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Thread: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

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    Default Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    Chris, in response to your first question: do you already have a model open, when you initiate the File/Open dialog? The Revit Server icon does not show up in the left panel of the File/Open dialog, when you have a non-workshared file open.

    Regarding your second question: an alternative is to run Revit Server between businesses via the Internet. Of course, it is not secure, but it eliminates the effort to set up and maintain the VPN. The only way someone could intercept the model, is if they tapped the line at the INITIAL instance of saving the model to Revit Server, or opening the model from a new accelerator. Otherwise, all subsequent activity is delta updates (what's changed in the model).

    I am not endorsing this method. However, if you are already willing to use Revit Server on an unsupported platform, then routing via the Internet is adding marginal risk. So long as you have a dedicated 1 megabit connection with low latency, you should be fine. Just avoid having your home office connected via wireless to the Internet.

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    Question Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    Quote Originally Posted by meng005 View Post
    Chris, in response to your first question: do you already have a model open, when you initiate the File/Open dialog? The Revit Server icon does not show up in the left panel of the File/Open dialog, when you have a non-workshared file open.

    Regarding your second question: an alternative is to run Revit Server between businesses via the Internet. Of course, it is not secure, but it eliminates the effort to set up and maintain the VPN. The only way someone could intercept the model, is if they tapped the line at the INITIAL instance of saving the model to Revit Server, or opening the model from a new accelerator. Otherwise, all subsequent activity is delta updates (what's changed in the model).

    I am not endorsing this method. However, if you are already willing to use Revit Server on an unsupported platform, then routing via the Internet is adding marginal risk. So long as you have a dedicated 1 megabit connection with low latency, you should be fine. Just avoid having your home office connected via wireless to the Internet.
    Wondering if anybody can go into more detail on the setup for pushing data over the public internet. Do you just specify a machine with a static IP address and open the appropriate ports on your firewall?

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    Default Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    Just saw this and had to respond hoping others are trying to do the same thing. We are looking at virtualizing as an option for other reasons.

    1. Copying the central file and working at risk is dangerous. Suggest avoiding this one.
    2. You CAN install Revit server on a desktop in an windows 7 OS with some minor tweaks to the install file. It just isn't officially supported by Autodesk, but reports show it works... I am surprised there isn't a mini-accelerator incorporated as a win service app that could manage projects you are working on.
    3. RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) works - I'd give it only a 6/10 rating as It can get choppy. There is also a terminal server version... Has anyone had any experience working with those? Which one did you implement?
    4. If a revit server connection is established, you can connect to a close member of the network through VPN and Sync to central (STC) there.

    Ron

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    Default Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    Quote Originally Posted by humphrey.ben780631 View Post
    Wondering if anybody can go into more detail on the setup for pushing data over the public internet. Do you just specify a machine with a static IP address and open the appropriate ports on your firewall?
    Yes. You need to set the Revit Server's public IP in the RSN.ini file, and open ports 808 in the firewall. If you decide to use a DNS, then you would have to append the Windows host file to resolve correctly to the public IP.

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    Default Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    Just found this thread while looking for information on revit and VPN speeds.

    Can anyone point to a VPN for Revit usage guide? Our companies VPN is impossibly slow when working in Revit. Copying the Revit file from the server to my C drive i get on average 200kb/s which isnt too bad but when opening or saving the file to a server location from within Revit it is in bytes not kilobytes. Trying to sync to a central model is completely hopeless.

    Also I notice that when working on a local copy of a central model over the VPN or even over our companies international server every command seems to reference the central model causing a slow down or pause. I was under the impression Revit would only talk to the central model when syncing not during every command?

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    Default Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    I would not recommend using a VPN to connect Revit remotely to a network drive. Using a VPN to connect to a Revit Server project is a separate matter, because it is a different technology (IIS web services vs. SMB). Using Revit via a VPN can have similar performance lags as using Revit across a WAN (inter-office network). Revit is designed to be used within a LAN (office network).

    If you don't have the option to use Revit Server, another option is to use RD Gateway. RD Gateway allows you to access your work computer from a home/remote computer. It does require your IT department to set up a Remote Desktop Gateway server. But, RD Gateway can be a more affordable option than Windows Terminal Server, which would allow multiple users to login into the network from outside of the office onto a Windows server (shared environment).

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    Default Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    I am facing similar challenges as we need to share a single architectural model between two different companies. I found this link that seems to match exactly what we need to do.
    Maybe it sheds some light on the issue currently under discussion.

    http://thejame.wordpress.com/2010/11...s/#comment-267

    Cheers

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    Default Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    Quote Originally Posted by jagostinho134030 View Post
    ...I found this link that seems to match exactly what we need to do.
    Maybe it sheds some light on the issue currently under discussion.

    http://thejame.wordpress.com/2010/11...s/#comment-267

    Cheers
    A trusted relationship between domains (company networks) can work. However, a company may not allow it due to their IT security policy. The company I work for does not allow trusted domains; hence, we use VPNs to connect to other networks.

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    Default Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    I thought the same while reading how the IT security policy could be compromised with the RS setup.

    But now I am curious. Are you able to get the same result by using VPN? Are you able to work on the same central file?

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    Default Re: Should I use revit server or VPN/Remote Desktop

    Quote Originally Posted by jagostinho134030 View Post
    ...Are you able to get the same result by using VPN? Are you able to work on the same central file?
    Please, clarify. Are you asking whether you can get the same result with Revit Server using VPN. Or, whether you can bypass Revit Server altogether, and just have users connect to the central file via the VPN?

    You can get reasonable performance using Revit Server through a VPN. Stable connections, network latency under 50 ms, and plenty of bandwidth (1-2 mbps / concurrent user) will serve you well.

    However, connecting users to the central file via the VPN will be slower, if not disastrous (no Remote Desktop). Bad connections (including using WIFI) and/or latency more than 30 ms will frustrate the team with rather slow performance. Worse yet, these obstacles may result in model corruption.

    Finally, using VPN with Remote Desktop is a viable solution. You just need the IT support to set up the system for you
    Last edited by meng005; 2014-02-06 at 04:58 PM.

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