Release Notes

FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server provides you with a set of asset focused tools to securely/centrally manage your facility and process automation.
Version 16.00.00 (released 11/2025)

Catalog Number FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server 

These release notes describe version information for FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server, version 16.00.00 (released 11/2025).

Requirements

This release has the following requirements.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 16.00.00 (CPR 9 SR 16)

FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 16.00.00 works within the system requirements of all Rockwell Automation® software products.

System requirements

Hardware requirements

System size

FactoryTalk AssetCentre is supported on these system sizes.

Types

Components

System architecture

Small systems

Server

AssetCentre Server, Microsoft SQL Server®, and FactoryTalk Directory Server are co-located.

Agent

1-5

Desktop Client

10

Web Client

25

Medium systems

Server

AssetCentre Server and Microsoft SQL Server are co-located. FactoryTalk Directory Server is on a separate computer.

Agent

6-25

Desktop Client

60

Web Client

100

Large systems

Server

AssetCentre Server, Microsoft SQL Server, and FactoryTalk Directory Server are hosted on separate computers.

Agent

26-50

Desktop Client

100-150

Web Client

200

Product compatibility

FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 16.00.00 is compatible with the following Rockwell Automation products. For the latest compatibility information, refer to the Rockwell Automation Product Compatibility and Download Center.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre Desktop Client

For more information about the specific drives that FactoryTalk AssetCentre is compatible with, see Knowledgebase Document ID: QA47141 - FactoryTalk AssetCentre RA Motor Control or PowerFlex Drive Device Support.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre Agent

Operating systems

IMPORTANT:

FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server

The following operating systems are supported and recommended*:

FactoryTalk AssetCentre Desktop Client, Web Client, and Agent

The following operating systems are supported and recommended*:

*The recommended operating systems have priority for Microsoft Patch Qualifications with Rockwell Automation software.

**Windows Server Datacenter editions are supported. The key difference between Windows Server Standard and Datacenter edition is how Microsoft licenses the operating system. Windows Server Standard includes licensing for up to two virtual machines per core license, making it suitable for lightly virtualized environments. Datacenter edition allows unlimited virtual machines per core license, offering better value for highly virtualized or cloud-scale deployments.

***Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC and Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC are binary equivalents but are licensed differently. Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC and Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC are binary equivalents but are licensed differently.

Rockwell Automation's software installation policy is based on the lifecycle information of Microsoft operating systems. If an operating system's lifecycle state is approaching its end, you may encounter a warning message when trying to install Rockwell Automation software on it.

Microsoft lifecycle policy

Rockwell Automation installation warning policy

Rockwell Automation installation prevention policy

Fixed

Present a warning message during installation on Microsoft operating systems that are 18 months before Microsoft's extended end date.

Prevent installation on Microsoft operating systems that are six months past Microsoft's extended end date.

Modern

Present a warning message during installation on Microsoft operating systems that are 18 months before Microsoft's retirement date.

Prevent installation on Microsoft operating systems that are six months past Microsoft's retirement date.

The following table illustrates how the installation policy is applied using the current operating systems. For the latest compatibility information, refer to the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy and Product Compatibility and Download Center .

Operating system

Microsoft lifecycle policy

Extended end date

Retirement date

Installation warning

Installation prevented

Windows 11 Enterprise and Professional editions

Modern

None

None

None

None

Windows 10 Enterprise and Professional editions

Modern

None

October 14, 2025

April 14, 2024

April 14, 2026

Windows Server 2025 Standard and Datacenter editions

Fixed

October 10, 2034

None

April 10, 2033

April 10, 2035

Windows Server 2022 Standard and Datacenter editions

Fixed

October 10, 2031

None

April 14, 2030

April 14, 2032

Windows Server 2019 Standard and Datacenter editions

Fixed

January 9, 2029

None

July 9, 2027

July 9, 2029

Windows Server 2016 Standard and Datacenter editions

Fixed

January 12, 2027

None

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2027

Software requirements

SQL Server database

FactoryTalk AssetCentre supports the following SQL Server.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre Agent

The following are minimum software requirements for FactoryTalk AssetCentre Agent.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre Client

The following are minimum software requirements for FactoryTalk AssetCentre Client.

Supported browsers

The following web browsers have been tested and are supported for FactoryTalk AssetCentre Web Client and FactoryTalk AssetCentre Help with this release: 

High Resolution Display Support

Windows 10 v1703 or later is the recommended operating system if running this software with a 2K or 4K High Resolution Display.

Rockwell Automation Test Environment

Rockwell Automation tests software products under a standard configuration of operating systems and antivirus software. For additional information, see the Knowledgebase Document ID: PN24 - Rockwell Software Products and Antivirus Software.

Security requirements

To learn about designing a secure networking environment, review this publication:

To learn about implementing application-level security using FactoryTalk Security, review this publication:

To learn about designing and implementing an architecture with device-level security using CIP Security, review these publications:

Features

This release includes the following system features.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 16.00.00 has the following new and enhanced features:

New features

Enhanced features

Corrected Anomalies in This Release

This release corrects the following anomalies.

Known Anomalies in This Release

This release has the following known anomalies.

Known Anomalies from Previous Releases

These anomalies are from previous releases but are still known in this release.

Functional Changes

This release has the following functional changes from the previous release.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 16.00.00 has the following changes in functionality since the last release.

Workflow change in SMTP configuration

SMTP server settings, which were previously managed through the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server Settings, are now administered via the FactoryTalk Administration Console. All previously defined configurations remain unaffected and will continue to function as expected.

To edit these settings, navigate to: FactoryTalk Administration Console > System > Policies > System Policies > SMTP policy.

Enhanced tool installation methods

Installation methods for the following tools have been modernized to enhance convenience and deployment flexibility:

  • FactoryTalk AssetCentre Import Export Utility can be installed by selecting the AssetCentre Import Export Utility option during the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Desktop Client or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom installation.

  • FactoryTalk AssetCentre Archive Extractor Utility can be installed directly on your computer instead of being run from the installation package.

  • FactoryTalk AssetCentre Event Log Attachment Extractor Utility can be installed directly on your computer instead of being run from the installation package.

For more information, see the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Utilities User Manual.

Updated installation process for Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 disaster recovery capability

Support for Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 disaster recovery capability may require a separate installation component, depending on whether the required components are included in your FactoryTalk AssetCentre system.

  • For clean installations of version 16.00 or later, manual installation of the Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 disaster recovery capability is required.

  • For upgrades, no action is needed if existing disaster recovery schedules work correctly; otherwise, manual installation may be necessary to resolve missing component errors.

For more information, see Install the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 disaster recovery capability in the Application notes.

Removal of built-in search results viewing tabs

The Preview and Report tabs previously used to view search results within the FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client have been removed. Results from scheduled searches remain accessible upon completion. For manually run searches, results can now be viewed in the default browser.

Application Notes

This release has the following application notes.

The following are the application notes for FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 16.00.00.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre security configurations:

FactoryTalk AssetCentre system operations:

FactoryTalk AssetCentre disaster recovery capability:

FactoryTalk AssetCentre installation:


FactoryTalk AssetCentre security configurations

The following are application notes related to FactoryTalk AssetCentre security configurations.

Security requirements

For information on the security considerations when using Rockwell Automation products, including:

Secure communication with TLS and SSL protocols

Windows implements SSL and TLS through S-channel Security Support Provider (SSP). The S-channel SSP implementation of the TLS and SSL protocols uses algorithms from a cipher suite to create keys and encryption information. Starting from FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 9.00, the operating system's capability is used to automatically filter out the insecure ciphers.

VeriSign Universal Root Certification Authority certificate

If the VeriSign Universal Root Certification Authority certificate does not exist on the local computer, the certificate is installed while installing Rockwell Automation software. Use Microsoft Management Console (MMC) to view the certificate in Console Root > Certificates (Local Computer) > Trusted Root Certification Authorities > Certificates.

Configure certificates for a remote FactoryTalk Network Directory when TLS is enabled

If your FactoryTalk Network Directory server and FactoryTalk AssetCentre server are installed on different computers and secure communications (TLS) are being used, the FactoryTalk Network Directory Web Authentication server requires a certificate for authenticating the FactoryTalk AssetCentre web client. You must configure a certificate authority (CA) issued, or a self-signed, certificate for the FactoryTalk Network Directory server so that the FactoryTalk AssetCentre web client can be used successfully.

For instructions related to using a certificate authority (CA) issued certificate on the FactoryTalk Network Directory server, see the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Installation Guide:

For instructions related to using a self-signed certificate on the FactoryTalk Network Directory server, see the following topics in the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Installation Guide:

FactoryTalk AssetCentre utilities secure sign-in credentials

The following utilities have removed sensitive information from their configuration files and strengthened sign-in methods to improve overall security:

When upgrading FactoryTalk AssetCentre to version 15.00.00 or later, any configured information in these tools will be cleared in its entirety. In addition, scheduled operations for these tools via Windows Task Scheduler cannot work correctly until you update configurations by following the instructions in the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Utilities User Manual.

Encrypting communication between FactoryTalk AssetCentre and Microsoft SQL Server 2022 or later

Microsoft SQL Server 2022, and later, support encrypted communication by enabling Force Encryption or Force Strict Encryption. When enabled, Microsoft SQL Server uses TLS (Transport Layer Security) to encrypt data transmitted between the Microsoft SQL Server and clients, like the FactoryTalk AssetCentre server. The Force Strict Encryption option is not supported by FactoryTalk AssetCentre. The communications between FactoryTalk AssetCentre and Microsoft SQL Server can be encrypted by selecting the Encryption communication using TLS checkbox in the Database User Configuration tool or enabling the Microsoft SQL Server Force Encryption option.

Full OS backup

Rockwell Automation does not test any third-party software to perform the full Windows operating system backup, for example, Veritas Backup Exec. When performing a computer backup on a running virtualized system, it is recommended the system is stopped before performing a backup.


FactoryTalk AssetCentre system operations

The following are application notes related to FactoryTalk AssetCentre system operations.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client and FactoryTalk AssetCentre web client

The following information is important when using the FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client and FactoryTalk AssetCentre web client:

FactoryTalk AssetCentre agent

The following information is important when using the FactoryTalk AssetCentre agent:

The number of clients, agents, and agent groups qualified within one FactoryTalk AssetCentre system

The following is the number of clients, agents, and agent groups qualified within one FactoryTalk AssetCentre system at the same time. More clients, agents, or agent groups running will impact the system performance. The system cannot exceed 100 agents in total. For example, a system could have 100 agent groups, consisting of 50 local agent groups and 50 remote agent groups, with each group having one agent member.

Ensuring consistent domain credentials for FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop and web clients

In a Windows domain environment, signing in to the FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop and web clients using the Windows domain user account without the domain name can result in file check-in failures on the web client, even though file check-out on desktop clients works. This happens because the web client handles authentication requests remotely. When the domain name is omitted, Windows automatically selects an authentication method, recognizing the user as a local account rather than a domain account. This causes authentication inconsistencies between the desktop and web clients.

To avoid this problem, sign in using domain\username on both desktop and web clients.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre server, agents, and desktop clients do not support mixed Windows domain and workgroup environments

FactoryTalk AssetCentre cannot operate in environments containing both Windows domain and workgroup computers, due to Windows authentication limitations. For consistent authentication and validation, all FactoryTalk AssetCentre server, agent, and desktop client computers must be configured in one of the following ways:

IMPORTANT: FactoryTalk AssetCentre web clients are unaffected by this limitation because they do not use Windows authentication directly; the FactoryTalk AssetCentre web server acts as an authentication proxy for the web client.

Synchronizing lifecycle information with the Rockwell Automation lifecycle website

Lifecycle information can be used to develop hardware device migration plans, or to find devices that require firmware updates. To retrieve the lifecycle information of your Rockwell Automation devices from the Product Compatibility and Download Center (PCDC), use one of the following methods depending on whether your FactoryTalk AssetCentre server has internet access.

Database mirroring may fail when the communication between FactoryTalk AssetCentre and Microsoft SQL Server is encrypted using TLS

FactoryTalk AssetCentre supports database mirroring through the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Data Source Configuration Wizard to improve SQL Server availability.

If both Encrypt communications using TLS and Enable SQL Mirroring are selected, but the Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificate for encryption is not trusted, the FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client and web clients cannot connect to the mirrored database after a failover from the principal database.

To ensure the database mirroring function works properly, install Patch: Web client cannot show asset tree, FactoryTalk AssetCentre 12.0, 13.0, 15.0, 16.0, and then choose one of the options.

Option 1: Ensure that the TLS certificate is trusted for encryption

  1. On the computer hosting the FactoryTalk AssetCentre server, open FactoryTalk AssetCentre Data Source Configuration.

  2. On Database User Configuration, select Encrypt communications using TLS and Trust server certificate.

  3. On FactoryTalk AssetCentre SQL Server Mirror, ensure Enable SQL Mirroring is selected.

  4. Complete the remaining configurations and save the changes.

Option 2: Disable the TLS encryption

  1. On the computer hosting SQL Server:

    1. Open SQL Server Configuration Manager, and then expand SQL Server Network Configuration.

    2. Right-click Protocols for <InstanceName>, and then select Properties.

    3. On Flags, set Force Encryption to Off, and then select OK.

    4. On SQL Server Configuration Manager, select SQL Server Services.

    5. Right-click SQL Server <InstanceName>, and then select Restart.

  2. On the computer hosting the FactoryTalk AssetCentre server:

    1. Open FactoryTalk AssetCentre Data Source Configuration.

    2. On Database User Configuration, clear Encrypt communications using TLS.

    3. On FactoryTalk AssetCentre SQL Server Mirror, ensure Enable SQL Mirroring is selected.

    4. Complete the remaining configurations and save the changes.

Microsoft SQL Server database auto growth timeout causes FactoryTalk AssetCentre out-of-memory errors

When multiple computers from multiple FactoryTalk Directories send FactoryTalk Diagnostics to a central FactoryTalk AssetCentre server, the Microsoft IIS w3wp.exe process may stop responding, causing out-of-memory errors. This happens because Microsoft SQL Server cannot increase the AssetCentre database size through an auto-growth operation before a timeout in Microsoft IIS, preventing data from being written to the SQL Server.

To resolve this problem, do the following:

  1. Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio and then expand Databases.

  2. Right-click AssetCentre, and then select Properties.

  3. On Database Properties, select the Files page.

  4. Set the auto-growth property for AssetCentre_dat.

    1. On the Autogrowth / Maxsize column, select the browse button.

    2. Under File Growth, select In Megabytes, and then enter the desired number.

      3. We recommend setting this number to 2048 MB, but you can adjust it according to your network topology.

    3. Select OK.

  5. Select OK.

MAC Address and Warranty Number may display incorrectly in exported security posture check results when opened in Microsoft Excel

When exporting security posture check results from the FactoryTalk AssetCentre web client, the MAC Address and Warranty Number fields in the exported CSV file may display incorrectly in Microsoft Excel. For example:

This problem occurs because Excel can misinterpret some MAC addresses or warranty numbers as numeric values, resulting in formatting errors. To resolve this problem, open the exported CSV file using a text editor such as Notepad.

Updated search conditions for standardized backup and compare status messages

For backup and compare tasks, the status message wordings for different assets are standardized to use a common format. The following is a standard status message example:

As a result, some search tasks scheduled to search a message as a condition, for example, Operation Succeeded, might no longer return accurate results.

To resolve this problem, do the following:

  1. Open FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client.

  2. Select Searches.

  3. Find and select the scheduled search tasks whose conditions are set to contain specific messages.

  4. Select Conditions, and then select the edit button.

  5. Enter a message in the To Compare With box.

  6. Select OK.

This change does not apply to Allen-Bradley MobileView, Allen-Bradley PanelView Plus, and Allen-Bradley PLC-5 Controller assets.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre services auto-start issues with solid-state drives in distributed environments

In distributed environments where the FactoryTalk AssetCentre server and Microsoft SQL Server are hosted on separate computers using Windows authentication, FactoryTalk AssetCentre services may fail to start automatically after the server restarts if the server is equipped with a solid-state drive (SSD).

To resolve this problem and for best results in a distributed environment, do the following:

  1. On the FactoryTalk AssetCentre server computer, open Services.

  2. Find the following services:

    • FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server

    • FactoryTalk AssetCentre LLumin MOC Engine

  3. Right-click each service and select Properties.

  4. On General, set the Startup type to Automatic (Delayed Start).

  5. Select OK.

View FactoryTalk AssetCentre server and agent status via FactoryTalk System Status Portal

FactoryTalk® System Status Portal provides the system status of network distributed and networks station applications without having to sign in to the FactoryTalk® Administration Console. This portal is installed with FactoryTalk® Services Platform by selecting FactoryTalk System Status Portal in customized installation.

Starting from FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 16.00.00, FactoryTalk System Status Portal shows the server and agent status of FactoryTalk AssetCentre in the FactoryTalk Directory they share. Only one FactoryTalk AssetCentre server is allowed in the FactoryTalk Directory.

Prerequisites

To view the status of FactoryTalk AssetCentre server and agents

  1. In the web browser's address bar, enter one of the following:

    • http://<ComputerName>/FTSystemStatus or https://<ComputerName>/FTSystemStatus, where ComputerName is the FactoryTalk Directory server computer. For example, https://<MyFTDPC>/FTSystemStatus.

    • http://<IPAddress>/FTSystemStatus or https://<IPAddress>/FTSystemStatus, where IPAddress is the IP address of the FactoryTalk Directory server computer. For example, https://<192.16.2.1>/FTSystemStatus.

      • Tip: If you are signing in from the FactoryTalk Directory server computer, you can use localhost to replace ComputerName or IPAddress. For example,http://localhost/FTSystemStatus or https://localhost/FTSystemStatus.

  1. Press Enter.

  2. Enter a FactoryTalk user account with access to the application that you want to view and its password. Select the Keep me signed in checkbox to stay signed in until you sign out manually or until cookies stored by the website in your browser are deleted.

  3. Select Sign in.

  4. On the FactoryTalk Applications page, select an application.

  5. Hover over Host name to view the state.

For more information, see the FactoryTalk System Status Portal Help and FactoryTalk Services Platform Help.


FactoryTalk AssetCentre disaster recovery capability

The following are application notes related to FactoryTalk AssetCentre disaster recovery capability.

FactoryTalk Optix project upload limitations in FactoryTalk AssetCentre

FactoryTalk AssetCentre and FactoryTalk Optix Studio handle data differently during the project upload process. Understanding these distinctions, as well as other important factors, is crucial when creating disaster recovery schedules that cover FactoryTalk Optix assets managed with FactoryTalk AssetCentre.

Allen-Bradley Stratix Switch MAC address correction

For an Allen-Bradley Stratix Switch device, its actual MAC address scanned using CIP might differ from the MAC address shown on its switch management page. Each physical interface on a switch has its own unique MAC address that derives from a base MAC address. Additionally, logical ports, such as management ports, might have different MAC addresses. Therefore, the MAC address displayed on the switch management page of Stratix Switch serves only for management purposes. The actual MAC address is in its asset property or the RAAI file.

Use FactoryTalk Linx to browse Logix 5000 controllers of firmware revision 38.00 or later

Logix 5000 controllers running firmware revision 38.00 or later can only be browsed using FactoryTalk Linx. RSLinx Classic cannot be used to browse controllers with these newer revisions in Studio 5000 Logix Designer or FactoryTalk AssetCentre. The following table illustrates communication software support:

Design Software
Firmware Revision
RSLinx Classic
FactoryTalk Linx
RSLogix 5000
18-20
Supported
Not supported

Studio 5000 Logix Designer
21-30
Supported
Not supported
31-37
Supported
Supported
38 or later
Not supported
Supported

After upgrading an existing FactoryTalk AssetCentre system from an earlier version to version 16.00 and later, scheduled backup, backup and compare, and source code validation tasks will fail when:

To resolve this problem, follow the steps to configure FactoryTalk Linx to browse Logix 5000 controllers:

  1. In FactoryTalk AssetCentre Client, select graphic.

  2. In the asset tree, right-click the Allen-Bradley Logix 5000 Controller asset, and then select Properties.

  3. In the Addressing Info box, select graphic.

  4. In the Network Browser list, select FactoryTalk Linx.

  5. Find and select your device from the device list.

  6. Select OK.

Some disaster recovery tasks are not supported when FactoryTalk Design Studio was used to create the project

FactoryTalk AssetCentre cannot execute backup, backup and compare, or source code validation tasks for Logix controllers running projects that were created with FactoryTalk® Design Studio™. This limitation arises because FactoryTalk AssetCentre uses Studio 5000 Logix Designer to perform these disaster recovery tasks. Projects created with FactoryTalk Design Studio cannot be uploaded using Studio 5000 Logix Designer.

Change detect and security posture check tasks are fully supported for projects created with FactoryTalk Design Studio.

Run disaster recovery tasks for controller projects developed with RSLogix 5000 version 16.00 in FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 13.00 or later

FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 13.00 or later includes Logix Designer Compare Tool version 10.00 or later by default in its installation package. However, these versions of the Logix Designer Compare Tool are no longer compatible with RSLogix 5000 version 16.00. As a result, FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 13.00 or later cannot run disaster recovery tasks on controller projects developed with RSLogix 5000 version 16.00 when using the bundled Logix Designer Compare Tool.

To resolve this problem, do the following:

Part 1: Ensure FactoryTalk AssetCentre agent compatibility with RSLogix 5000 version 16.00

On the FactoryTalk AssetCentre agent computer version 13.00 or later, choose one of the following options. This is only required on agent computers that will be used to service Logix controllers running firmware revision 16.00.

Part 2: Create agent groups for FactoryTalk AssetCentre agents that are compatible with the RSLogix 5000 version 16.00

On the FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client computer:

  1. Open FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client, and then enter the Design mode.

  2. Create an agent group to include agents that will run tasks for controller projects developed with RSLogix 5000 version 16.00.

    1. On the Menu bar, select View > Agent Groups.

    2. On the Agent Group Creation and Agent Assignment toolbar, select the Add Agent Group button, configure the settings for the agent group, and then select OK.

    3. Select the created agent group, and then select Add Agent Computer to add agents.

    4. Configure the settings for the agent computers, and then select OK.

  3. Exit the Design mode.

Part 3: Assign controller assets to FactoryTalk AssetCentre agent groups that are compatible with the RSLogix 5000 version 16.00

On the FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client computer:

  1. Open FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client, and then enter the Design mode.

  2. Configure all Allen-Bradley Logix 5000 Controller assets running firmware with major revision 16 to use the newly created agent group.

    1. Select an Allen-Bradley Logix 5000 Controller asset in the asset catalog and add it to the asset tree.

    2. On asset properties, select the Agent Group field, find the created agent group, and then select OK.

    3. Configure other properties as desired, and then select OK.

      Repeat steps a-c for all controller assets running firmware with major revision 16.

  3. Exit the Design mode.

  4. Create disaster recovery tasks as needed.

    For more information, see Agent Groups and Schedules in the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Desktop Client Help.

Install the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 disaster recovery capability

FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 16.00 or later may require a separate installation component to support the Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 disaster recovery capabilities, depending on whether the required components are included in your FactoryTalk AssetCentre system. To determine whether an installation is necessary, consider the following scenarios:

IMPORTANT: Rockwell Automation no longer updates the Siemens STEP7 for S7-300 and S7-400 and STEP5 disaster recovery capabilities. While they continue to work as designed, installing them could reduce the system's security.

To install the Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 disaster recovery capability

  1. On the FactoryTalk AssetCentre client and agent computers, open the FactoryTalk AssetCentre installation package, and then navigate to 16.00.00-FTAssetCentre\FTAC Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 DR capability.

  2. Double-click the installation package and follow the on-screen instructions until you get to the Custom Setup page.

  3. On the Custom Setup page, select the appropriate components.

    graphic

    Tip: The Step7 version 5.6 component is not required for disaster recovery tasks; it merely associates project files with the appropriate editor. If the installation detects the Step7 editor file (S7tgtopx.exe) at either of the following paths, you can choose to install this component. If you have the Step7 editor files installed, make sure that they are at either of the following paths for the installation to detect.

    • C:\Siemens\Step7\s7bin

    • C:\Program Files\Siemens\Step7\s7bin or C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens\Step7\s7bin

    To install the Step7 version 5.6 component after the main installation, open the FTAC Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 DR capability installation package, and then select Modify to add this component.

  4. Select Next, and then select Install. The disaster recovery capability works after the installation is completed successfully.

    Tip: To uninstall this capability, open the FTAC Siemens STEP7 and STEP5 DR capability installation package, and then select Remove.

Disaster recovery schedule tasks fail with Device Not Found recorded in the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Event log

When a Logix controller asset’s Addressing property is configured using RSLinx Classic, Disaster Recovery schedule tasks may start failing with Device Not Found recorded in the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Event log. Rebooting the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Agent(s) will temporarily address the error, however, the task failures will eventually return. This behavior is addressed in an RSLinx Classic patch. For more information, see Knowledgebase Document ID: BF27867: Patch: High memory usage prevents FactoryTalk AssetCentre from completing inventory scan, Harmony 3.0.43, 3.0.44, 3.0.55.

FactoryTalk Directory asset compare

Differences are always found between two FactoryTalk Directory backup files after a Backup and Compare schedule, even though no changes are made to the FactoryTalk Directory. This is because the BAK files include timestamp information, which is detected as a difference during the binary compare of the backup files.

Event Log Attachment Extractor

The Event Log Attachment Extractor tool cannot properly extract event log attachments in the following two cases:

Generic FTP device compatibility

When performing backups or backup and compares on Generic FTP devices containing subdirectories, the FTP device must support both the "DIR" and "ls" commands. To verify, use the Command Line Prompt to sign in to the FTP device. Once logged in, type DIR and press Enter, and then type ls and press Enter. You should see the same results for each command issued.


FactoryTalk AssetCentre installation

The following are application notes related to FactoryTalk AssetCentre installation.

Impact of Microsoft deprecating VBScript

Microsoft announced the phased deprecation of VBScript in 2024. VBScript is now an optional feature beginning in Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025. Many FactoryTalk software products released before September 1, 2026, use VBScript during installation. 

FactoryTalk AssetCentre versions 16.00.00 and earlier require VBScript for installation. Installation will fail if VBScript is not enabled.

To mitigate the problem, enable VBScript manually. For more information, see the Knowledgebase Document ID: IN41397 - Impact of Microsoft deprecating VBScript. FactoryTalk software products released after September 1, 2026, no longer rely on VBScript.

Install product updates

For the latest Product Updates and Patch information, refer to Knowledgebase Document ID: QA15600 - FactoryTalk AssetCentre Patch Roll-up for 3.0 and later.

You can subscribe to be notified when new product updates, or patches are released via the Knowledgebase by clicking Subscribe to Updates below the Knowledgebase answer title.

To download software or firmware updates, and patch roll-ups, go to Product Compatibility and Download Center.

Unattended or silent install

Use the command-line parameters to perform an unattended or silent installation of the software.

IMPORTANT: When installing or upgrading FactoryTalk AssetCentre to version 11.00.00 or later with SQL Server Authentication, you must use a silent or unattended setup to install it.

Command-line parameters

The following table identifies the installation command-line parameters. Command-line parameters are case-insensitive. However, if a specified value includes a space, be sure to enclose the value in quotation marks (for example, "value with spaces").

Parameter

Description

/?

Displays the usage options for installation parameters.

/Q

 Silent Install, install runs in a quiet mode without any user interface.

This parameter is recommended if you are deploying the software installation using an IT tool or script, and don’t expect to see any error or restart messages. When using this parameter, your IT tool or script should check the error codes and respond as needed. For example, if the installation returns error code 1641, then the IT tool or script should restart the computer and relaunch the installation after restart.

This parameter is required if /QS or /Record is not specified.

/QS

Unattended Install, install runs in a mode that shows progress through the user interface, but does not accept any input. Error and restart messages are displayed.

When using this parameter, the installation will stop and display a prompt if there are errors or restart messages. For example, if an immediate restart is required to complete the install, a restart message will be displayed to confirm the restart. Installation resumes automatically from the point of interruption after restart.

This parameter is required if /Q or /Record is not specified.

/IAcceptAllLicenseTerms

 Acknowledges acceptance of the license terms.

This parameter is required for /Q or /QS parameters.

/AutoRestart

Automatically restarts the computer after the installation is complete. Used when a restart is required to complete the installation.

This parameter is optional. If this parameter is not used silent install (/Q) will return either error code 1641 or 3010 if a restart is required, and unattended install (/QS) will result in a confirmation prompt that must be agreed to before the installation is completed.

/SetupLanguage="value"

Specifies which language will be displayed during install process.

The value must be the one of the following:

  • ENU

  • CHS

  • DEU

  • ESP

  • FRA

  • ITA

  • JPN

  • KOR

  • PTB

This parameter is optional. If this parameter is not used, the default language is the current user or operating system user interface language.

/Record

Records the installation options chosen to a recording file. When applied, the installation process automatically creates a recording file .REC that is stored in this path: %USERPROFILE%\Desktop.

This parameter is optional.

/Playback

Plays back a recording file to specify the installation options. The value is the full path of the REC file to be used.

For example, /Playback="C:\Users\\Documents\.REC".

This parameter is optional.

/IgnoreWarning

Specifies that the setup ignores warnings and continues.

This parameter is optional. If it is not specified, the setup exits when a warning occurs.

/Product="value"

Specifies which sub-products will be installed.

The product name must be one of followings:

  • AssetCentre Server

  • AssetCentre Client

  • AssetCentre Agent

  • AssetCentre Custom Installation

    Note: If you use Windows non-server operating systems, for examples, Windows 10 or Windows 11, the parameters /IgnoreWarning is required for the AssetCentre Custom Installation product.

/Uninstall

Uninstalls the product.

This parameter is optional.

/SerialNumber="value"

Specifies the serial number of the software being installed. This is used to activate the software during installation.

This parameter is optional. If it is not specified the software must be activated manually after installation if activation is required.

Some software does not require activation. If activation is not required this parameter is not available.

/ProductKey="value"

 Specifies the product key used to get activation keys during installation.

This parameter is optional. If it is not specified the software must be activated manually after installation if activation is required.

Some software does not require activation. If activation is not required this parameter is not available.

/InstallDrive="value"

Specifies the install drive.

For example, /InstallDrive="D:".

Some information and files will still be installed to the system volume (typically C:) even when a different target volume is specified. For example, registry entries.

This parameter is optional. If this parameter is not used, the default install drive is C:.

/IISCommPort

Specifies the IIS server communication port for HTTPS. The default port for HTTPS is 443. The range is from 1025 through 49151.

If the HTTPS port was previously configured using FactoryTalk Services Platform, like port 4356, then the existing HTTPS port setting is retained.

This parameter is optional.

/ftsp-bak

Restores the backup file and specifies where the restore file can be found.

Rockwell Automation provides a NETWORK_SECURE.BAK backup file containing pre-configured access control lists which limit user access. The pre-configured access control lists follow Rockwell Automation recommended best practice.

To implement the access control, restore the NETWORK_SECURE.BAK backup file located in the FactoryTalk Services Platform installation package, Redist\FTSPSecureBak. The BAK file is only supported for the "global" scope, which can be specified with ftsp-s.

This parameter is only available when restoring FactoryTalk Services Server or FactoryTalk Services Custom Installation.

This parameter is optional.

IMPORTANT: Applying a BAK file during installation will overwrite an existingFactoryTalkDirectory contents,use with caution when applying this parameter.

/ftsp-pp

Specifies the plain text used to decrypt the backup file.

This parameter is only available when restoring FactoryTalk Services Server or FactoryTalk Services Custom Installation.

This parameter is optional.

/ftsp-value="value"

Specifies to enable or disable the option Require computer accounts for all client machines in Security Policy. The option is used to determine whether a client computer account must exist in the directory to log in. Only "enable" and "disable" are supported.

This parameter is optional.

/FTSPWebAuth="value"

Specifies that the installation includes the FactoryTalk Web Authentication Server. The FactoryTalk Web Authentication Server will be installed by default with FactoryTalk Services Server.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is optional.

The value must be one of the following:

  • Yes

    • If the value is Yes, the FactoryTalk Web Authentication Server will be installed. The FactoryTalk Reverse Proxy will also be installed as it is required for operation of the FactoryTalk Web Authentication Server.

  • No

    • If the value is No, the FactoryTalk Web Authentication Server will not be installed, but Internet Information Services (IIS) will be enabled.

/ReverseProxy="value"

Specifies that the installation includes the FactoryTalk Reverse Proxy. The FactoryTalk Reverse Proxy will be installed by default with FactoryTalk Services Server.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is optional.

The value must be one of the following:

  • Yes

    • If the value is Yes, the FactoryTalk Reverse Proxy will be installed.

  • No

    • If the value is No, the FactoryTalk Reverse Proxy will not be installed, but Internet Information Services (IIS) will be enabled.

/FTSPWebEventServer="value"

Specifies that the installation includes the FactoryTalk Web Event Server. The FactoryTalkWeb Event Server will be installedby default withFactoryTalkServices Server.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is optional.

The value must be one of the following:

  • Yes

    • If the value is Yes, the FactoryTalk Web Event Server will be installed. The FactoryTalk Reverse Proxy will also be installed as it is required for operation of the FactoryTalk Web Authentication Server.

  • No

    • If the value is No, the FactoryTalk Web Event Server will not be installed, but Internet Information Services (IIS) will be enabled.

/SystemStatusPortal="value"

Specifies that the installation includes the FactoryTalk System Status Portal. The FactoryTalkWeb Authentication Server and FactoryTalkReverse Proxy will be installed by default with the FactoryTalkSystem Status Portal.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is optional.

The value must be one of the following:

  • Yes

    • If the value is Yes, the FactoryTalk System Status Portal will be installed. The FactoryTalk Reverse Proxy and FactoryTalk Web Authentication Server will also be installed as it is required for operation of the FactoryTalk System Status Portal.

  • No

    • If the value is No, the FactoryTalk System Status Portal will not be installed, but Internet Information Services (IIS) will be enabled.

/DirectoryServer="value"

Specifies the directory server name.

This parameter is required when you specify a remote directory server. If it is not specified, the software will use its current computer as the FactoryTalk Directory server.

The value must be the host name of the FactoryTalk Directory server.

/noHTTPS

Specifies that the setup turns off HTTPS and continues.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is optional. If it is not specified, the setup turns on HTTPS for communication, and a TLS certificate must be configured after installation.

/SqlServer="value"

Specifies FactoryTalk AssetCentre database server (Microsoft SQL Server) location.

This parameter is required when installing the FactoryTalk AssetCentre server software.

/MSA="value"

Specifies the Group Managed Service Account (gMSA) or Managed Service Account (MSA) that will be used by FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server to access the Microsoft SQL Server database when using Windows Authentication.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

  • The parameter is required when the Microsoft SQL Server is hosted on a different computer than the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server.

  • The parameter is optional when the Microsoft SQL and FactoryTalk AssetCentre Servers are hosted on the same computer.

/sql

Uses SQL Authentication between the FactoryTalk AssetCentre and Microsoft SQL Servers. The use of SQL Authentication is discouraged due to security concerns.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is required if SQL authentication will be used over MSA.

IMPORTANT: The use of SQL Authentication is discouraged due to security concerns.

/sa

Uses SQL Authentication for SQL Server signs in.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

If you use SQL Server Authentication to perform a silent or unattended installation, the parameters /SqlAdmin, and /SqlAdminPwd are required.

/SqlAdmin="value"

Specifies the Microsoft SQL Server administrator account name.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

/SqlAdminPwd="value"

Specifies the Microsoft SQL Server administrator account password.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

/ThirdPartyConnectorAccount="value"

Specifies a Windows user account with standard user permissions that you want to use to run the Agent Controller.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Agent or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is required if you want to use Siemens, Mitsubishi, or Schneider connectors in your system.

The format for the "value" is domain\username.

Note: If this parameter is used during silent installation, the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Agent Controller will run as an application instead of a service.

/Passphrase="value"

Specifies a passphrase to generate or recover a database encryption key to encrypt the sensitive data in your specified database.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is required if a database encryption key is not available in your FactoryTalk AssetCentre system.

Note: The passphrase must be 8 through 16 characters which could be numbers, uppercase letters, lowercase letters, or special characters ! ' # $ % & ( ) * + , - . / : ; < = > ? @ [ ] ^ _ ` { | } ~ and single space.

/KeyOverwrite

Generates a new database encryption key using the entered passphrase to overwrite the old database encryption key.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is required if a database encryption key has been used to encrypt your sensitive data in the specified database, and you have lost the previous passphrase for that database encryption key. To use /KeyOverwrite, the parameter /Passphrase is required.

Note: The new database encryption key will only encrypt the new data in the database. The previously encrypted data can be updated by following Update the previously encrypted data in the database in the FactoryTalk AssetCentre Getting Results Guide.

/TrustSQLSvrCrt

Configures SQL Server to bypass certificate validation for the FactoryTalk AssetCentre server during encrypted communication.

This parameter is only available when installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server or FactoryTalk AssetCentre Custom Installation.

This parameter is optional.

Error codes

The following table identifies the error codes that can be returned by an installation.

Error Code

Value

Description

ERROR_SUCCESS

0

The installation completed successfully.

ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER

87

One of the parameters was invalid.

ERROR_INSTALL_USEREXIT

1602

The installation was cancelled by the user.

ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE

1603

A fatal error occurred during installation or the software component to be installed already exists on the computer.

ERROR_BAD_CONFIGURATION

1610

The configuration data for this product is corrupt. Contact your support personnel.

ERROR_REBOOT_CONTINUE

1641

A reboot is required to continue to installation.

ERROR_SUCCESS_REBOOT_REQUIRED

3010

A restart is required to complete the installation. After restart the product is successfully installed.

ERROR_REBOOT_PENDING

3012

A restart is pending and is required before the installation can continue.

ERROR_SUCCESS_NOT_APPLICABLE

3013

The installation cannot proceed because the products are already installed.

ERROR_SUCCESS_WARNING_REBOOT

3014

Install succeed with warnings. Check installation logs for details. A restart is required to complete the installation.

Examples

These examples show how to use installation commands in some common scenarios. Each of the subsequent examples demonstrates a specific case.

IMPORTANT: When installing FactoryTalk AssetCentre through silent or unattended installation, quotes are required for the parameters with spaces (for example, /Product="AssetCentre Server" ).

Example 1: Install FactoryTalk AssetCentre server with remote Microsoft SQL Server and FactoryTalk Directory server using Windows authentication

D:\16.00.00-FTAssetCentre-DVDD\Setup.exe /Q /IAcceptAllLicenseTerms /Product="AssetCentre Server" /SqlServer="RemoteSQLServer" /MSA="RA\FTACgMSA$" /Passphrase="Password!123" / DirectoryServer=FTDServer /AutoRestart

These parameters mean:

Example 2: Install FactoryTalk AssetCentre server with Windows authentication for initial setup and SQL authentication for ongoing operation

D:\16.00.00-FTAssetCentre-DVDD\Setup.exe /Q /IAcceptAllLicenseTerms /Product="AssetCentre Server" /InstallDrive=D: /SqlServer="RemoteSQLServer" /sql /Passphrase="Password!123" / DirectoryServer=FTDServer /AutoRestart

These parameters mean:

Example 3: Install FactoryTalk AssetCentre server with SQL authentication for initial setup and Windows authentication for ongoing operation

D:\16.00.00-FTAssetCentre-DVDD\Setup.exe /QS /IAcceptAllLicenseTerms /Product="AssetCentre Server" /SqlServer="RemoteSQLServer" /sa /SqlAdmin="sa" /SqlAdminPwd="SqlAdminPwd" /MSA="RA

\FTACgMSA$" /Passphrase="Password!123" /DirectoryServer=FTDServer /AutoRestart

These parameters mean:

Example 4: Install FTAC server with SQL authentication for both initial setup and ongoing operation

D:\16.00.00-FTAssetCentre-DVDD\Setup.exe /Q /IAcceptAllLicenseTerms /SetupLanguage=ENU /Product="AssetCentre Server" /SqlServer="RemoteSQLServer" /sa /SqlAdmin="sa" / SqlAdminPwd="SqlAdminPwd" /sql /Passphrase="Password!123" /DirectoryServer=FTDServer / AutoRestart

These parameters mean:

Example 5: Install FactoryTalk AssetCentre server while generating a new database encryption key with the passphrase to overwrite the old one

D:\16.00.00-FTAssetCentre-DVDD\Setup.exe /Q /IAcceptAllLicenseTerms /Product="AssetCentre Server" /SqlServer="RemoteSQLServer" /MSA="RA\FTACgMSA$" /Passphrase="NewPassword!123" / KeyOverwrite /FTSPWebAuth=yes /AutoRestart

These parameters mean:

Example 6: Install FactoryTalk AssetCentre agent that can run disaster recovery tasks for supported third-party connectors

D:\16.00.00-FTAssetCentre-DVDD\Setup.exe /Q /IAcceptAllLicenseTerms /Product="AssetCentre Agent" /InstallDrive=D: /ThirdPartyConnectorAccount="RA\Siemens" /AutoRestart

These parameters mean:

Handling double quotation marks and backslashes in /Passphrase parameters

When specifying a passphrase to generate a database encryption key using theparameter in silent installations, be cautious with double quotation marks (") and backslashes (\). Microsoft has specific rules when interpreting command-line arguments. Incorrectly formatted command-line arguments can lead to FactoryTalk AssetCentre installation failures and other unexpected issues.

Although FactoryTalk AssetCentre theoretically supports the use of double quotation marks and backslashes, we recommend avoiding them in both silent and interactive installations to prevent potential issues.

The following table shows how specific formats in the input values (left column) can lead to unexpected results (right column) when using the  /Passphrase parameter.

Command Line Inputs
Resulting Command Line Arguments
/Passphrase="abcdefg"h"
abcdefgh
/Passphrase="abcdefg""h"
abcdefg"h
/Passphrase="abcdefg\"h"
abcdefg"h
/Passphrase="abcdefg\\\"h"
abcdefg\"h
/Passphrase="abcdefg\\"
abcdefg\
/Passphrase="abcdefg\\\h"
abcdefg\\\h
/Passphrase="abcdefg\\\\h"
abcdefg\\h
/Passphrase="abcdefg\\\\"h"
abcdefg\\h

These examples are illustrative and not exhaustive. For more information, see Microsoft article: Parsing C command-line arguments.

Rockwell Automation recognizes that some of the terms that are currently used in our industry and in this publication are not in alignment with the movement toward inclusive language in technology. We are proactively collaborating with industry peers to find alternatives to such terms and making changes to our products and content. Please excuse the use of such terms in our content while we implement these changes.

Copyright © 2026 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All rights reserved.
Rockwell Automation, Allen-Bradley, and FactoryTalk are trademarks of Rockwell Automation, Inc.
To view a complete list of Rockwell Automation trademarks please click here.
Trademarks not belonging to Rockwell Automation are property of their respective companies.