OpenVINO Model Server as service on Windows (preview functionality)#

This document describes installation and usage of OpenVINO Model Server as a service on Windows#

Download the windows zip package and install it using baremetal instructions#

Required: OpenVINO Model Server package - see deployment instructions for details.

Starting the model server service#

Start the service with arguments passed during the .\ovms\install_ovms_service.bat service installation#

sc start ovms

Optionally start the service with new ovms arguments#

sc start ovms --rest_port 8000 --config_path %cd%\models\config.json --log_level INFO --log_path %cd%\ovms_server.log

Stop the service#

sc stop ovms

Delete the service#

sc delete ovms

Demo#

You can find a RAG demo with the service in the demo documentation in the service section.

Service interaction#

You can change the default config.json location from c:\models\config.json to you own path. Make sure you are passing the full path to the file.

.\ovms\install_ovms_service.bat c:\my_own_path\to_directory\config.json

List models#

ovms --model_repository_path c:\models --list_models

Pull models#

ovms --pull --model_repository_path c:\models --source_model OpenVINO/Qwen3-8B-int4-ov --task text_generation

Start a model by adding it to the config.json#

ovms --add_to_config c:\models --model_name OpenVINO/Qwen3-8B-int4-ov --model_path OpenVINO/Qwen3-8B-int4-ov

Stop a model by removing it from the config.json#

ovms --remove_from_config c:\models --model_name OpenVINO/Qwen3-8B-int4-ov

Service status gui#

You can monitor the service status gui in the native services windows application. Start it by writing services in the windows start search bar. Service Status

Service registry settings#

You can monitor the service settings in the native windows registry editor application. Start it by writing regedit in the windows start search bar. The service settings after installation are available at the Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ovms path: Service Status

Service log and events#

You can monitor the detailed service log with the –log_level [INFO,DEBUG,TRACE] option during the service creation and the –log_path path_to_file parameter.

Additionally you can review the service events and errors in the native windows event viewer application. Start it by writing event viewer in the windows start search bar. The service events are visible in the Windows Logs -> System tab. Service Status