Install the Plant Applications Report Server

You can install the Plant Applications Report Server, after completing the prerequisites.

Before you begin

Determine which components to install and complete the required prerequisites.

  • Verify that role services have been installed as described in the Setting up IIS Web Services section in the Plant Applications Getting Started Guide.
  • Verify that Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Native Client is installed. If the version of the SQL Server 2012 Native Client you installed is earlier than 11.4.7001.0, then you must upgrade it. You can download the SQL Server 2012 Native Client version 11.4.7001.0 or later from the following URL: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50402. Also the installer is found under Tools\Microsoft SQL Server Native Client directory of Installation media (ISO/DVD).
  • If planning to use a web portal (for example, Proficy Portal or SharePoint Services), verify the portal has been installed before installing the Web Server.
  • IIS Metabase backup files contain copies of the metabase configuration file. You can create a portable backup if needed.
  • If report engines have to be configured to print or produce reports in PDF format, a default printer must be installed on the computer, and the PDF generator service must be started with a Windows user account (Logon as a Service policy required). For more information, see Adding a Printer in the Web Server and Web Client section of the Plant Applications Help.
  • Microsoft Excel is required to install Plant Applications Web Report engines.
    Note:
    • After installing the Plant Applications Web Server, you must start Excel under the same login account used by the Plant Applications Report engine services.
    • Configure Excel as described in Set Up the Plant Applications Excel Add-In
  • To use Proficy Authentication (UAA), you must install UAA using Operations Hub installation media (ISO file or DVD).
  • Previously, the web reports were supported only with Internet explorer 11. Now, the web reports are supported in all the browsers (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft edge, and Safari).
    Note: Ensure that the pop-ups are allowed for the Plant Applications Web Server dashboards. Disable the Pop-up blocker for the following browsers:
    • Google Chrome: Select in the address bar, and then select Always allow pop-ups and redirects from https://<sitename>:<port> to disable the Pop-up blocker.
    • Mozilla Firefox: Select Settings from the browser application drop-down menu, and then select the Privacy and Security section. Scroll down and deselect the Block pop-up windows check box.
    • Microsoft Edge: Select Settings from the browser application drop-down menu, and then select the Cookies and site permissions section. Scroll down and select Pop-ups and redirects from the All permissions list. Select Block (recommended) toggle switch to off position.
    • Safari (Mac users only): Select Preferences from the Safari drop-down menu, and then select the Websites tab. Select Pop-up Windows from the left pane, and then select Allow to allow pop-ups for the required website.
Note: By default, SharePoint Portal Services 3.0 uses port 80. If port 80 is used by Plant Applications Web Server, you must change SharePoint to use an open port, such as port 81.

About this task

Web Reports can use the following components:
  • Plant Applications Server – Interacts with the Web Server and maintains a profile of Web Client users.
  • Plant Applications Web Server – Framework to schedule and distribute standard and adhoc web reports by means of the Plant Applications Web Client.
  • Plant Applications Web Parts – Customizable web components for use in a portal to view relevant plant information in real time.
  • Plant Applications Web Content and Web Report Engines – Generate content data for Web Parts and reports. When report generation time increases or CPU usage is high, you should place another engine into service.
    Note:
    • If you are installing Plant Applications in a production environment, you must install the Plant Applications Web Server and Plant Applications Server on different computers. You can install all components on a single computer for testing.
    • If Plant Applications Report (Web) Server is installed on Plant Application Server, you must note that the Proficy Server Manager service will be stopped and started during installation when the Plant Applications Report Services are created.
    • Engine services do not start unless assigned their own Windows user account. Logon as a Service policy required.

Procedure

  1. Copy the software and extract files to the computer where you want to install the Plant Applications Report Server, then run InstallFrontEnd.exe as an administrator.
    The Proficy Plant Applications 2023 page appears.
  2. From the Installation Menu, under the Prerequisites group, select Plant Applications Report Server. If the installation does not start automatically, then locate and double-click the PlantApplicationsWebServerSetup.exe file from the Install folder.
    The License Agreement page appears.
  3. Select I agree to the license agreement terms and conditions, and then select Install.
  4. Select Next at the Welcome screen.
    Note: If the previous version of Plant Applications Web Server is installed, a pop-up message will be displayed to uninstall existing Plant Applications Web Server before installing the Plant Applications Web Server.
  5. Select Yes to override firewall settings.
  6. Select OK to check the Web Server (IIS) features installation. If the validation fails, you will be prompted to install the necessary Web Server (IIS) features. Refer to Setting up IIS Web Services for more details.
  7. At the Custom Setup screen, select the features to install on this server. Select Next to continue.
    Note: Microsoft Excel is required to install Plant Applications Web Report engines.
  8. Enter the name of the SQL Database server, and then select the authentication method. If using Server authentication, enter the server credentials, then select Next.
    Note: The installer will auto fill the SQL Database server name if a specific registry key for an existing SQL Server name is available in the server.
  9. Accept default port numbers for the HTTP/HTTPS if not in use, or enter different ports as needed. Select Next.
    Note:
    • If the Web server is upgraded from previous versions Plant Applications Web reports, then the HTTP and HTTPS port fields will be auto filled with the previously used port numbers.
    • The site parameter UseHttps is set to True by default, during installation. It is recommended not to modify the site parameter at later stage, as Plant Applications Web Server is programmed to be highly secured.
    Note: Ensure that these ports are not used by any other applications.
  10. Enter the site name in the sitename field if the site name is different from the host name. And leave blank if the site name is same as the host name. Select Next.
    Note:
    • If FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) is greater than 25 characters, enter the FQDN as the sitename.
    • Self-Signed certificates are generated and installed with hostname/sitename/FQDN by default, during installation. If needed, it can be changed to a signed certificate from a trusted certificate authority (CA). Refer to Secure Socket Layer and Certificate Requirements for more details.
  11. Record any listed tasks that you may need to complete (for example: Pre and Post installation tasks). Select Next.
  12. Enter the Windows Account (username) and Password of the local Windows user account, or domain user account with rights to logon as a service in the machine that has the Plant Applications Web Server services running. Select Next.
    Note: Although the Plant Applications Web Server services run under the Local System account, you should use a local Windows user account.
  13. Select the authentication type, and then select Next.
    • Select Native, for Plant Applications users.
    • Select UAA, for Proficy Authentication (UAA) users.
    1. If you select UAA, enter the following Proficy Authentication details, and then select Next.
      • Server Name: Enter the UAA server name.
        Note: Do not enter UAA server IP address as Server Name.
      • Port: Enter the UAA port number, if it is other than 443.
      • Admin Client ID: Enter the client ID used for UAA. The default is ‘admin’.
      • Admin Client Secret: Enter the admin client secret that was entered during UAA installation.
    2. Enter Proficy Authentication user details and then select Next.
    Note: The Proficy Authentication user must be assigned to any report tree to access the Plant Applications Reporting URL. Installer will create a user account in UAA with the details provided in the above screen.

    Refer to Create or Modify UAA Users to Access Web Reports for providing UAA user accounts to access Plant Applications reporting URL.

  14. At the Destination Folder screen, accept the default location for the web server destination folder, or select Change to select another location. Select Next.
  15. Select OK to acknowledge that SharePoint Portal Services required to access the SharePoint dashboards.
    Note: See Changing the SharePoint Port Number for steps to use a port other than port 80.
  16. Select Install at the Ready to Install the Program screen to begin copying files.
    The installation program sets up the web server. If needed, the program installs the Microsoft SOAP and Snapshot viewer, writes the system registry values, copies files, imports the Web Part templates, creates desktop shortcut, and populates the database.
    Note: If a portal is not found, a prompt notifies you that Web parts will be available only through the Plant Applications Web Server or Proficy Real-time Information Portal (RTIP).
  17. Select Finish.

What to do next

  1. Log into the computer with the newly installed Report Server using the Windows User Account that was selected during the installation.
  2. Verify that the DashboardImport.log and ExecuteScript.log installation log files contain no errors. By default, the log files are located in <Installation_Location>\Plant Applications Web Server\SetupLogs.
  3. Verify that the sqlscriptexecutionlog.txt script execution log file contains no errors. By default, the log file is located in <Installation_Location>\Proficy\Plant Applications Web Server\SetupLogs.
  4. Verify that the Report Server instances (Default Web Site and PAReportingFTP) are displayed under the Sites folder in the IIS Manager.
  5. If you are using FTP, refer to Set Up FTP for Report Server.
  6. You can use the Plant Applications Web Reports desktop shortcut to open the Reports URL in the default browser.

    User authentication page appears to enter login details.

    Note: To change the default browser in your system settings:
    1. From Windows Start menu, select .
    2. Select Apps, and then select Default apps. Select Web browser and choose your default browser.
  7. Refer to step 12, for authentication type.
    For Native users, the following login screen appears.
    For Proficy Authentication (UAA) users, the following login screen appears.

    If the login is successful, Plant Applications Web Server Home page appears.

    After installing the Plant Applications Web Server, install Plant Applications Client (if not installed) using Plant Applications installation media (ISO or DVD) and install Plant Applications Web Server and Client SIMs latest release downloaded from the GE Support website.

    Note:
    • Web reports links from Plant Applications Client displays (Display hyperlinks), Plant Applications Web Server Administrator (Web Content > Edit Default Parameters, Create Definition, and View) and Web Parts Administrator (Preview of the selected Web Part or Web Part template ) will open in default browser for new web reports.

Refer to Troubleshooting Web Reporting Issues to troubleshoot any installation issues.