Here’s the key points we’d like you to be aware of, as it can help you gain the most value from your licence to the deSide package (though note that the Installation Guide here has far more detail included):
1) Install both copies of the deSide ® Updater
In your deSide® package, there are two licences provided to the deSide updater. We strongly recommend that you install and run both copies:
- On independent hardware;
- Ideally connecting to the internet through different connections (to provide added redundancy); and
- Perhaps even in independent locations.
If the electricity price data feed is important to you (because of your particular form of Demand Response) then this will help you secure that value.
2) Install on Windows Server infrastructure
The deSide updater is Windows software.
Because of the criticality of this data feed (including the delivery of data into your process control system) we strongly recommend that you run this on appropriate Windows Server infrastructure, in a Server Room within your organisation.
3) Run as a Service (generally not as an Application)
The deSide Updater has been designed such that it can run in either of two modes – as an Application, and as a Service.
3a) To activate on first run, you need to Run as an Application
When the updater is first installed, you will need to run as an Application in order to access and activate your software licence. It’s also useful to run in application mode briefly afterwards, to confirm the data is arriving as expected.
Thereafter, however, it’s best to run as a Service. That’s because a Service will automatically restart should your Windows Server restart – whereas an Application won’t (meaning your data feed would stop).
3b) In ordinary operations, we suggest you Run as a Service
When running as a Service, the deSide Updater will run any time the computer is on. Even when you are logged out (as long as the machine is on), the deSide Updater will be running.
Switching between the two modes is a fairly simple process, under the File menu, you will find entries for Application and Service, and under each of these you will be able to Stop and Start the mode at will (you cannot run both at the same time, and the application will prevent you from doing this by greying out the appropriate options).