Tetra Empower Agent Archive Service Installation Guide

The Empower Archive service streamlines the complex tasks of Empower project backup and restoration. Available for Tetra Empower Agent v5.3.0 and higher, the feature facilitates Empower project archival to the Tetra Data Platform (TDP) and allows users to seamlessly restore the archived projects back to Empower.

To install and set up the Tetra Empower Agent Archive service, do the following.

Prerequisites

Before you can run the Tetra Empower Agent, you must do the following:

  • Verify the required hardware, software, and user account credentials
  • Set up the connection to the Tetra Data Platform (TDP)
  • Create a Tetra Empower Agent in the TDP

Hardware and Software Requirements

To install and run Tetra Empower Agent v5.3.0, the following hardware and software versions are required:

  • One of the following Microsoft Windows versions:
    • Windows 10 Enterprise or Professional, 64-bit
    • Windows Server 2016 Standard or 2019 Standard
  • .NET Framework 4.8
  • 16 GB RAM at minimum (64 GB RAM is recommended)
  • 8 Core CPU
  • Minimum 300 GB of free disk space
  • Empower 3 Service Release 2 or higher Client Software (English Edition)
  • If installing Empower software on an English-language computer, we make sure that you confirm that the Windows region settings are configured for English (United States). The symbols for English (United States) use decimal formatting, not comma formatting, which is important when displaying numeric values (for example: 12.56, not 12,56)

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NOTE

The required disk space needs to accommodate both the project data fetched from the Empower Oracle database and the project Raw files from the Empower File System.

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Empower 3 Client Software

Empower version

You must install the Tetra Empower Agent at the same workstation where the Empower 3 Client Software is running. The Tetra Empower Agent is compatible with Empower 3 Service Release 2 or higher. If the Empower 3 Client version is earlier than Service Release 2, then you must upgrade the Empower 3 Client software. For detailed system requirements, see the Client Software section in the Empower 3 System Administrator Guide.

Empower System Audit Trail Policies

Within the System Policies of Empower, particularly in the Project setting, set the Comment as Silent and deselect the Confirm Identity option.

User Account Credentials

To run the Tetra Empower Agent, you must have the following valid user account credentials:

  • Empower Database User account provides access to the Empower database through the Empower Toolkit.

    Projects available for extraction from the Tetra Empower Agent depend on the access permissions of the Empower Database User account. This account should have permissions for Backup Projects, Delete Projects and Restore Projects from Empower software.

  • Empower Oracle TNS Names details provides access to the Empower database through the Empower client (the required information can typically be found in the <Oracle Client Install folder>\\network\\admin\\tnsnames.ora file in the Oracle folder of the Empower client machine).

    The Oracle TNS Names details are used to extract the datetime fields in a consistent ISO format.

  • Group User account runs the Tetra Empower Agent and accesses the Empower file server.

    You must ensure that the Group User account that runs the Tetra Empower Agent is part of the Empower User Group in the Active Directory Organizational Unit, and has the same privileges as the standard Empower User which requires read-only permissions to access the Empower Raw data on the Empower File System. This account must also have the following requirements from Empower and Windows:

    • The Group User account should have Windows Log on as a service permissions to run the Agent as a Windows Services program.
    • Always verify the date time and decimal format settings of the Group User's Windows Profile to ensure they match the settings from the current login user that's configuring the Empower Agent.

Set Up the connection to Tetra Data Platform

The Tetra Empower Agent generates RAW files that are then uploaded to the TDP through one of two methods:

  • On-Premises—requires the use of a Tetra Hub.

    -or-

  • TDP (No Connector)—allows the Agent to upload source data directly to the TDP or Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3).

Before you install the Tetra Empower Agent, you must set up one of these data connections. To determine which data connection type is required for your use case, see Agent Deployment Options.

Create a Tetra Empower Agent in the Tetra Data Platform

To create a new Tetra Empower Agent, follow the instructions in Cloud Configuration of Tetra Agents.

Install the Tetra Empower Agent

The Tetra Empower Agent includes an installation package. For download instructions, please contact your customer success manager (CSM).

After you move the installation msi file (TetraScience.Agent.Empower.v5.3.0.msi) to a local folder, you can execute it to install the software.

Default Installation Folder Location

C:\TetraScience\TetraScience.Agent.Empower.v5.3.0\

After the Tetra Empower Agent is installed, the TetraScience Agent Empower shortcut is added to the Windows All Program Group menu.

Verify Tetra Empower Agent Installation

Confirm that the Tetra Empower Agent was installed on the local drive by verifying the following:

  • The TetraScience Empower Agent is installed under the C:\TetraScience directory by default.
  • Under the TetraScience folder, TetraScience.Agent.Empower.v5.3.x appears.
  • The following subfolders appear under the TetraScience.Agent.Empower.v5.3.x folder:
    • bin
    • bin64
    • db
    • logs
  • The TetraScience folder is added to the Windows Start Menu, which includes the TetraScience Agent Empower application.

Verify the Tetra Empower Agent Connection Setup

To verify that the Agent can connect to Waters Empower and the TDP, do the following.

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NOTE

To launch the TetraScience Empower Agent Management Console, select the TetraScience Agent Empower link in the Windows Start Menu.

Verify the Connection to Waters Empower

Open the Tetra Empower Agent Management Console. Then, in the left navigation pane, under Menu, choose Configuration.

Populate the requested fields in the Empower Database section by doing the following:

  • Enter the Waters Empower Database Account in the Database Name field.
  • Enter the Waters Empower User Account in the User Name field.
  • Enter the Waters Empower User password in the Password field.
  • Enter the Waters Empower Database Oracle Host Name in the Oracle Host Name field (you can get this information from tnsnames.ora file).
  • Enter the Waters Empower Database Oracle Service Name in the Service Name field (you can get this information from tnsnames.ora file).
  • Enter the Waters Empower Database Oracle Port in the Port field (you can get this information from tnsnames.ora file).
  • Select Test Connection. Then, do one of the following based on if the connection test is successful or not:
  • If the connection was successful, a dialog appears. Select OK to confirm the connection to the Empower system.
    -or-
  • If the connection was not successful, then check the database account name/Empower user account credentials or the Oracle host name/service name/port. Then, repeat the steps to verify the connection.

Verify the Empower Group Account

The Empower Group User is the Windows user that Agent service will run as. It is recommended that you create a service user account specifically for the Empower Agent.

  • Enter the Waters Empower User Group Account in the User Name field.
  • Enter the password for the user in the Password field.

After focus leaves the password field, the Tetra Empower Agent validates the account immediately.

Verify Connector settings

In the Connector section, populate the details for connecting to the TDP by doing the following:

  • Select S3 Direct Upload toggle value. The default value is Yes.

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    NOTE

    The Archive Service requires S3 Direct Upload be enabled due to the size of archive files and the use of labels.

  • Select Receive Commands toggle value. The default value is No.

  • (Optional) To change the default settings for data connection status checks and agent log file uploads, select Advanced Settings The Agent Configuration Advanced Settings dialog appears, which includes the following settings:

    • The Data Connection status check every setting has a default value of 30 seconds.
    • The Agent log files upload every setting has a default value of 300 seconds.
    • To keep the recommended settings, or to save the new values you entered, choose OK. Only consider changing these values if connection checks (heartbeat) frequency needs to be changed, or if logs files are needed to be uploaded to the TDP at a different frequency.
  • Enter the Agent ID (created in the TDP) in the Agent Id field.

  • Enter the connection URL provided by the TDP Install Agent dialog in the Connection Url field.

  • (Optional if you select no connector) Enter the Org Slug and JSON Web Token (JWT) in the Org Slug and Authorization fields, respectively.

  • (Optional Destination Id) When the Destination Id is entered, the Agent uploads the files to the platform using the Destination Id instead of the Agent Id. Agents sharing the same Destination Id will upload files to the same data lake location defined using the Destination Id instead of Agent Id, allowing files from multiple agents to be uploaded to the same S3 location.

After focus leaves the password field, the Tetra Empower Agent immediately validates the connection status.

Populate the Empower Agent output folder

This folder will be used to temporarily store intermediary files during archive and restore operations. Temporary files will be cleared after each project archive or restore operation.

Verify Archive Service Configuration Settings

Selecting Yes for Enable Archive Service in the Connector section, will enable the Archive tab, from where the user can set up the Archive Run Time configuration.

  • Auto Archive Enabled

The Agent offers support for both manual (ad hoc) archive and automatic archive. When the Auto Archive option is enabled (set to Yes), the Agent will archive Empower projects by following a predefined workflow determined by the settings below. When disabling this option (set to No), the Agent won't archive Empower projects automatically. The user still can archive Empower projects manually.

  • Automatically archive Empower projects if they have been inactive for x days since the last modified date

This option will be enabled when Auto Archive Enabled is set to Yes.
Once set, the Archive service will apply "read-only" locks on any Empower projects that have not been updated for the number of days specified here.

For example, the user can set 180 for this rule. As a result, old projects that have not been updated for at least 180 days will be locked as automatic archive candidates. The Archive service will periodically scan all available projects for archive candidates.

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IMPORTANT

The Archive service relies on the full audit trail per project to determine its last change date. Projects with audit trail turned off will not be eligible for automatic archive.

  • Grace Period for lock-down

This option will be enabled when Auto Archive Enabled is set to Yes.
This rule will guide the Archive service to hold off the archive operation after projects are locked as archive candidates from the step above. During this grace period, projects that incur changes will not be archived. This project will be put back to the project list and will be processed during the Agent's next scan.

In the example shown above, the user can set 5 days as the grace period. Projects, which are locked from the prior step, will not be archived until the end of the 5-day grace period.

  • Anchor Project Name

The Agent requires a valid and unlocked project to access Empower during archive or restore. It is suggested that the user dedicates a project in Empower for that purpose. This project won't be auto archived.

  • Max retry times

The user can specify the maximum retry count when the archive or restore fails due to any exception.

After these steps, the user will Save all the changes.

Post-Installation Verification

When the configuration is done, the user selects Start to start the Tetra Empower Agent. The Agent Status will change from Stopped to Running.

Verify the project list is fetched

When the Agent is up and running, the user can switch to the Project menu under Archive Service to verify. It should display all of the Empower projects that the Empower Database User has permission to access.


What’s Next

Check out the installation guide