SOLIDWORKS 2017 What’s New: PDM Service Pack Compatibility – #SW2017

PDM Service Pack Compatibility

The golden rule of SOLIDWORKS PDM service packs has always been; “The PDM clients (users machines) all had to be on the EXACT same service pack as the server, no exceptions.” Unless of course you didn’t want the client to be able to work properly with the server/vault anymore.

While someone might have been open to updating a specific machine, having to also update the server as well as all other clients caused people to consider forgoing a SOLIDWORKS PDM service pack upgrade.

As of 2016 SOLIDWORKS PDM was combined into the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager. This further complicated installations as the Installation Manager is also version specific and installing SOLIDWORKS of one service pack and PDM of another became a bigger challenge leading to foregoing of a SOLIDWORKS service pack upgrade.

As of 2017 SOLIDWORKS PDM Clients and Servers no longer need to have the exact same service pack. Clients and servers are still required to be on the same major version; 2016-2016, 2017-2017, but now the server could be on SP 2 while the clients remain on SP 1.

Note: If on your PDM server, you have a client installed (which is common) this client will need to match the server’s service pack.

I hope this part of the What’s New series gives you a better understanding of the new features and functions of SOLIDWORKS 2017. Please check back to the CATI Blog as the CATI and MCAD Support Teams will continue to break down many of the new items in SOLIDWORKS 2017. All of these articles will be stored in the category of “SOLIDWORKS What’s New.” You can also learn more about SOLIDWORKS 2017 by clicking on the image below to register for one of CATI’s or CATI’s Design Summits.

Jim Krivoshein
PDM Consultant
Computer Aided Technology