Running Server Edition as a Windows Service (up to 2.7)

Old documentation: This page relates specifically to Omniscope versions prior to 2.8 b313 (end Sept 2012).  This includes all builds of 2.6 and 2.7, and any build of 2.8 up to 312.  You should be using a newer version, please see the latest instructions.

Keep Scheduler and Generator running regardless of login/logouts

Beginning with version 2.2, it is possible to run Enterprise Edition as a Windows Service. This enables always-on services to remain running regardless of user account logins or logout.

Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 - Running Server Edition as a Windows Service (Version 2.5+)

• Install Omniscope (you have to be an Administrator or have administrator user privileges to do this).
• Activate Omnsicope with a Server key on the user account that the Visokio service is going to run on.
• Install Visokio service as follows:
  • Browse to"Start menu > All programs > Accessories > Command Prompt"
  • Right click and choose "Run as administrator".  Approve any User Account Control dialog.
  • Enter one of the following commands, customising as necessary:
    • cd "C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Visokio Omniscope app\service" 
      (on any PC with per-user installation - this is the default) 
    • cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Visokio Omnisope\service"               
      (on a 64-bit PC with system-wide installation) 
    • cd "C:\Program Files\Visokio Omnisope\service"                           
      (on a 32-bit PC with system-wide installation)
  • Then enter:
    • "Install Visokio Service.bat"
  • This should install your service.
• Configure the account for the service to run as:
  • Open "Start > Control Panel" then "System and Security > Administrative Tools" then "Services".
  • Find and double-click "Visokio Enterprise", and choose the "Log on" tab
  • Select "This account" and enter name and password of the account that the Visokio service is going to run on. This user should be the same account that has been activated. Click "OK".
• Configure memory allocation in the service
  • See Memory configuration below.
• Configuring service to run in 32/64-bit mode
  • See Java 32/64-bit mode below.
• Start the service:
  • Go back to "Services", find and double-click "Visokio Enterprise", and click "Start" to start the service.
• Configure some scheduled tasks:
  • Browse to "Start menu > All programs > Visokio Omniscope" and choose "Scheduler".
  • This will open the scheduler interface where you can add and edits tasks.  
  • You can exit this and tasks will continue to run in the service.
• Scheduler configuration and logs are located in "C:\Users\[username]\scheduler" folder.

Memory configuration

By default the service has a fixed limit of 1100mb.  For medium and larger data files this will need to be adjusted.  We recommend allowing up to 75% of installed RAM, but if running the 32-bit version of Omniscope, limiting further to 1100mb. 

To edit the service memory configuration, open wrapper.conf in your Omniscope installation folder typically in "C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Visokio Omniscope app\service" or "c:\ProgramFiles\Visokio Omnisope\service" and edit the line "wrapper.java.maxmemory", specifying a number in MB.  For example:

wrapper.java.maxmemory=1100            (32-bit limit)

or

wrapper.java.maxmemory=6000            (as recommended on an 8gb server running 64-bit)

 

32-bit vs 64-bit Mode

 

The Visokio service will by default run with the version that has been installed using the installer. For example, if you install Omniscope in 64-bit (default on 64-bit machines), then the service will be configured to run in 64-bit mode. You can verify this, if the wrapper.java.command in the wrapper.conf ends in ...\x64\bin\java (see below). We recommend that if you are using 64-bit machine that you always use 64-bit Java. To switch to 64-bit Java simply change the path in the wrapper.java.command to the 64-bit version (see below for full path).  

Java 32/64 bit locations for Visokio Windows Service:

 

32-bit: wrapper.java.command=C:\Program Files (x86)\Visokio Omniscope\x86\bin\java 

64-bit: wrapper.java.command=C:\Program Files (x86)\Visokio Omniscope\x64\bin\java 

or

32-bit: wrapper.java.command=C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Visokio Omniscope app\x86\bin\java 

64-bit: wrapper.java.command=C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Visokio Omniscope app\x64\bin\java 

 

Note: You will need to restart the service in order for the changes to take effect. 

Recommended settings: 

 

• If you have 1gb RAM, use 750.
• If you have 2gb RAM on a 32-bit PC, use 1100.
• If you have 2gb RAM and are using the 64-bit version of Omniscope, use 1500.
• If you have 4gb RAM and are using the 64-bit version of Omniscope, use 3000.
• If you have 8gb RAM and are using the 64-bit version of Omniscope, use 6000.
• For larger amounts of RAM, subtract 2gb.
• E.g. if you have 32gb RAM and are using the 64-bit version of Omniscope, use 30000.

 

Troubleshooting

Service will not install

If you try to install Visokio as a service on Vista, you will get a"OpenSCManager Failed - Access is Denied. (0x5)" error. On Vista, youneed to log on as an administrator. From the Start menu browse to"Command Prompt", right click and "Run as administrator". Type cd andthe location of the Visokio service folder (generally c:\ProgramFiles\Visokio Omnisope\service) and press Enter then type 'InstallVisokio Service.bat' and press Enter again. This should install your service and start it.

Service will not start

If your service will not start after it has been installed, please check that you have Java in your system path. This can be done by going to the Control Panel, opening "System", choosing "Advanced" ("Advanced Settings" in Vista) and clicking the "Environment Variables..." button. A new window will pop up. Under "System variables" find "Path", click edit and, if the path to the "bin" folder in your java installation is not there, type it at the end (including the "bin").

Alternatively, edit the wrapper.conf file in the service folder of Omniscope's program folder. To use a system VM:

wrapper.java.command=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_04\bin\java

Or to configure the service to use the bundled Java VM that comes with Omniscope:

wrapper.java.command=C:\Program Files\Visokio Omniscope\pvm6u4\bin\java

"Out of memory" errors

If you get out of memory errors (in the scheduler or service log files, in the program folder), see above Memory configuration section on how to increase memory and switch to 64-bit Java (if you are using a 64-bit machine).

 

You need to restart the service for the changes to take effect.

Files on network drives

Scheduler as a service is unable to access files on mapped network drive. The way to get around this issue is by using full UNC paths (\\machine name\path).

Scheduler task will not execute

Before installing the application you need to delete your old wrapper.conf file generally at (c:\Program Files\Visokio Omnisope\Service). As there has been configuration changes to wrapper.conf file, and a new installation does not overwrite old wrapper.conf file.