Keysight IO Libraries Suite 2026 Update 1

This version continues support for features described in the previous versions but with the following changes.

New Features:

• Notable Change

Applications Renamed: The new generation of Connection Expert, Interactive IO, and IO Monitor are now the default utilities. The earlier versions are now labeled Classic.

Classic Applications Retirement Notice: Connection Expert Classic, IO Monitor Classic, and Interactive IO Classic will be retired in the subsequent release.

• Connection Expert
  • Flexible Instrument Views — toggle between a consolidated, flat list of instruments and an interface-organized hierarchy with instruments nested underneath.
  • Multi-select support — select multiple instruments and manage them in a single workflow.
• Interactive IO
  • Faster Command Execution — perform common operations more quickly with Send Command, Read Response, and Send & Read buttons, while Auto Mode intelligently selects the appropriate action when you press Enter.
• IO Monitor
  • Efficient Data Search — quickly find captured data by searching across all column values in the Overview pane.
  • Streamlined Error Analysis — identify and isolate error responses more easily with dedicated error indicators and filtering options.
• Telemetry
  • Optional Usage Analytics — IOLS provides an option to share anonymous usage information during installation to help improve the product. No personal information, instrument data, or measurement results are collected.

Enhancements:

• Connection Expert
  • Persistent user preferences — your column filters, preferred view, image display, and theme are remembered every time you open Connection Expert.
  • Optimized toolbar — a cleaner, better-organized toolbar puts the actions you need most within easy reach.
  • Adaptable side panels — drag to resize side panels so instrument and interface details fit the way you work.
• Interactive IO
  • Simplified Instrument Connections — connect to instruments easily with a redesigned side panel that adds a Resource String connection method with a dedicated Connect button.
  • Streamlined Session History Management — access Search and Clear History directly within the Instrument Session History panel for faster navigation and cleanup.
• IO Monitor
  • Consistent Theme Experience — your preferred dark or light theme is automatically remembered, so IO Monitor opens the way you left it.
  • Personalized Table Layouts — resize, show, or hide columns to tailor the message table to your preference.
• Security Enhancements
  • Added encrypted databases to protect sensitive data.
  • Implemented a generic rate-limiting mechanism across all web-based components.
• Keysight Connectivity Configuration Service (KCCS) — Updated Remote IO Server
  • The remote IO Server has been updated.

Defect fixes:

• Resolved an issue where uninstalling IOLS caused Host Processor Platform (HPP) to stop working due to a shared system PATH entry being incorrectly removed.
• Simplified the InstrumentInfo API error message when a queried instrument is not registered in Connection Expert — the verbose path details have been removed.
• Resolved a resource leak where the Global Resource Manager for VISA-COM and VISA.NET was not closing all defaultRM sessions, which could exhaust the session limit under .NET 6.0.
• The OK button in Connection Expert's Add LAN Instrument dialog is now disabled when invalid characters are entered in the IP Address or Hostname field.
• All PowerShell scripts bundled in the IOLS installer are now digitally signed, ensuring successful installation on systems with an AllSigned execution policy.
• Corrected a "Database is locked" error in Connection Expert that caused phantom interfaces to appear and prevented deletion of Remote Serial interfaces.
• PXI ZED hardware server addresses are now visible in the new Connection Expert (VISA and SICL).
• Eliminated an intermittent "Fetch All Instruments" failure in Connection Expert that previously required a manual service restart to recover.
• The IOLS installer and KtPXIRM service no longer write PXI .ini files to the Windows PendingFileRenameOperations registry entry, preventing Ivanti Software Monitor from deleting them.
• Addressed a TLS negotiation failure caused by HPP 5.5.x removing RSASSA-PSS registry entries — the discovery service now falls back to TLS 1.2 when TLS 1.3 is unavailable.
• Spurious Method Exit events no longer stream via the KCCS API when IO Monitor capture is toggled off and back on.
• Switching protocols in the Connection Expert Add LAN Instrument dialog now clears any previous credential validation errors, re-enabling the OK button.
• Resolved an issue that prevented IOLS 21.4.x from being uninstalled.

Known Issues:

Selected Instrument Switches Automatically in Connection Expert Classic

• Connection Expert Classic may automatically switch the selected instrument without user interaction; use the new generation Connection Expert instead.

Soft Front Panel (SFP) Plug-in for PXI Modules Missing in Connection Expert Classic

• SFP plug-in for PXI modules does not appear in Connection Expert Classic; use the new generation Connection Expert instead.

PXI Alias Name Add Limited to Specific Address Format

• Adding an alias name to a PXI instrument is only supported for the following address format: PXI{InterfaceNumber}::{Bus}-{Device}.{Function}::INSTR (for example, PXI0::104-0.0::INSTR). Other PXI address formats are not supported for alias name add and delete.

New GUIs Fail to Launch Without Microsoft WebView2 Installed

• The new GUIs of Connection Expert, Interactive IO, and IO Monitor do not work on systems where Microsoft WebView2 is not installed. This is observed on some machines, specifically Windows Server 2019 and 2022, where WebView2 may not be available by default. WebView2 is Microsoft’s component for embedding Edge/Chromium in Windows applications. When launching any of the new GUIs, a pop-up will appear stating that WebView2 is not installed, along with a link to download and install it. The pop-up is shown only once; if dismissed, you must restart the system to see it again.
• Workaround: Download and install WebView2 from the link provided in the pop-up, or directly from: Download Microsoft WebView2. A reboot is required after the installation.

Installation and Uninstallation Issue When Running an Older Installer

• If a version newer than IOLS 2024 is installed, and an older installer (but not older than IOLS 2023 Update 1) is run, the installation fails with the error "a newer version has already been installed." In this scenario, attempting to uninstall the current version from the Control Panel also fails, showing the message the IOLS "is already uninstalled."
• Workaround: Rerun the installer of the currently installed version, or install a newer version.

Issues in the new GUIs

• Connection Expert application needs to be refreshed to reflect the following changes:
  • When you update Instrument drivers
  • When you programmatically update triggers

Unexpected Reboot During IOLS Upgrade on Systems with PCIe-GPIB Card

• On systems such as the HP Z4 G5 Workstation Desktop PC running Windows 10 21H2 (10.0.19044) with a PCIGPIB card, the system may unexpectedly reboot during an IOLS upgrade when the PCIGPIB kernel driver is updated. 
• Workaround: Disable VT‑d/IOMMU in the BIOS, reboot the system, verify in msinfo32 that Kernel DMA Protection is OFF and Virtualization‑Based Security is Not Enabled, then proceed with the upgrade.

Missing Components in VISA COM Applications

• Ivi.Visa.Interop.dll is missing in the 32-bit VISA COM applications. The workaround to fix the issue is as follows:
  • Install .NET Framework 3.5 - either through Windows Features or with IT approved processes.
  • Uninstall the 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 directory to C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\VisaCom\Primary Interop Assemblies
  • Run "IviPiaRegistration.bat"

Backward Compatibility

• VISA.NET applications using Ivi.Visa.dll or Keysight.Visa.dll and targeting .NET Framework 2.x or 3.x will no longer work with IO Libraries Suite (IOLS) 2025 and above, as it only supports .NET Framework 4.x for VISA.NET. To resolve this issue, you can:
  • Rebuild your application to target .NET Framework 4.x (recommended).
  • Modify your application's configuration file by explicitly setting <supportedRuntime> to "v4.0" in yourApplication.exe.config:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<configuration>

   <startup>      

      <supportedRuntime version="v4.0"/>

   </startup>

</configuration>

• This ensures compatibility with IOLS 2025 and above.

Thycotic-Delinea Privilege Manager Tool Interference

• We've identified issues when installing or upgrading IO Libraries Suite (IOLS) on systems where the Delinea tool is used. These issues may include failures during installation or upgrading certain IOLS components.
• Action Required: If you encounter problems with IOLS installation or upgrades while using Delinea, please install IOLS 2025 and above through Company Portal if you are a Keysight user or contact Keysight Support for assistance if you are not a Keysight user.

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)