Important Information
NOTICE TO WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL USERS
What you need to know about the upcoming Windows XP Service Pack 2 update.
Who: You need to know about this if you are running Windows XP Professional. Please note
that Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Professional are not affected.
What: Microsoft will be releasing Windows XP SP2 which enables new security features.
These new security features may inhibit distributed or networked applications from functioning
properly.
Where: Any distributed application such as RSLinx, RSView, RSSQL and RSMACC are
among the product identities whose functionality may be impaired by the new security features.
When: The Microsoft release of Windows XP SP2 is in July 2004. This date is subject to
change by Microsoft.
Windows XP SP2 installs a new program called “Windows Firewall”, which replaces the existing
“Internet Connection Firewall”. Also as part of the XP installation the Windows Firewall is enabled
by default. Enabling this firewall will stop incoming messages from reaching your computer. To
allow your computer to interact over the network with other computers and programs you must
configure the windows firewall properly to accept trusted communications from those computers
and programs. Please note that this affects programs that use network communication, it does not
affect programs that run locally on the computer.
Some RSI products in certain applications can be broken by the default state of the Windows
Firewall. RSLinx, RSSQL and RSMACC are among the product identities whose functionality may
be impaired by a mis-configured firewall. In general, server-side components of a product, running
on a computer provisioned with Windows XP Service Pack 2, are disabled by the firewall. Clients
cannot connect to these server-side components, even if the network is otherwise functioning
properly. In addition, client applications running on XP SP2 may have difficulty receiving updates
from the server(s) even if the server-side components are not running on XP SP2. The service
pack also introduces new system defaults for DCOM security. Together or separately, these
changes will break product functionality that worked in previous operating systems and service
packs. In particular, OPC-DA communications can be compromised.
Please note that Microsoft provides both GUI and script tools to configure the Windows
Firewall. In addition, Rockwell Software is creating a utility within the fall 2004 release that
will help you configure the Windows Firewall. Before that timeframe you can look to the
technical notes and links listed below or check out the Rockwell Software internet site after
June 21st.
A79346072 – Using Windows XP Service Pack 2 RC1 with RSViewSE, RSLinx and
RSLinx Enterprise.
G79662951 – Compatibility Matrix of RSI/AB software on Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg0104.mspx
Overview of Windows XP Service Pack 2 Security Technologies
In Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft is delivering several security technologies that help
protect customers against malware and other risks to their computer. These technologies are not
intended to replace periodic security updates as they are released, but rather to help strengthen
Windows XP’s overall defenses against malicious attacks.
This includes:
Network Protection through Windows Firewall
Memory Protection
Safer E-mail Handling
Enhanced Browsing Security
Improved Computer Maintenance