Agilent CrossLab Start Up Services Agilent Cary UV Networked Workstation 1.6 Software Site Preparation Checklist

Significance of the topic

The Agilent Cary UV Networked Workstation 1.6 Software Site Preparation Checklist defines the technical and organizational prerequisites required to deploy and operate the Cary UV Networked Workstation and connected Cary 3500 spectrophotometer reliably in regulated and routine analytical laboratories. Proper site preparation reduces installation time, avoids rescheduled service calls, ensures data integrity, and enables stable instrument control and networked data management across single-PC and client/server OpenLab environments.

Objectives and overview of the document

The checklist aims to guide customers and service engineers through pre-installation tasks and to document required hardware, software, network and administrative settings so that installation and commissioning proceed without delay. It covers supported topologies, software compatibility with OpenLab products, operating system and .NET prerequisites, workstation/server hardware recommendations, networking and firewall port requirements, domain/authentication considerations, upgrade limitations, and required customer responsibilities (backups, administrator access, presence of users during installation, etc.).

Methodology and installation workflow

The document is not an experimental study but a practical installation guide. The methodology is a structured site-readiness assessment: identify customer responsibilities, validate workstation and server specifications, prepare network and firewall, verify OpenLab integration prerequisites, and confirm instrument discovery and LAN connectivity. The checklist emphasizes validating Microsoft updates and Windows version before installation, disabling power-saving features, and ensuring administrative privileges and a domain environment when using ECM/OpenLab authentication.

Used Instrumentation

• Agilent Cary 3500 UV-Vis spectrophotometer (network device supporting Zeroconf/mDNS and DHCP by default).
• Agilent Cary UV Networked Workstation software v1.6 (control and data service components; uses Cary UV Data Service REST API).
• Optional OpenLab ecosystem components for enterprise usage: OpenLab Basic Server 2.8, OpenLab Server 2.8, OpenLab ECM XT 2.8, OpenLab Shared Services Server 3.7, and OpenLab ECM 3.6 (with noted feature limitations).

Main requirements and key configuration points (results and discussion)

• Operating system and runtime: Microsoft Windows 10 (21H2) or Windows 11 (21H2) 64-bit, .NET Framework 4.8 Advanced Services required; .NET 3.5.x and .NET Core 6.x where applicable.
• Hardware recommendations: Intel i5-class CPU (3.0 GHz, 6 cores recommended), 16 GB RAM minimum, 512 GB SSD, graphics capable of 1600x900 (1920x1080 recommended), USB 2.0 port and mouse. Recommended validated PC: HP z2G9 or equivalent.
• Network: Cary 3500 connects by LAN; instrument discovery uses Zeroconf (mDNS) and DHCP by default. A direct LAN connection to the controlling PC is the default installation topology; a second NIC or network switch is recommended when connecting to an intranet/data network concurrently.
• OpenLab compatibility: Cary UV Server Components must be installed on the Application Server / Shared Services Server for supported OpenLab deployments. Hostname resolvability and an OpenLab Control Panel administrator login are prerequisites. ECM 3.6 environments require domain users (built-in users unsupported for UV Networked Workstation access).
• Topology flexibility: Documented supported server topologies include local vs external database and local vs external file storage combinations (PostgreSQL or MS SQL Server supported databases). The checklist summarizes Server Configurations 1–4 to support single-server and multi-server architectures.
• Firewall and ports: The installer configures Windows Firewall automatically, but customers must ensure third-party firewalls/antivirus are disabled or pre-configured. Important ports include HTTPS/REST APIs (443/52088 for Cary UV Data Service), mDNS (UDP 5353), instrument connection (TCP 8765), licensing and OpenLab service ports (various ranges such as 6570, 6624–6625, 8084, 27000–27009, 52088, 6328). Local DNS/DHCP and LDAP/AD ports are also noted for domain environments.
• Authentication and accounts: Local administrator privileges are required for installation; a domain user with local admin rights is required for domain installations. When using domain authentication, service accounts or non-expiring credentials are recommended for server-to-server communication where Trust or explicit credential modes are used.
• Upgrade and migration limitations: Only direct upgrade from v1.4 to v1.6 is supported; Cary Workstation Plus cannot be upgraded to Networked Workstation (only data/settings migration supported). Agilent upgrade services exclude data backup/restore, intermediate upgrades, OS installation/upgrade, and OQ/IQ—these must be handled separately.
• Operational cautions: Disable Windows power-saving to prevent data loss or unstable instrument control. Ensure a time synchronization service on the network for audit/regulatory environments and prevent user account time changes by restricting admin access.

Benefits and practical applications

• Structured site preparation minimizes installation delays, service call rescheduling, and unexpected compatibility issues.
• Clear guidance on network and firewall configuration supports secure deployment in domain-controlled laboratory environments and integration into OpenLab-managed data workflows.
• Defined hardware and software baselines (validated PC configuration, OS versions, .NET runtimes) support reproducible instrument performance across quality control, R&D, and regulated labs requiring audit-ready data capture.
• Separation of responsibilities (customer vs Agilent) reduces risk of lost data during upgrades and clarifies prerequisites for advanced services such as OQ and additional training.

Future trends and potential uses

• Greater automation of installation and configuration through provisioning tools or containerized services could shorten deployment time and reduce human error during site preparation.
• Tighter integration with cloud-based data management and certified cloud storage is likely, requiring secure certificate-based deployments and updated guidance for cloud-authenticated OpenLab services.
• Enhanced zero-touch network security (zero-trust architectures, hardened images, centralized patch management) will affect pre-installation requirements and firewall rules management.
• Improved instrument discovery and IoT-style management (secure mDNS alternatives, DHCP reservations, and inventory services) can simplify multi-instrument laboratory deployments and remote diagnostics.
• Broader support for virtualized and high-availability server topologies (clustered databases, scalable file stores) may appear to support larger enterprise workloads beyond the current supported configurations.

Conclusion

The Agilent Cary UV Networked Workstation 1.6 Site Preparation Checklist provides a comprehensive, actionable roadmap to ensure laboratory readiness for reliable instrument control, data collection, and integration with OpenLab environments. Adhering to the specified OS, hardware, network, and administrative requirements—and preparing firewall and service-account configurations in advance—reduces installation time and helps maintain data integrity and regulatory compliance. Customers should perform complete backups, coordinate with their network/system administrators, and schedule Agilent services when users and administrators can be present.

Reference

Agilent Technologies. Agilent Cary UV Networked Workstation 1.6 Software Site Preparation Checklist. Document D0134269, Revision A.00, 01 August 2025.