Don't forget the "Extras" when you Upgrade to SolidWorks 2009 by Cole McLeod
Often when the time of year rolls around to upgrade to
SolidWorks 2009 there are a couple key members of the family that are forgotten in the upgrade.
One item that is often overlooked is the Solid Network License (SNL) Manager. When in an SNL environment new version current SNL Manager software and a new license file must be installed for each version of SolidWorks. Each of these items can be obtained through the customer portal. As a side note licenses for previous versions can be managed with the latest version. For example the 2009 license manager will distribute a license to 2008 SolidWorks on the client PC. This makes upgrading the license manager software a great place to start your upgrade and also assures that it is not overlooked and downtime is very limited.
Another often forgotten, yet equally important piece to the puzzle is the Solidworks Workgroup PDM Vault. This must also be upgraded to match the current version of SolidWorks. A 2008 Vault will be unable to properly communicate with SolidWorks 2009 and vice versa. So it is critical to keep these items in sync. Planning ahead is important in a Workgroup environment to limit any down time. It is best to set aside a certain timeframe that will allow ample time for updating the vault and all client PC's with limited impact to the users. This is usually done overnight or during the weekend at many Alignex customer installations.
Remembering these two items can be the difference between a seamless, successful upgrade and a frustrating day of fire fighting. So make a note and don't forget the extras during your next upgrade!
Cole McLeod
Application Engineer
Alignex, Inc.