By Eric Dingfelder, President & CEO 

At Data Innovations (DI), connections are more than a technical feature – they’re the foundation of everything we do. Whether it’s connecting instruments to systems, labs to insights, or people to solutions, our mission is to empower laboratories with the tools and support they need to thrive. 

Our vendor-neutral middleware, Instrument Manager™ (IM), is a prime example. It enables open-box connectivity, allowing labs to integrate a limitless range of instruments and systems without being locked into a single vendor. With fully customizable rules and workflows, labs can tailor operations to meet their unique needs – whether that means improving turnaround times, reducing manual errors, or scaling to meet growing demand. 

But connectivity is just the beginning. DI’s software and professional services are designed to support every aspect of lab performance. From boosting productivity and ensuring quality assurance to maintaining compliance and maximizing uptime, our solutions help labs operate with confidence. And with built-in data insights, labs can continuously monitor and improve performance, making smarter decisions every day. 

Ensuring Secure Connections

Security is a vital part of any lab’s success, and we’re committed to helping you stay ahead of evolving threats. That’s why we continue to update Instrument Manager with the latest security protocols. But to benefit from these updates, it’s essential to be on a supported version of IM. As a critical reminder, if your lab is running IM v8.16 and older, it is no longer receiving cybersecurity patches, putting your lab at risk. We have been urging customers running legacy versions of IM to upgrade to IM v9.00, which offers up-to-date security as well as improved performance.

Here’s what you need to know about legacy versions of IM: 

• IM versions 8.16 and older have already reached End of Maintenance (EoM) and will reach End of Life (EoL) on 一月 1, 2026.
• IM v8.17.00 through v8.17.32 will reach End of Maintenance on 一月 1, 2026.

If your lab is running a version of IM that has reached End of Maintenance, this means the software no longer receives security patches or other maintenance updates. In addition, DI no longer accepts new driver requests or driver enhancements for these EoM legacy versions. 

In addition to these EoM considerations, IM versions that reach End of Life will no longer receive normal support services for that product version or associated applications and drivers.  

Therefore, if your lab is running IM version 8.17.32 or older, now is the time to plan your upgrade. For upgrade guidance, resources and service options, visit our IM Upgrade Resources page.

Connecting IM Users to Benefits of Direct Licensing

At DI, we serve two types of customers – labs that contract with us directly as Instrument Manager users and labs that use IM through a third-party reseller. While both scenarios offer access to our industry-leading connectivity middleware software, there are unique benefits that come from licensing your IM through DI directly. You can learn more about these benefits on our Direct Licensing Resources page.

The University of Iowa Health Care (UIHC) core clinical laboratory is one lab that recently realized several important benefits when transitioning from a third-party IM system to a direct DI license. By consolidating instruments and workflows into a single IM system, they simplified operations, improved efficiencies, and made work easier for their staff. They also began enjoying direct DI technical support, reducing wait time for issue resolution. And they started using Lab GPS™, available only to direct DI customers, for connection monitoring and uptime optimization. Learn more about the advantages UIHC gained from converting their third-party IM license to a direct DI license.

In-Person Connections for Learning and Growth

While software keeps your lab connected, in-person events offer another kind of vital connection—one that fosters learning, collaboration, and innovation. 

In the coming months, we’re excited to offer several opportunities to connect face-to-face: 

• ADLM 2025. Join us 7 月 29 日-31 in Chicago for a variety of CPR (Connectivity, Productivity, Risk Management) workshops planned to help you revitalize your lab and get the most out of your DI solutions. 

• Lab Directors Summit.  Meet DI at this exclusive gathering of laboratory leaders, 9 月 8 日-10 in Florida.
• DI User Group. Registration is now open for our next in-person user group, taking place 9 月 24 日-25 in Denver, CO.  

For more information on each of these, visit our Events page.

Stronger Performance through Vital Connections

From software updates to in-person events, everything we do at DI is focused on you – our customer. We’re here to provide the vital connections your lab needs to grow, adapt, and succeed in a rapidly changing world. Whether it’s through secure, scalable technology or meaningful conversations at a workshop, we’re proud to be your partner in progress.