"Version" of events...
Aabeck said:
...I use RSL500 V9.00 with EVRSI, it works with both methods...FTA ONLY started at Ver 9.05...
OK, thanks for the heads up, but that is strange? By my reckoning before I had posted, that should not have been possible?
And to be fair to Rockwell, some of what I posted is part my info. But I had backed it up with good research and sound reasoning...
I had not found any "clear" references as to which exact release introduced the "FTA Only" method for RSLogix 500. They have one technote with many products/versions listed, but it has not been kept up-to-date...
464167 - EVRSI vs. FactoryTalk Activation for Rockwell Software
Access Level: Everyone
For instance, it lists v7.00 - v8.30 as supporting both methods. But I know that RSLogix 500 v8.40, which was actually released just early in the same year as the technote was published, was not listed. However, it's Release Notes state the following...
RSLogix 500 v8.40 Release Notes said:
...RSLogix 500 v8.40 supports both EvRSI and FactoryTalk Activation...
So the technote should at least list v7.00 - v8.40 as supporting both methods. So that is why I took the liberty of listing v8.40 above.
Also, at the time of the technote's publication, we can see that for RSLogix 500, they did not yet know which version would be the first "FTA Only" release, so they marked it "TBD" (To Be Determined). It would seem reasonable that they might have picked RSLogix 500 v9.00 as the cut-of point as it was the next release they jumped up to after v8.40. If we view the Release Notes for v9.00 it simply states the following...
RSLogix 500 v9.00 Release Notes said:
...RSLogix 500 v9.00 supports FactoryTalk Activation...
So here we can see there is now no reference to "EvRSI". While it does not specifically mention not supporting EvRSI, I would have taken its omission at this release to mean it is no longer supported. I would also have taken this to mean that no future releases after v9.00 will support EvRSI either.
If we look at the Release Notes for RSLogix v9.05, we can see that it states exactly the same...
RSLogix 500 v9.05 Release Notes said:
...RSLogix 500 v9.00 supports FactoryTalk Activation...
Note how v9.05 Release Notes still lists version "9.00" instead of version "9.05"? My guess is they simply copied the text from v9.00 Release Notes and forgot to edit the version reference. But the text is still the same, and to me is implying that FTA is again the only method supported in this second version 9.xx release.
To see what happened beyond v9.xx, we can look to the v10.00 Release Notes...
RSLogix 500 v10.00 Release Notes said:
...RSLogix 500 v10.00 supports FactoryTalk Activation...
Again, the same simple reference to FTA, but no mention of EvRSI.
The layout/look of the Release Notes changed somewhat at RSLogix 500 v11.00. Under the same "System requirements" section, there is now no longer any direct mention of supporting FTA for licensing. However, at the bottom, under the "Required software and versions" section, they state the following...
RSLogix 500 v11.00 Release Notes said:
The following software is required to use RSLogix 500:
RSLinx® Classic or RSLinx Classic Lite version 3.90.00
FactoryTalk® Services Platform version 2.90.00
FactoryTalk® Activation Manager version 4.01.00
...and also the same for RSLogix 500 v12.00 Release Notes except different versions listed...
RSLogix 500 v12.00 Release Notes said:
The following software is required to use RSLogix 500:
RSLinx® Classic or RSLinx Classic Lite version 4.00.00
FactoryTalk® Services Platform version 3.00.00
FactoryTalk® Activation Manager version 4.02.00
So again, all the above is somewhat implying that for all releases since v9.00, FTA only must be used for Activation. But it isn't explicit, for v9.00 or beyond, that's for sure. I think that, for the release that was/is intended to be the cut-off point, there should have been a special reference in the Release Notes to state that EvRSI activations are hence forth no longer supported (something I'll show was done for other products in a minute). The technote could do with being updated too. I might prompt them to do so but it may mean someone have to do some investigation like I've just done, and I don't think too many are as inclined as I tend to be?
On that note, here is another crumb which may lead us to determine which RSLogix 500 release is intended to be the EvRSI cut-off point...
I also know that the "FTA Only" versions were introduced at or after the release of RSLogix 5000 v20 and FactoryTalk View Studio v6.10, specifically...
Rockwell (can't remember where I previously copied this from?) said:
Beginning with the release of FactoryTalk View v6.1 and RSLogix 5000 v20, all new products will no longer support the EVRSI media-based activation method.
So when was that?...
Unfortunately, the Release Notes for RSLogix 5000 v20.00 do not tell us what date it was actually released at, although I do know it was some time in 2011? Incidentally, the Release Notes for RSLogix 5000 v20.00 do state the following...
RSLogix 5000 v20.00 Release Notes said:
EvRSI Replaced by FactoryTalk Activation Manager
Beginning with RSLogix 5000 software version 20, EvRSI activation has been replaced by the FactoryTalk Activation Manager utility. EvRSI will not be able to activate RSLogix 5000 software version 20. If you are using EvRSI activation, please contact your local Rockwell Automation Sales office or Rockwell Automation Services & Support for information on migrating your activations to FactoryTalk Activation.
The above note, in my opinion, should also have been done for RSLogix 500 software for the relevant version, which we are still trying to discover...
Another option - revision 20.011 was the first Logix 5000 controller firmware released along with RSLogix 5000 v20.00. The Release Notes for firmware revision 20.011 state that it was "released 12/2011" or December 2011, so there we have it.
Now we need to find which version of RSLogix 500 was next released in and around this date, or soon after...
From their respective Release Notes...
RSLogix 500 v8.40 was released in June 2011
So v8.40 was before the circa December 2011 "FTA Only" cut-of date.
We also know from its Release Notes above that it supports both methods.
RSLogix 500 v9.00 was released in April 2012 (from Release Notes)
So this tells us that v9.00, specifically, was the next RSLogix 500 release after RSLogix 5000 v20.00 had been released.
This fact, and the absence of any mention of EvRSI in the v9.00 Release Notes, is what drew me to my conclusion that the "TBD" in the technote should be replaced with "v9.00 - v12.00 and later", or "v9.00 - Higher".
But your feedback on v9.00 would discount the above, it seems?
One possibility, that would help qualify your statement above, is that v9.00 was intended to still support both activation methods, but the Release Notes are inaccurate, and should not have omitted the EvRSI reference until the next release at v9.05?
Plausible? By Rockwell's standards, most definitely.
Regards,
George
