Can You Create a PI Collective with Different PI System or Windows Versions?
It's not recommended to create a PI Collective with differing PI System versions; exact version matching is enforced for new members. Minor version mismatches are allowed temporarily during upgrades, but not for long-term operation. Windows OS version is generally not a compatibility concern for PI Collectives.
Roshan Soni
PI Collective Version Compatibility: Best Practices and Considerations
When setting up a PI Collective for high availability in OSIsoft PI (now part of AVEVA), system administrators and engineers frequently ask if it's possible—or advisable—to build a collective using different versions of the PI Data Archive or different Windows OS versions.
Version Matching in PI Collectives
The best practice is to maintain exact version parity among all members of your PI Collective. Here’s why:
- PI Collective Manager now enforces exact version matching when creating a collective or adding new members.
- Having matching versions ensures consistency in functionality, performance, and system reliability.
Temporary Mixed Versions: Acceptable for Upgrades
While version parity is the rule, there is some flexibility allowed for minor version mismatches during upgrade processes:
- Short-term operation in a mixed-version collective may be acceptable, for example, running PI Data Archive 2012 alongside 2010, during an upgrade cycle.
- PI Collective Manager allows reinitializing a secondary member where the secondary’s version is equal to or greater than the primary.
- Important: Long-term operation with mixed versions is strongly discouraged due to potential issues with replication, failover, and supportability.
Windows OS Version Considerations
- The Windows Operating System version doesn’t directly impact the collectivity of PI members.
- The only caveats are the usual operating system considerations: performance, security patches, and software compatibility.
Recommendations
- Plan upgrades carefully: Stagger upgrades are acceptable if quickly followed by promotion to full version parity.
- Verify compatibility: Always refer to the OSIsoft/AVEVA support matrix for supported version configurations.
- Test upgrades in a controlled environment before pushing to production, especially when versions don’t match.
In Summary
- Always aim for exact version matching for all PI Data Archive collective members.
- Minor version mixing is tolerable temporarily as part of a structured upgrade.
- Windows OS version on its own is not a critical factor for collective configuration, but should be compatible and well supported.
Following these guidelines will help maintain a robust, reliable, and supportable PI System infrastructure.
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About Roshan Soni
Expert in PI System implementation, industrial automation, and data management. Passionate about helping organizations maximize the value of their process data through innovative solutions and best practices.
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