Keysight IO Libraries Suite 2023

Keysight IO Libraries Suite 2023 continues support for features described in the previous versions but with the following changes.

Defect fixes:

• The newly improved ASRL Options screen provides toggle options for enabling or disabling ASRL sticky behavior and auto-discovery.
  

What's new?:

• Added support for Windows 11 systems
  
• Added KDI component as part of the IOLS installation
• Enhanced authentication mechanism:
  • Added SCRAM authentication mechanism for HiSLIP secure connection
  • Enhanced authentication mechanism that assimilates secure configuration data from SIC Expert
• Enhanced VISA Interfaces with the implementation of the VISA specification v7.2
  • Added new PXI attributes for VISA-C, VISA.NET and VISA-COM
  • Added secure connection support for VISA-C, VISA.NET, and VISA-COM
• Enhanced Connection Expert user interface:
  • The newly improved Lan instrument Add/Edit screen,
    • allows the addition of multiple HiSLIP addresses
      
    • shows the connection status of an instrument (a green lock indicates a secure connection whereas a grey lock indicates the connection is not secure).
  • Added HTTPS support for the instrument web page
    
  • VISA Shared Component version 7.2
    
• VXI interface is not supported on Windows 8 or Windows 11
• Not recommended for use in Windows 7 (all service packs). Some features or services may not work as expected.
  

Known Issues:

• None

Notes on .NET Framework 3.5/2.0 and Known Issues:

• Ivi.Visa.Interop.dll is missing in the 32-bit VISA COM applications
• If users want to use VISA.NET drivers which are provided by the IVI Organization rather than Keysight Technologies, Inc., then they must install .NET Framework 3.5/2.0.
• The workarounds to resolve the issue is as follows:
  • Install .NET Framework 3.5
    
  • You can install .NET Framework 3.5 using the IO Libraries Suite installer with the net35 directive. For example: IOLibSuite_version.exe /s /z"typical;net35"
  • Uninstall VISA shared component
  • Repair IO Library Suite to install VISA shared component
• Another way to fix the issue is as follows:
  • Open Visual Studio developer command window with elevated privilege 
    
  • Change to C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\VisaCom\Primary Interop Assemblies
  • Run "IviPiaRegistration.bat"

Keysight Secure Instrument Communication Expert

Keysight Secure Instrument Communication provides a secure way to control instruments using HiSLIP protocol revision 2.0 (r2). HiSLIP r2 enables secure connections, which are achieved using the Transport Layer Security (TLS) for encryption and decryption. HiSLIP r2 also enables authentication: the server (instrument) authenticates its identity by sending an X.509 certificate to the client (VISA library) when the TLS connection is established. The client authenticates to the server using a server-supported SASL (Simple Authentication and Security Layer) mechanism.

The challenges to establish a secure connection are: how to proffer the required certificates and authentication information, how to authenticate server/client mutually, and how to configure server/client compatibly, etc.

To overcome the challenges and support secure communication between instruments and test stations, Keysight is providing updates to certain instruments and Keysight IO Libraries Suite. Keysight also provides a configuration tool called Keysight Secure Instrument Communication (SIC) Expert to configure both instruments and test stations to perform secure communication.

Keysight Secure Instrument Communication system consists of three main elements:

• Keysight instrument that supports SIC
• Keysight IO Libraries Suite (installed on test station)
• Keysight Secure Instrument Communication Expert (SIC Expert)