OpenVINO Model Server as service on Windows#

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

Install OpenVINO Model Server#

Follow deployment instructions for Windows OS.

Install the service#

mkdir c:\models
install_ovms_service.bat c:\models
sc start ovms

Change the script parameter with model repository path if needed

During the installation, model repository path will be set in environment variable OVMS_MODEL_REPOSITORY_PATH, which defines default parameters for ovms CLI to interact with the service.

Optionally you can change the default service parameters like below:

sc start ovms --rest_port 8000 --config_path c:\models\config.json --log_level DEBUG --log_path c:\tmp\ovms_server.log

Start the service#

sc start ovms

Stop the service#

sc stop ovms

Delete the service#

sc delete ovms

Interaction with the service#

List models pulled in the model repository#

ovms --list_models

Pull models#

ovms --pull --model_name OpenVINO/Qwen3-8B-int4-ov --task text_generation --target_device

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

ovms --add_to_config --model_name OpenVINO/Qwen3-8B-int4-ov

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

ovms --remove_from_config --model_name OpenVINO/Qwen3-8B-int4-ov

Check served models#

curl http://localhost:8000/v3/models

Check models configured for serving#

type %OVMS_MODEL_REPOSITORY_PATH%\config.json

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 service log with the –log_level [INFO,DEBUG,TRACE] option during the service creation and the –log_path path_to_file parameter. By default, it will be saved in the ovms installation folder.

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