We provide a guide to Agilent OpenLab Support Services for helping individuals who may not know much about the system.   This is a starter conversation to help navigate their way through it.  We built this guide to Agilent Openlab Support Services mainly for IT individuals to perform basic troubleshooting and IT administration.

Additional Resources:

  • OpenLab Tutorials
    • I highly recommend to defer to the tutorials once you gain the basics on the platform and the hardware from reading below.
  • Agilent OpenLab Support Services – Contact Info

 

OpenLab Server Infrastructure

 

Hosted by 2 physical servers

  • Hypervisor-01P (6k)
    • Datbase-01P (VM)
      • This MS SQL database stores the instrument data.  Instrument data is readings from the instruments.  Ie spectrogram, chromograph
    • AIC-01P (VM)
      • Agilent Instruments Controller.  Lab instruments controller.  All the instruments need to be managed by a controller
    • DC-01P (VM)
      • Domain Controller for network/user authentication into OpenLab
    • VSAN-01P (VM)
      • Hyper converge storage solution.  It creates a RAID between two computers. (SQL data and VMs)
        • VSAN-02P
          • HV-01P
          • HV-02P
  • Hypervisor-02P (6k)
    • ECM-01P (VM)
      • Open Lab server software.
    • AIC-02P  (VM)
      • Lab instruments controller.  All the instruments need to be managed by a controller
    • SCHD-01P (VM)
      • Open Lab scheduling software.  Allow to automate system readings.
    • DC-02P (VM)
      Domain Controller for  network/user authentication
    • VSAN-02P (VM)
      Hyper converge storage solution.  It creates a RAID between two Hypervisors

 

Agilent Openlab Support Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How does a lab technician gain access the Open Lab system?

 

The illustration below is the desktop of a lab computer.
  • Control Panel
    • This is the default access for performing lab activities
  • TM-EQ-069 Shortcuts
    • These shortcuts provide more specific locations within the Agilent Openlab Control Panel
  • ECM
    • Mainly for troubleshooting and user administration.  This section is discussed further down this post.

Agilent Openlab Support Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lab tech user utilizes his or her domain user authentication to access control panel.  Once authenticated, Open Lab control lab is running off of a application server plus SQL database.  All Domain users and the workstation local accounts have access to the Agilent System.

 

  • Username Local account (computer local username)
  • Username domain (domain\username)
  • The account field is “DOMAIN” for all users
  • Local User – select the domain “BUILT-IN“
  • Domain User – select the domain “DOMAIN_NAME“

Agilent Openlab Support Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lab 1

Contains two instruments

Lab 2

Contains two Instruments

Launch Online vs Offline

Makes connection to a AIC server and the instrument.  Offline looks the same as online except you are not connected to a instrument.   The illustration below is what it the screen looks like after choosing online or offline.

Agilent Openlab Support Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agilent Lab Advisor

Lab Advisor Instrument Diagnostic.   Each instrument contains several mini network devices utilizing one IP address.  Lab Advisor is used to troubleshoot each instrument

LIMS – Lab Information Management System

Lab management software manages the lab.  Inventory, systems, project management system, reporting tools, etc…  manages the business.  It is not related to Open Lab.  Open Lab does not need LIMS to function.   LIMS is necessary for compliance.  Every action is recorded in LIMS whereas a startup lab may be performing this via Excel spreadsheet.  This is called traceability

 

More on the ECM shortcut

 

  • Login to ECM-01P  with local admin account or domain admin account
  • Open the ECM – Account Login shortcut on the desktop or access via this link: http://ecm-01p/ecm/
    • Open Lab administration is ECM-01P
  • Username Local account (computer local username)
  • Username domain (domain\username)
  • The account field is “DOMAIN” for all users
  • Local User – select the domain “BUILT-IN“
  • Domain User – select the domain “DOMAIN_NAME“

How to add a user into ECM?

There are two ways to add a user into ECM.

Local Account

  • Login to ECM with Admin right account
  • Administration
  • Account Administration \ User or Groups
  • Select Add
  • For password change/update select Edit

Agilent Openlab Support Services Summary

We built this guide to Agilent Openlab Support Services mainly for IT individuals to perform basic troubleshooting and IT administration.  Hopefully, this provides some sort of road map for better understanding the deployment, configuration, and administration of Agilent Open Lab.