appropriate role for each node before starting the installation. For information about planning what components to install on the MES nodes, see the MES Deployment Guide.

The following roles are available for selection. Note that all roles include the entire library of MES user documentation by default.

Database Server with MES

Select this role to install the MES database on the node.

This role includes the following components:

• MES Database

• MES Middleware

• MES Middleware Proxy

To optimize performance on a system that will also be running BI Gateway, the MES database should be installed on a separate server from the BI Gateway database.

Operator Client

Select this role if production operators, application objects, or third-party applications will be using the node to record production, utilization, or quality management data.

This role includes the following components:

• MES Operator

• MES .NET controls

• MES Development Library (API DLLs)

• MES Middleware Proxy

Web Portal

Select this role to install the MES Web Portal web application on the node.

This role includes the following components:

• MES Web Portal

• MES Middleware Proxy

Report Server

Select this role to install support for deploying MES BI Gateway Reports.

This role includes the following component:

• MES BI Gateway Reports

If you want to deploy MES BI Gateway Reports but BI Gateway has not been installed on the network, you can customize the installation to include the BI Gateway Server, BI Gateway Model Builder, and BI Gateway Data Adapters.

MES Middleware/DB Maintenance Server

Select this role to install the MES middleware service on the node, or to support executing Archive/Purge/Restore jobs to maintain the MES database.

This role includes the following components:

• MES Middleware

• License Client API for accessing the License Server

• MES Middleware Proxy

To distribute the client load, a system can have multiple MES Middleware components installed. All five-equipment licenses include two MES Middleware components. All larger equipment licenses include six MES Middleware components. Additional MES Middleware components can be purchased separately. Dedicated MES Middleware components are recommended for enterprise integration, MES Application object/scripting servers, Work Tasks .NET workflow integration, and nodes making heavy use of the MES API through custom applications.

Configuration Client

Select this role if MES administrators, supervisors, or developers will be performing configuration or supervisory tasks from the node.

This role includes the following components:

• MES Client

• MES Data Editor

• MES Middleware Proxy

System Platform Development

Select this role if MES developers will be using System Platform and MES application objects to develop or run MES applications on the node.

This role includes the following components:

• Application Objects (OCO, SRO, UCO)

• MES .NET Controls

• MES Entity Model Builder

• MES Development Library (API DLLs)

• MES Middleware Proxy

.NET Development

Select this role if MES developers will be using .NET Controls to develop or run custom MES applications on the node.

This role includes the following components:

• MES .NET Controls

• MES Development Library (API DLLs)

• MES Middleware Proxy