Connecting a Windows Target to Your SystemLink Server
- Updated2025-10-28
- 2 minute(s) read
Connecting a Windows Target to Your SystemLink Server
Establish a connection between your SystemLink server and a remote Windows target.
The server is the computer where you have installed SystemLink Server. The target refers to the computer you want to connect to the server. The client refers to the computer where you have installed SystemLink Client and connected to the server.
- On the server, you have installed SystemLink Server.
- On the server, you have configured SystemLink Server.
- The server has enough node licenses available in NI Volume License Manager.
- You have configured any remote database connections. Changing your database configuration after connecting a target can cause a loss of data.
- On the Windows target, open NI Package Manager.
- Search for and install SystemLink Client.
- Launch SystemLink Client.
-
Select Connect to a SystemLink server and specify the name, IP
address, or DNS alias of the server that you want to connect.
Note If you want to create a DNS alias for your server, refer to Setting up a SystemLink Server.
- Using a web browser, launch and log in to your SystemLink server.
- Click Systems Manager and click the Pending systems tile.
-
Click Approve for the targets you want to connect to
SystemLink.
The target is now a client connected to your SystemLink server. To manage the client in the SystemLink web application, click Systems Manager and then click Managed systems.
The following image shows an example list of clients that are connected to a server.

-
If any of your clients show as Not Activated, click the client
and select .
Note If you cannot activate a client, review your SystemLink licenses to verify that a license is available for your client.
-
Select the workspace you want to contain the client.
The assigned workspace determines the resources that the client can interact with. To learn more about workspaces, refer to Managing Access to SystemLink.
SystemLink automatically stores all data the client produces in the workspace. SystemLink also adds all the client assets to the workspace.
- Optional:
To prevent actions from executing on your client, select the client in
Managed Systems and click .
Actions include installing software or restarting. SystemLink Server queues the actions but executes only when you unlock the client. You can view all jobs, including queued jobs, under History.
Related Information
- Setting Up a SystemLink Server
Install and configure SystemLink Server on your host to begin managing systems and working with data. SystemLink Server includes the SystemLink web application and SystemLink APIs.
- Connecting to a Standalone Remote Mongo Database
Configure SystemLink to access a remote Mongo database to enhance scalability and fault tolerance.
- Connecting to a Remote PostgreSQL Database
Configure SystemLink to access a remote PostgreSQL database to enhance scalability and fault tolerance in Test Monitor.
- Managing Access to SystemLink
As a system administrator, specify which parts of Systemlink different users can access through workspaces, roles, and privileges.
- Troubleshooting System Connection Issues
Troubleshoot systems with connection issues.