Cloning a Test Station

[rkmadse]

This may not belong in this forum, but if someone can point me in the right direction that would be great. 

Say I have an (OFF NETORK) test station that is functioning how I want it to, and for discussion sake say it has:

• 3 PXI Chassis with controllers
• 2 Ethernet connected power supplies
• Maybe another Ethernet connected device.

If we build an exact replica of this test station, with new hardware, what is the best way to clone everything from the working test station (basically all of the MAX configuration) to the new test station? 

What is the minimal amount of setup that would be required to do so? Would I have to configure the IP addresses, or simply know the MAC addresses of the devices? 

I'm looking to use System Config to create a LabVIEW tool to help with this but am just trying to wrap my head around what ID information would be essential. 

If I could just have a text file with the Serial Numbers, or the MAC addresses or something of that nature that I could feed into my LabVIEW code to through and change all of the VISA Aliases etc, what would that "key" be? 

I've looked quite a bit through different forums and haven't stumbled on the right thing, but if you can point me to other posts I would really appreciate it! I will continue to search. 

Thanks,

Kellen

[RTSLVU]

You can export all of the settings in NI-Max then import them on the new machine

[JÞB]

Start here 

That link is one good example of what data needs to be gathered to have a successful IQ document.  Once you gather the system information for the existing system you can develop a process or procedure to have every item available on the Clone.

The System Configuration API will help identify hardware resources and settings but will not enclude software versions.  MAX can help identify NI Software components and IVI drivers but still fails to add any 3rd party software or hardware drivers.

Your project dependencies may list items from vi.lib, user.lib or instr.lib that require toolkits or plug n play drivers (work back from each device and see how LabVIEW talks to it. Don't overlook USB to Serial / Eithernet drivers)

Will any measurement change if you move from a 50hz to a 60hz grid or did you always query line frequency before calculating NPLC for your current measurements?

Check Windows settings.  Is there a custom power profile? Localization setting?...  LabVIEW defaults to Localized numeric radix separators is 1/2 0.5 or 0,5?  

Basically, if you need to document the system after the fact, you have a chance of missing something in the IQ approaching unity.  Do it often enough though and eventually your vocabulary will improve.  (Don't try it the first time when your mother can hear you)

[rkmadse]

Got some help from a local NI rep. This was some good information. Will close this out. 

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A quick survey produced a few tools/approaches of interest (not an exhaustive list, but maybe some starting points):

• System Configuration/API:
• https://www.ni.com/en-us/support/downloads/drivers/download.system-configuration.html
• https://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/system-configuration-2022-q3.html
• HDD/SSD cloning (for host/controller PCs):
• Acronis
• https://www.softwaretestinghelp.com/hard-drive-cloning-software/
• Replication and Deployment (RAD) Utility (for RT devices)
• https://www.ni.com/en-us/support/downloads/software-products/download.replication-and-deployment-uti...
• https://github.com/ni/rad