Learn about default user account in the PI Windows group

The account that the preparation wizard adds to the AF Link to PI Windows group depends on whether the Data Archive server and the AF server are on the same computer:

• When the Data Archive server and the PI AF server are on the same computer, the preparation wizard adds the NETWORK SERVICE account to the AF Link to PI Windows group and that is how the AF link subsystem gets access.

• When the Data Archive server and the PI AF server are on separate computers, the preparation wizard adds the Active Directory machine account for the machine where PI AF Link is running. It does not add the NETWORK SERVICE account to the group. In this case PI AF Link gets its access permissions through the machine account. PI AF Link still runs under the NETWORK SERVICE account; when it connects to another machine, the NETWORK SERVICE account has access to the machine account.

  Note: The default configuration is slightly different for clustered Data Archive servers. For instructions, see PI Server Installation and Configuration.