Enable Opening Analyses in ReliaSoft Desktop Applications
When users view published analysis summaries and FMEAs in SEP, the Open buttons make it easy for them to open the full analysis in a relevant desktop application. This can be done in two ways:
- Using ReliaSoft desktop applications installed locally on the SEP user's computer.
- Using ReliaSoft desktop applications running on a remote server, eliminating the need to install the desktop software on each client computer.
These options are not mutually exclusive; you can make both available and allow the user to choose via the User Preferences page. For both methods, an enterprise database connection file will be created and an environment variable name for the connection file path will be specified.
Enabling the Use of Locally Installed Software
Create the Enterprise Database Connection File
The enterprise database connection file (*.rserp) contains all of the necessary information for connecting to the enterprise database. For users opening analyses with locally installed software, this file may be saved locally on their computers, or it may be accessed at a shared network location.
- From Start, search for "SEP 2025 Admin" and open the admin utility.
- Click New Database Connection File and enter the details required for the database, then click OK.
- Specify a location to save the enterprise database connection file—this can be the intended permanent location, or you can subsequently copy the file for distribution—and click Save.
- Create a password for the enterprise database connection file. This password will need to be shared with all users who use the connection file.
Specify an Environment Variable Name
The environment variable will be used in the locator links that point to specific analyses, so it is important that it matches here and on all users' machines. Refer to Define the Environment Variable on the Remote Server.
- In the admin utility, click SEP Settings and enter the details required for the database, then click OK.
- On the Connection tab, under Database connection for Open buttons, enter an environment variable name or accept the default name, "SEPConnection."
Define the Environment Variable on User Computers
On each client computer:
- If the enterprise database connection file was distributed, save it to a location of your choosing, then press Shift and right-click it and choose Copy as Path. If you are accessing it at a shared network location, access that location, press Shift and right-click the file and choose Copy as Path. In this latter case, you must access the location using the UNC pathname (e.g., \\SharedDrive\ReliaSoft\ConnectionFile1.rserp) and NOT using a mapped drive.
- From Start, search for "env" and choose Edit environment variables for your account.
- In the User variables section of the Environment Variables window, click New.
- In the New User Variable window, enter the environment variable name created in the "Specify an Environment Variable Name" section, then paste the path that you copied in step 1 of this section as the variable value and click OK.
- Restart the computer to ensure that the variable is recognized going forward.
Enabling the Use of Remotely Installed Software
Create the Enterprise Database Connection File
The enterprise database connection file (*.rserp) contains all of the necessary information for connecting to the enterprise database. For users opening analyses using software running on a remote server, this file will need to be placed in a location accessible to all users (i.e., any user accessing the software must have, at minimum, read permissions in the folder where the connection file is saved).
- From Start, search for "SEP 2025 Admin" and open the admin utility.
- Click New Database Connection File and enter the details required for the database, then click OK.
- Specify a location to save the enterprise database connection file and click Save.
- Create a password for the enterprise database connection file. This password will need to be shared with all users who use the connection file.
Specify an Environment Variable Name
The environment variable will be used in the locator links that point to specific analyses, so it is important that it matches here and on the remote ReliaSoft server.
- In the admin utility, click SEP Settings and enter the details required for the database, then click OK.
- On the Connection tab, under Database connection for Open buttons, enter an environment variable name or accept the default name, "SEPConnection."
Configure Remote ReliaSoft
Remote ReliaSoft allows you to configure SEP to run ReliaSoft desktop applications on one or more remote servers, eliminating the need to install and update software on each client computer. This section describes the minimum requirements for setting up the server(s) and generating a Remote Desktop connection file for Remote ReliaSoft.
Requirements
- A Windows server that can be configured with Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and RDP RemoteApp, or multiple RDS servers and a “broker” that distributes the requests. When planning your hardware requirements, you can estimate the following typical memory requirements per application per session. For example, a server with 32 GB RAM could support approximately 30 simultaneous ALTA users, or 100 simultaneous Lambda Predict users, and so on.
| Application | Estimated Memory Requirement per Session (MB) |
|---|---|
| ALTA | 1000 |
| RGA | 1000 |
| Weibull++ | 900 |
| BlockSim | 500 |
| XFMEA | 400 |
| RCM++ | 400 |
| MPC | 300 |
| Lambda Predict | 300 |
- Sufficient RDS license seats (purchased from your preferred Microsoft vendor).
- ReliaSoft desktop applications installed and kept up to date on the RDS server(s). Locally hosted licensing is recommended (token-based or floating). If you do not already have a locally hosted license server for ReliaSoft and nCode software, see instructions at https://www.hbkworld.com/en/services-support/support/product-documentation/locally-hosted-licensing.
Set Up the RDS Server(s) and Create a Remote Desktop Connection File
- Note that this document provides partial instructions focused on the settings that will affect your ability to generate a Remote Desktop connection file that can be used within SEP. If you are not familiar with the steps required to install and configure RDS, you may need to consult documentation/support provided by Microsoft.
- Install the ReliaSoft desktop applications and configure the locally hosted licensing.
- In the Windows Server Manager, make sure the required RDS roles are installed:
| Windows 2016 or 2012 | Windows 2008 |
|---|---|
| Remote Desktop Session Host | Remote Desktop Session Host |
| Remote Desktop Connection Broker | Remote Desktop Services Manager |
| Remote Desktop Web Access | Remote App Manager |
- In Remote Desktop Session Host, configure your Remote Desktop license (CALs) and any other settings that are appropriate for your implementation.
- Add the ReliaSoft Launcher as a published RemoteApp program.
- In Windows 2016 or 2012, in the Windows Server Manager under Remote Desktop Services, create a Session Collection. In the collection, use Publish RemoteApp Programs and follow the wizard. In the Properties window, make sure Parameters is set to Allow any command line parameters.
- In Windows 2008, follow the wizard in the RemoteApp Manager. Make sure Arguments is set to Unrestricted.
- Create and save an *.rdp file that contains the connection information for the ReliaSoft Launcher.
- In Windows 2016 or 2012, open RDWeb (e.g., https://servername/RDWeb) in a web browser (other than Internet Explorer) and save the connection file.
- In Windows 2008, click the Create .rdp File link in the RemoteApp Manager.
Note: SEP will use the *.rdp file that you provide as a template, and it will add settings that allow the ReliaSoft Launcher to open a specific ReliaSoft application, project and analysis. If your RDS server is configured to use digital certificates, you may need to edit the file (in Notepad or another text editor) before uploading to SEP. Specifically, if a certificate was added to the end of the file, it must be removed.
Enable Remote ReliaSoft
Remote ReliaSoft is now ready to be enabled in the SEP admin utility. (See SEP Admin Utility - SEP Settings in the SEP help.)
Define the Environment Variable on the Remote Server
- Open a Remote Desktop connection to the server hosting the ReliaSoft software.
- Save a copy of the enterprise database connection file to a location accessible to all users (i.e., any user accessing the software must have, at minimum, read permissions in the folder where the connection file is saved).
- Test that the connection file works by double-clicking it and opening any ReliaSoft application that your license covers. Note that when you are asked for the password, you have the option of remembering the password on the computer. This affects only the user account that is currently logged in; each user will need to provide the password at least once (when using Open in SEP) and decide whether to save it for their account.
- Once you have confirmed that the connection file works, press Shift and right-click the file and choose Copy as Path.
- From Start, search for "env" and choose Edit the system environment variables.
- On the Advanced tab of the System Properties window, click the Environment Variables button.
- In the System variables section of the Environment Variables window, click New.
- In the New System Variable window, enter the environment variable name you created in the "Specify an Environment Variable Name" section, then paste the path that you copied in step 4 of this section as the variable value and click OK.
- Restart the remote server to ensure that the variable is recognized going forward.