Running LabVIEW code through VPN Netowrks

Have you ever executed a huge set of LabVIEW code which resides in other PC but you have to run them in your PC through VPN network channel?  Recently there’s been a request from one of our customer to do so.!  The reason is “CONFIDANTIALITY” .  The source code can’t be moved to a vendor PC and can only be accessed via their VPN.

What are the difficulties?

1. Productivity go for toss.  There are 1000’s of codes (.vi, .lvclass etc) which as to be loaded on everytime through the VPN network. i.e., you’re uploading all of those files from your source code PC to your VPN provider and download it back in the LabVIEW PC.  If your VPN provider has fast network then you’re safe.  CISCO is bad at this and the loading of this project takes about 15-min easily.
2. If your network restricts any type of files, then you have to deal with the IT team to allow that file types.  For us .vi, .ctl, .lvclass etc have to be be allowed.  If you have DLLs used in proejct, then that too has to be allowed.
3. If there are absolute paths used in the project, then it will require you to setup a network drive in the LabVIEW PC with same drive letter (D: in this case) and map it.
4. VPN interruption causes the work to pause/stop.
5. I think there are much more to come as we work on the project.

What is the issue faced?

• Though all those files are allowed in VPN, yet LabVIEW kept searching for missing DLL while laoding this project.
• Eventhough the DLL path is manually browsed and provided, the classes or methods of that DLL are not listing in those VIs which uses them.  i.e, we can see the property & invoke nodes in those VIs doesn’t show any list on clicking them.

What’s the solution?

• The network connection type in windows (Public/Private/Home network) somehow determines these securities.  After changing the network from Public to Home network, this issue is solved.

Moral of the story: Avoid accesssing the source code through VPN.