1. Altium Vault Technology
Hubert Hu
Mar 7th

2. Agenda Vault Concept Vault Installation Component Release
Data Migration

3. Concept
Component Management
Re-use Schematic Sheet
Production Release

4. Concept
An Altium Vault provides the common ground between Design and Supply Chain spaces

5. Anatomy of Vault

6. Vault Family Managed Vault Satellite Vault Altium Vault Server
In AD10, we have…
Managed Vault
Satellite Vault
In AD2013, two new members join…
Altium Vault Server
Altium Personal Vault

7. Managed Vault Managed Vault Summary:
Fully hosted (both data and management) on AltiumLive
Access can be granted any or all AltiumLive subscribers
Exists within same ecosystem as a Satellite Vaults
No company infrastructure or setup required

8. Satellite Vault Satellite Vault Summary:
No capital purchase required, can be used by any AltiumLive subscriber plan members
Vault hosted within company network, all data remains within network
Internet access required for access verification only
Access tied to AltiumLive Subscriber Plan account

9. Altium Vault Server Altium Vault Server Summary:
Independent, standalone vault system
Does not require user or corporate internet access
Access to Vaults managed within company network or through web
Vaults have no connection or identity within AltiumLive
Sold under a conventional enterprise software model

10. Altium Personal Vault Personal Vault Summary:
Independent, standalone vault system
Does not require user or corporate internet access
No user configuration ability
No web access ability
Free for charge

11. Vault Feature Comparison
Altium Vault Server
Altium Personal Vault
Satellite Vault
Cost
Charge by User Amounts
Free
Free for Subscriber Member
Platform Required
AD2013 or above
AD10 or above
Support/Update
Yes
No Future Update
Liscence
Required
Not Required
Web Access No
User Configuration
Simutaneous Connection
TBD 3
N/A
Port
9780
9680
9880

12. Key Points in Nutshell
Altium Vault Server requires license and implements user management concepts
Personal Vault does not require any of these.
Neither vault require a permanent external connection to Altium Live to be accessible.

13. Vault Installation
Installation Process
Port Assignment
Licensing
User Configuration

14. Installation Process Altium Vault Server Altium Personal Vault
1. Run the installer
2. To activate your license go to the Altium Live Dashboard and locate your Vault Evaluation License on the License Tab. Click on it and then click on the Activate button. This will download a .alf file on your drive.
3. Drop the.alf file in the base executable installation folder (by default: C:\Program Files(x86)\Altium\DXP Apps Server\)
Altium Personal Vault
2. You can check that all is in order by bringing up the Windows Services panel and checking that Altium Vault Service and Altium Search Service are started.

15. Port Assignment Satellite Vault runs on port 9880
Altium Personal Vault is assigned port 9680
Altium Vault Server run on a port of your choosing at installation time. Default is 9780.
Ports need to be different if you want to run different vaults on the same machine.

16. Licensing Altium Vault Server Licensing
The software checks every hour for its presence
It allows the simultaneous connection of N identified users. For instance, if 4 simultaneous identified connections are allowed, 10 users can be registered in the system, but only 4 can be logged in together at any one time.
Altium Personal Vault Connections
Personal Vault does not need a license to run
It allows for up to 3 simultaneous anonymous connections.

17. Connecting with Altium Designer
Altium 2013 and above can connect to Altium Vault Server, Personal Vault and Satellite Vault.
Altium Designer 12 and below can connect only to Satellite Vault.
Go to Vault panel > Vault administration (or Preferences > Data Management > Vaults)
Click on Add Vault
Enter User/PW
Test Connection

18. Connecting with Altium Designer
Vaults successfully added
User Vault Explorer to visit Vault

19. User Configuration for Altium Vault
For Altium Vault Server, user or groups can be added in Home page
Altium Personal Vault doesn’t have user configuration feature

20. User Configuration for Altium Vault cont
Altium Vault Server can be access through a browser
Type
You can manage users, groups and contents through web

21. Setting up Lifecycle Definition
Six default Lifecycle Definitions are available:
Basic Lifecycle
Component Lifecycle
Simple Lifecycle
Simple Lifecycle With Approvals
Structured Lifecycle
Structured Lifecycle With Approvals

22. Setting up Revision Naming Scheme
Four default Revision Naming Schemes are available:
1-Level Revision Scheme
2-Level Revision Scheme
3-Level Revision Scheme
Component Revision Scheme

23. Create Folder Hierarchy
Right click Vault Folder column and select Add Top Level Folder » altium-component-management-zone in pop-up menu. Name the Folder as 'Component'.
Right click the Component folder you just created and select Add Sub Folder » altium-component-library in pop-up menu. Name the sub-folder as Component. It will be used to release components. Create another sub-folder called Models
Create two sub-folders under Models, one folder called PCB_Components with type altium-pcb-component-library, which is used to release PCB footprint. The other folder is called Sch_Symbols with type altium-symbol-library, which is used to release SCH library.

24. Releasing Design Content
Release Schematic Symbol
Release PCB Footprint
Release Component
Release Schematic Sheet
Release Design

25. Release Schematic Symbol --Link to Library
Open existing schematic library
Click File » Link Library to Vault
Choose target folder

26. Release Schematic Symbol --Link to Library cont
File » Link Library to Vault

27. Release Schematic Symbol --Performing the Release
Click File » Release To Vault
Preparing the Symbol for Release
Releasing the Symbol

28. Release Schematic Symbol --Performing the Release cont
Showing information about a symbol and the corresponding mapped Item in the vault

29. Release Schematic Symbol --Update Release Symbols
With the source schematic library document linked to the vault and folder therein, re-releasing a symbol (or symbols) in that library – to take into account any modifications – is a straightforward process. Simply make the changes to the symbol(s) as required, save the library file, and click the File » Release To <Target Vault Name> Vault command.
The source library document, linked target folder, and Items therein will be analyzed and the Component Release Manager dialog will present updated link and status information and ready the library and its constituent symbol(s) for possible re-release. The action for a symbol that is being re-released now appears as To New Revision

30. Release PCB Footprint --Link to Library
File > Link Library to Vault

31. Release PCB Footprint --Link to Library cont
File > Link Library to Vault

32. Release PCB Footprint -- Performing the Release
File > Release To <Target Vault Name> Vault

33. Release PCB Footprint --Performing the Release cont

34. Release PCB Footprint --Performing the Release cont

35. Release PCB Footprint --Update Release Footprint
File > Release To <Target Vault Name> Vault

36. Release Component --Unified Component Model
The term 'Unified Component' depicts the extension of a design component into the bigger product arena through dedicated part choices

37. Release Component --Create Component Library
Create and manage design-side component definitions within a Component Library file(File » New » Library » Component Library)

38. Release Component --Specify Target Vault
View and manage vault settings as required
Edit > Document Options

39. Release Component --Specify Required Models
Specify the model types available for use in component definitions

40. Release Component --Adding Model Links
Add links to models that will be used to represent components in different design domains

41. Release Component --Define a Component
Component Definitions – the design-side source specification of vault-based components

42. Release Component --Support for a Component Hierarchy
Example addition and insertion of new groups

43. Release Component --Component Definition
Example addition and insertion of new component definitions

44. Release Component --Component Definition cont
Specify which of the linked models are to be used for a component

45. Release Component --Model and Parameter Value Inheritance
Document Level values can be inherited by lower levels of the hierarchy

46. Release Component --Model and Parameter Value Inheritance
Group Level values can be inherited by the component definitions within their group

47. Release Component --Model and Parameter Value Inheritance
Component Definition level values individually assigned will override the Group and Document level assignments

48. Release Component --Targeting an existing Component Item
Link to an existing Component Item which has been created directly in the target vault

49. Release Component --Releasing the Comp Lib File
File » Release to Vault

50. Release Component --Review the Released Comp in Vault
A released Component Item viewed directly from within the target vault using the Vault

51. Release Component --Component Release Manager
Component Release Manager: Facilitating a batch-style release of libraries to a target vault
The Component Release Manager provides a centralized release 'console' with which to release, in-turn, schematic symbols, PCB 2D/3D component models, or component definitions, stored within one or more Schematic, PCB or Component Libraries respectively – facilitating a batch-style release of libraries to a target vault.

52. Release Component --Component Release Manager cont
Specify the parent folder containing the source libraries you wish to release.

53. Release Component --Component Release Manager cont
Specify where and how newly released Symbol/PCB Component/Component Items are to be created.

54. Release Component --Component Release Manager cont
Target Vault Folder
Top-Level Folder – a top-level folder will be created in the vault, named as per the top-level folder holding the design-side source libraries.
Existing Folder – click the  button to access the Choose Folder dialog

55. Release Component --Component Release Manager cont
Example listing of content after analyzing source libraries. (Document Type set to SCHLIB).
Release Component --Component Release Manager cont
Folder Analysis
With the required options set, the software now needs to scan, or analyze both the source library folder(s) and the target folder(s) in the vault – to see how it needs to handle that content with respect to releasing and in accordance with the specified options (for example whether to create new Items and/or to re-release to new revisions of existing linked Items). To do this, press the Analyze Folders button, at the bottom-left of the dialog.
Example listing of content after analyzing source libraries. (Document Type set to SCHLIB).

56. Release Component --Component Release Manager cont
Clear Vault Links
Should you need to clear an existing link between a source document (and symbol(s)/model(s)/component definition(s) therein) and a target vault folder (and mapped Items therein), simply select the document(s), then right-click in the grid region of theComponent Release Manager and choose the Clear Vault Links In Documents command. The link will be severed and the affected document(s) saved. If you have already released a symbol, model, or component definition, this procedure will effectively cause the source symbol/model/component definition and released Schematic Symbol/PCB Component/Component Item to lose knowledge of each other. The Component Release Manager will present information as though the document(s) had never been released 

57. Release Component --Component Release Manager cont
Automated Generation of CmpLibs
Choose source Schlib. Simply generate Component Libraries with this tool.
After Cmplib is generated, open it and directly release it. Or you can release the CMPLIB in Component Release Manager.

58. Releasing Schematic Sheet
To convert a standard schematic sheet into a Managed Sheet
Replace the current (unmanaged) components on the sheet with (managed) vault components
Link the Schematic Sheet to the vault
Release the schematic sheet into that vault
Make sure the components used in the schematic sheet have been already released to Vault

59. Link Schematic Sheet to Vault
Create an Item that the schematic sheet can be released to.

60. Release Schematic Sheet to Vault
Select the File » Release to <Name> Vault command
The released schematic sheet is now a managed Item-Revision in the vault.

61. Releasing a Design
Overview of Release Process
PCB Release View
Validation and Output Generation
Design Release

62. Overview of Release Process

63. The PCB Release View
View >> PCB Release View

64. The PCB Release View cont
Process Flow
File Generation

65. File Generation Status Information
State
Description
Output has not yet been generated/does not exist.
Output has been generated, but changes have since happened on the design side making the validity of this data no longer current.
The output is currently in the process of being generated.
The output is validation-based and has generated a report free of any errors. For an ERC report, there are either no errors, or the level of those errors falls within the specified maximum tolerated error level for that report.
The output (excluding validation-based outputs) has generated successfully.
The output has not generated successfully. For a validation-based output (DRC, ERC, Differences, Footprint comparison) this means errors exist within the source design documents that are causing certain check(s) to fail. For a standard output, the output could not be generated successfully. Perhaps Fatal Errors exist when performing a pre-generation compile, or something is amiss in the configuration of the associated output generator in the Output Job file.

66. Getting Access to Release Mode
Essentially three areas which need to be 'Green Stated' before Release Mode becomes accessible

67. Validation & Output Generation
In Design Mode, the Process Flow appears as shown

68. Using the View in Release Mode
While in Release Mode, only the chosen configuration is available to interact with

69. Design Release Process

70. Design Release Process cont.

71. Data Migration Component Migration from Integrated Libraries
Component Migration from Database Libraries
Updating Device Sheets and Designs
Data Migration from Existing Vault Data

72. Migration from IntLib

73. Migration from IntLib cont
Extract library source from integrated library. This is done by opening the intlib in AD. The
schlib based symbols point to the PCBLib based footprints.
Release the footprints. This is done in the pcblib editor itself.
a. Link the library to a vault folder (File>Link to [Vault Name] ). Save the library
b. Release the library (File>Release to [Vault Name] )
Release the symbols. This is done in the schlib editor itself.
Generate Cmplib files from the Schlib (the Cmplib file refers to released footprints and
symbols). This is done from from the schlib editor itself
a. With the schlib open, Go to Tools>Generate component Library
b. Choose the right options (one cmplib by schlib is now default), click ok
Release the components in the vault. This is done from the cmplib editor
a. File > Release to Vault

74. Migration from DBLib

75. Migration from DBLib cont
The dblib file refers to a database. The database columns refer to sch symbols and footprints in schlib and pcblibs
Release the footprints. This is done in the pcblib editor itself.
a. Link the library to a vault folder (File>Link to [Vault Name] ). Save the library
b. Release the library (File>Release to [Vault Name] )
Release the symbols. This is done in the schlib editor itself.
Generate Cmplib files from the DBLIb (the Cmplib file refers to released footprints and
symbols). This is done from from the DBLIb editor itself
a. With the DBLIb open, Go to Tools>Generate component Library
b. Choose the right options (one cmplib by schlib is now default), click ok
Release the components in the vault. This is done from the cmplib editor
a. File > Release to Vault

76. Updating Device Sheet and Designs
This is Done through Item Manager(Tools » Item Manager )

77. Data Migration from existing Vault
Satellite Vault
Altium Personal Vault
Altium Vault Server

78. Data Migration from Satellite Vault cont
Start with an entirely empty (as in freshly installed) Altium Vault Server or Personal Vault
If Altium Vault/Personal Vault do not run on the same machine as Satellite Vault, copy the Data folder (in a standard installation this is C:\Program Files (x86)\Altium Satellite Vault Server\AltiumVault\Data ) of your Satellite vault on the same machine as the target Altium Vault or Personal Vault
Launch the utility VaultMigrationTool.exe using “Run as administrator”
Source Vault Path. This is optional. If available type here the path to the source Satellite vault. Typically: C:\Program Files (x86)\Altium Satellite Vault Server\AltiumVault\
Source File Repository Path Type here the path to the Satellite Vault file reposiotiry. Typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Altium Satellite Vault Server\AltiumVault\Data\Files\
Destination Vault Path. Type here the path to the target vault executable folder. Typically
for Personal Vault: C:\Program Files (x86)\Altium\Personal Vault\Vault\
for Altium Vault C:\Program Files (x86)\Altium\DXP App Server\Vault\
Altium Live user and Password
Click Run.

79. Data Migration from Satellite Vault cont

80. Q&A