Setting up a SystemLink Client
- Updated2026-04-30
- 3 minute(s) read
Install SystemLink Client to establish a connection between your SystemLink server and a remote target.
- You have installed SystemLink Enterprise on your cluster.
- You have configured any remote database connections. Changing your database configuration after connecting a client can cause data loss.
- (Linux Real-Time only) On the host machine, you have installed drivers you need to
communicate with your NI LinuxRT device:
- To set up a CompactRIO Linux RT target, install NI CompactRIO and Drivers.
- To set up a PXI RT System, install PXI Platform Services.
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Use the following table to complete the steps that suit your target type.
Option Description Windows - On a Windows target, launch NI Package Manager.
- Search for and install NI SystemLink Client.
- Launch NI SystemLink Client.
- Select Connect to a SystemLink server.
- Specify the host name, IP address, or DNS alias of the SystemLink server to which you want to connect.
Linux Real-Time - On the host machine, launch NI MAX.
- Ensure the firmware on the target is 7.0 or higher.
- Ensure that the date and time are correct.
- In NI MAX, right-click the target and select Format Disk.
- Click Add/Remove Software and install the Linux RT System Image.
- Under SystemLink Settings, ensure the DNS alias and Server are correct.
Note Assign a strong password for the admin user on NI Linux Real-Time targets managed by SystemLink Enterprise. These credentials are required in the following scenarios.- You SSH into the target.
- A SystemLink server adds a Linux Real-Time target to its collection of managed systems.
- Log in to SystemLink.
- Click and click the pending tile.
- Select the Minion IDs for the systems you want to add and click Next.
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Select the workspace you want to add your systems to.
This action determines which resources the system can interact with. To learn more about workspaces, refer to the access control help.When you add a system to a workspace, all data the system produces stores in the workspace. SystemLink also adds all assets of that system to the workspace.
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Click Add.
The systems are now clients of the SystemLink server. To manage the client, click .
The following image displays an example list of clients that are connected to a server.

- Optional:
Lock your client to prevent the execution of unwanted actions.
Unwanted actions include any operation performed through SystemLink that might disrupt a running test.
- Select the client in Systems.
- Click .
The jobs join a queue but do not execute until you unlock the system. You can view all jobs, including queued jobs, under History.
Related Information
- SystemLink Enterprise Installation and Configuration
SystemLink Enterprise is configured using Helm values set in YAML files and installed using Helm commands.
- Storing Data from the Dashboard Host Service on an External PostgreSQL Server
Configure SystemLink Enterprise to store data from the Dashboard Host Service on an external PostgreSQL server.
- Managing Access to SystemLink Enterprise
As a system administrator, specify which parts of SystemLink Enterprise different users can access. You can control access through workspaces, roles, and privileges.
- NI CompactRIO
- PXI Platform Services