Networking Cirris Testers

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11 years ago

Networking Cirris Testers

Does connecting Cirris testers to a computer network mean they’re networked?

The answer to this question is “Yes” and “Not quite.” Basic computer networking is a collection of two or more computers interconnected for the purpose of sharing information. A Cirris tester connected to a computer network can share some information on the network; however, this step alone does not allow Cirris testers to share all information directly with each other. In order to do this, Cirris’ networking software (‘Networking Made Easy Software‘ or ‘Cirris Server Software) is required.

Which Testers can be Networked?

Testers That Can Be Networked	Testers That Cannot Be Networked	Suggested Relacements Models For Networking
Signature Touch 1/Touch 1 Ultra	Signature 1000LC, 1000M, 2000	1100-R+
Signature 1100-R+ /1100-H+	Signature 500	N/A
easy-wire CR/CH+/CH2	Signature 1000R+, 1000RX	1100-R+
Easy-Touch®	Signature 1000-HX	1100-H+
Pin-Sight	N/A	N/A

You can share test files between Touch 1 and 1100 testers with “Networking Made Easy Software.”

This software allows you to:

Edit and manage test programs at all test stations from one location.
Back-up test programs and data from all stations to a network location.
Gather and analyze all test station SPC data reports into one folder for import into SPC Link

How does “Networking Made Easy Software” work?

First, you install “Networking Made Easy Software” on a Windows based PC. Then, all Signature Touch 1 and 1100 series testers connected to that PC can share test files (.WIR files) from a specified folder on the server.

netwk-1

HOW TO: For instructions, see the ‘Networking Made Easy’ Document

Easy-Touch testers have the capabilities of a Signature tester, but have software that is similar to easy-wire. Easy-Touch testers store test programs in their own individual databases. You can put your Easy-Touch testers on a network and share Easy-Touch files using the export/import function in easy-wire; however, this method can be tedious and inefficient.

Installing the ‘Cirris Server Software’ creates one central network server database for each Easy-Touch tester on your production floor.

One central database allows you to:

Edit and manage test programs from one location.
Manage security and login information for all users in one location.
Back-up, repair, and reduce the size of the database.
View all test reports and test data from any test station in your network.

Where do I install the ‘Cirris Server Software’?

You have two options for installing ‘Cirris Server Software.’

Run the software directly on your company server.
Run the software on a Windows based PC which is connected to your server.

So What Do I Do Next?

After you install ‘Cirris Server Software’, you attach each Easy-Touch tester to the network server database.

Less efficient: Peer to Peer network with separate databases:

Recommended: ‘Cirris Server Software’ network with one central database:

HOW TO: For detailed instructions on how to install the “Cirris Server Software” and attach Easy-Touch testers to the “Cirris Server Software” database, see the Easy-Touch I.T. Administration Addendum.

CR and CH2 testers store test programs in their own individual databases. You can put your easy-wire testers on a network and share files using the export/import function in easy-wire. However, this method can be tedious and inefficient. Installing the ‘Cirris Server Software’ creates one central easy-wire database for every easy-wire tester on your production floor.

Having one central database allows you to:

Edit and manage test programs from one location for all test stations.
Manage security and login information for all users.
Back-up, repair, and reduce the size of the database.
View all test reports and test data from any test station in your network.

Where do I install the “Cirris Server Software”?

You have two options for installing “Cirris Server Software:”

Run the software directly on your company server.
Run the software on a Windows based PC that is connected to your server.

So, what do I do next?

After you install the software, you attach each CR and/or CH2 tester to the network server database.

Less efficient: Peer to Peer network with separate databases:

Recommended: “Cirris Server Software” network with one central database:

HOW TO: For detailed instructions on how to install the “Cirris Server Software” and attach CR and CH2 testers to the shared database, see the CR Getting Started Guide or CH2 Getting Started Guide.

Pin-Sight machines store test programs in their own individual databases on the computers they are connected to. You can put the computers on a network and share Pin-Sight files using the export/import function in the Pin-Sight software; however, this method can be tedious and inefficient. Installing the ‘Cirris Server Software’ creates one central network server database for each Pin-Sight on your production floor.

Having one central database allows you to:

Edit and manage test programs from one location.
Manage security and login information for all users from one location.
Back-up, repair, and reduce the size of the database.

Where do I install the ‘Cirris Server Software’?

You have two options for installing ‘Cirris Server Software:’

Run the software directly on your company server.
Run the software on a Windows based PC that is connected to your network.

So, what do I do next?

Less efficient: Peer to Peer network with separate databases:

Recommended: ‘Cirris Server Software’ network with one central database:

HOW TO: For detailed instructions, see the Pages 38-39 Pin-Sight Getting Started Guide.

The Easy-Touch tester has the capabilities of a Signature Touch 1 or 1100 tester, but has software that is similar to easy-wire. A stand-alone Easy-Touch tester stores test programs in the tester’s individual database. Networked Touch 1 and 1100 testers store wirelists in a network folder on a PC. Cirris created a unique way of sharing these files by allowing you to link Easy-Touch database to your Touch 1 and 1100 tester’s network folder. When these files are shared, the test programs you create in the Easy-Touch tester automatically convert and copy (as a .wir test file) to the Touch 1 file location. If changes are made to the shared test file from one location, that test file automatically updates in the other location.

So, how do I make this work?

First, you network your Touch 1 or 1100 tester(s) using the “Networking Made Easy Software” and copy all Touch 1 or 1100 wirelists to the network folder location you selected. Then you connect your Easy-Touch tester to the same PC that contains that network folder. On your Easy-Touch tester, you create an easy-wire category and link it (Link or see ‘Master File Category’) to the same network folder. The last step is to import your Touch 1 wirelists into your Easy-Touch tester’s database.

NOTE: If you add another Easy-Touch tester, you can network the Easy-Touch testers using Cirris Server Software and eliminate the need to import your Touch 1 or 1100 test files into each additional Easy-Touch testers.
Your first Easy-Touch tester should be combined as shown in the section “Touch 1/1100 and Easy-Touch. To add multiple Easy-Touch testers, you will want to network your Easy-Touch testers using ‘Cirris Server Software’. This allows additional Easy-Touch testers to share files with the Touch 1 and 1100 network location without requiring you to import all of your Touch 1 and 1100 test files into each additional Easy-Touch.

So, how do I make this work?

First, you network your Touch 1 or 1100 tester(s) using the “Networking Made Easy Software” and copy all your Touch 1 or 1100 wirelists to the network folder location. Then, on that same PC or on a PC connected to that PC, you network your Easy-Touch testers using the “Cirris Server Software”. On one of your Easy-Touch testers, you create an easy-wire category and link it to the network location. The last step is to import your Touch 1 wirelists into any of the Easy-Touch testers.

Easy-Touch testers, easy-wire testers, and Pin-Sight machines all create different file types. These file types cannot be shared between testers; however, these Cirris products can all be networked using “Cirris Server Software.”

Installing one “Cirris Server Software” License

You can connect your Easy-Touch testers, easy-wire testers, and Pin-Sight machines to one PC running Cirris Server Software so that all of your files are located in one central database.

Important! If the PC that has the “Cirris Server Software” goes down and has not been backed up, you could lose all of the test data in your central network server database. If you are using this scenario, make sure you regularly back up your database!

So, how do I make this work?

You install the ‘Cirris Server Software’ on your company server or on a PC connected to your server. Then you attach each tester to the ‘Cirris Server Software’ database.

HOW TO: For detailed instructions, see ‘Installing the Software’ and ‘Attaching a Station to the Network Database Server’ in the CR Getting Started Guide CH2 Getting Started Guide for all easy-wire testers and Pin-Sight. For Easy-Touch testers, see’Connecting to a Network’ in the Easy-Touch Administration I.T. Addendum.