Understand installation order of PI Server components

PI Server consists of Data Archive, PI AF (including PI Notifications Service and PI Analysis Service), and PI Interfaces.

Note: For the latest release of the PI Server, PI AF server is no longer a required prerequisite for PI Data Archive server installation.

Typically, you should install PI AF server before other server roles. In the case of Data Archive, this order is merely advisory. However, other server roles (PI Notifications Server and PI Analysis Service) store configuration information during the setup process in PI AF server itself. However, PI AF server can be installed simultaneously with these other server roles if they are all installed on the same computer.

The following installation order is meant as a quick start guide to install PI AF server if desired and Data Archive. While other server roles could be installed simultaneously, this procedure is purposely simplified to PI Server as an overview.

Install your PI Server components in the following recommended order. Refer to each PI Server role and feature install section for detailed installation procedures regarding the specific PI component. Use the PI Server 2024 R2 installation worksheet to write down pertinent information about your AVEVA™ PI System™ deployment. It is a companion piece to the installation order below.

1. Optional: Install and configure the AVEVA™ Identity Manager if using OpenID Connect (OIDC) for claims-based authentication.

2. Depending on your choice of database management applications for storing the AF database, take one of the following actions:

   • Perform the prerequisite tasks for the chosen cloud database platform. See Pre-install tasks: Cloud database platforms.

   • Install Microsoft SQL Server.

3. (Optional): Install the PI AF server using the PI Server install kit.

4. Select the PI AF server and components to include in the installation. The PI AF server installation offers the following features for installation on the Individual Features tab of the Feature Selection window:

   • AF SQL database scripts installs the AF SQL Server database scripts used to create the AF SQL database.

   • AF SQL scripts execution executes the AF SQL Server database scripts, and creates and/or updates the AF SQL database.

   • PI AF Application Service provides client applications the ability to read and write PI AF data stored in the AF SQL Server database.

5. You are not required to install the PI AF Application Service on the same computer as Microsoft SQL Server. If you want to install the PI AF Application Service on a different computer than SQL Server:

   1. On the SQL Server computer, run the PI Server install kit and install the PI AF SQL Server database feature.

   2. If you are installing the SQL scripts without executing them, follow the steps for manually creating or upgrading the PI AF SQL Server database, as described in Manual creation of the PI AF SQL Server database.

   3. On the PI AF Application Service computer, run the PI Server install kit and install the PI AF Application Service, PI Notifications service, and/or PI Analysis Service.

6. Install any instances of Data Archive.

   For most Server Roles, both PIHOME and PIHOME64 environment variables are set as part of the PI Server installation process. After installation, on a 64-bit computer both PIHOME and PIHOME64 will likely be set.

   • PIHOME is the directory under which most 32-bit client applications are installed (on either 32-bit or 64-bit operating systems). PIHOME is defined in %windir%\pipc.ini and by default points to c:\program files(x86)\pipc on 32-bit machines and to c:\program files\pipc on 64-bit machines.

   • PIHOME64 is the directory under which most 64-bit client applications are installed. By default, PIHOME64 points to c:\program files\pipc.

   • Note that the PI to CONNECT agent is included in a default installation of Data Archive. An Internet connection is required to install the agent. See PI to CONNECT minimum system requirements.