Frequently asked questions about PI AF deployment

Can the PI AF application service run on the database server system?

Yes

Can the PI AF application service run on a different system from the database server?

Yes

Can the PI AF application service run on a system in a domain that is not trusted by the domain of the database server system?

Yes

Configure the PI AF application service to use a SQL Server login, instead of Windows Authentication when connecting to the SQL Server.

Can the database server use the default instance?

Yes

Modify the PI AF application service connection string to use the default instance or an appropriate alias.

Can the database server use a named instance?

Yes

Modify the PI AF application service connection string to use the named instance or an appropriate alias.

Is there a standalone Notifications installation setup?

No

As of PI AF 2.8.5, Notifications Service is part of the PI Server install kit.

Is there a standalone Analysis Service installation setup kit available?

No

As of PI AF 2.8.5, Analysis Service is part of the PI Server install kit.

If the PI AF application service is not installed on the database server system, what software, other than the SQL Server components, gets installed on the database server system?

None

Will PI AF server operate correctly when the database is installed on a shared SQL Server instance?

Yes

How many SQL Server databases does the application require?

1 (without PI HA) or 2 (with HA).

The setup program creates a single PI AF SQL database with a default name of PIFD.

PI AF creates a second database named <PIFD>_Distribution on the primary server used for SQL Server replication.

Is any specific collation required?

Yes. The collation is required to be case insensitive.

Although the installation procedure does not specify any particular collation, SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS has had the most testing.

Does PI AF expect SQL Server to listen on a specific port?

No

Does the database run in MULTI_USER mode?

Yes

Are any additional SQL Server features required?

Yes

SQL Server Agent service is required for automated backup or if PI AF is configured for high availability. PI AF high availability requires the replication feature of SQL Server.

Review the PI AF Release Notes for a current list of SQL Server Versions and Editions that support the Audit Trail feature in the PI AF server.

When installing multiple SQL Server databases for an HA deployment, must all SQL Server databases be running the same version?

No

While we recommend that all SQL Server database versions match, it is possible for a secondary SQL Server to run a more recent version of SQL Server than the primary SQL Server.

Is IIS required on the database server system?

No

Is .NET Framework required on the database server system?

Yes

Unless the DBA manually installs the PI AF database objects, the setup program requires .NET Framework version 4.8.

Note: .NET 4.8 is required by the AF server. The AF server will NOT start if .NET 4.8 is NOT installed.

The PI Server install kit only checks for the presence of .NET 4.8 for the AF Client. However, users can choose to use .NET 4.5 and later versions in conjunction with a .NET development project.

Is MS-DTC required?

No

Is it necessary to enable remote database connections?

Yes

Yes, if the PI AF application service is not installed on the database server system.

Can the PI AF server be installed on a different domain than the end user domain if the PI AF server domain does not trust the end user domain?

Yes

Yes, but in this situation end users must use a logon dialog to authenticate when accessing the PI AF server.