Setting up SystemLink on Azure

[~jiggawax~]

Are there instructions on how to set up systemlink on Microsoft Azure?  Like what azure services do I need to purchase?  Do I set it up the typical way that I would on a local server once I create a VM?  How do I license it? Etc...

Any documentation or help would be greatly appreciated. 

Regards,

[andre.buurman@carya]

Hi,

I only experimented with SystemLink on AWS.

For this I setup an AD (cheapest one up to 500 users).

I used the predefined instance for SystemLink offered in the Marketplace, but in hindsight I could've just as easily used selected a custom system.

The rest is installing SystemLink to the VM, setup DNS and configure firewall rules. (The same as would be needed for an on-premise solution)

You might want to make use of the newest feature to move the database to a separate location (additional virtual disk), so data can be managed separate from the installation disk.

https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/National-Instruments-Corporation-SystemLink/B073PFF3LN

EDIT: Just noticed it can't be bought anymore.

Hope it helps a bit.  

[~jiggawax~]

Thanks for the response Andre.

Yeah I noticed that it couldn't be bought anymore which makes me wonder if it is still supported on AWS and/or Azure.  I prefer to go with Azure because that's what my customer already uses for most of their platforms.   

Looks like I got some trial and error ahead of me... 😉

[ian.yeager]

jigg,

We'll be undertaking this same task in the next 4-6 months. I may ping you later to see how you're coming along with this.

[~jiggawax~]

I got it set up.  The only thing I couldn't do yet was get a client to connect and log data.  I think that's a port issue but I haven't had time to dig into it too much.  I was able to log into the portal remotely which was nice. 

A couple tips:

-Make sure you get a VM with enough memory.  They say 8G but you'll need more.  SystemLink kept crashing with an out of memory error and I had a VM with 8G. 

-Azure VMs don't allow chrome and they don't have edge installed.  You are stuck with IE which SystemLink doesn't support.  I did finally get firefox on there and that seemed to work the best.

Let me know how it goes.

Cheers,

[JoshuaP]

Make sure you open the following ports in the Azure firewall.  Note opening the ports on the Windows OS side isn't sufficient when hosted in Azure or AWS.

https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA00Z000000kKHnSAM&l=en-US

[back2rock]

Did you get this figured out Jiggawax? Very interested in having this hosted in an ITAR cloud service.

[frankjeson]

Hi there,

Yes, you can absolutely deploy NI SystemLink on Microsoft Azure, and the overall process is similar to installing it on a local server, with a few additional considerations for cloud resources and networking. Here’s how you can approach it:

1. Select the Right Azure VM
   Start by creating a Windows Server virtual machine that meets NI’s SystemLink requirements (typically Windows Server 2019 or newer). For most setups, D-series or E-series VMs work well since they offer a good balance between compute power and memory.
   
   
2. Networking and Connectivity
   SystemLink needs reliable communication with your client systems and devices. If you’re connecting from an on-premises network, use Azure VPN Gateway or ExpressRoute for secure and low-latency connections. Make sure the necessary ports (default 80/443 for web access) are open in your Network Security Group (NSG), and consider using Private Endpoints for better security.
   
   
3. Storage and Database Options
   You can either host all components on the same VM or leverage Azure services such as Azure SQL Database and Azure Blob Storage for scalability and simplified management. This approach also improves data resilience and backup options.
   
   
4. Licensing SystemLink
   Licensing works just like on a physical server. Use the NI License Manager to activate your license online, or connect the VM to your organization’s license server if you manage volume licenses.
   
   
5. Security and Maintenance
   
   
• Enable Just-in-Time (JIT) access to restrict RDP availability.
• Use Azure Key Vault for credential management.
• Keep your Windows updates and SystemLink patches current for ongoing stability.
  
  

I’ve been studying for the Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) certification, and a lot of what I’ve learned through AZ-305 exam and labs applies directly to this kind of setup, especially around hybrid networking, workload optimization, and securing cloud-based services.

So yes, you’ll set up SystemLink on Azure much like a local installation, but with a few extra steps for cloud integration and security best practices. Once configured properly, it runs efficiently and scales well for remote or distributed teams.