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Thread: Sharing Central file over VPN

  1. #1
    All AUGI, all the time janunson's Avatar
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    Arrow Sharing Central file over VPN

    I'm fighting a lot of little technical issues in sharing central files between multiple locations. I'm wondering if anyone has some advice or experience to share?

    We have multiple users in remote locations working on the same project - one of our first problems - it appears that the central file isn't recognized over VPN connections - this is because the path saved by revit over VPN uses the servers IP address + the UNC path (192.168.x.xxx\sharefolder\folder\file (even though we have drives mapped)) and revit on the local network uses the standard windows path (Drive:\folder\file)

    Wha't wierd is that it appears to be able to borrow permissions remotely, just not save to central. Is this an annoying inconsistency in the way revit stores file IDs/paths?

    Any other advice? Anyone use outside consultants to help with building their models? If so do you have any methods for sharing a central file when you DON"T have vpn connections to share? everyone works from an FTP site, etc (?)

    TIA for any advice... Trying to get a list of best practices to help us out w/ this. I'll post any compliations i can create.

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    All AUGI, all the time robert.manna's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sharing Central file over VPN

    Quote Originally Posted by janunson
    I'm fighting a lot of little technical issues in sharing central files between multiple locations. I'm wondering if anyone has some advice or experience to share?
    We have multiple users in remote locations working on the same project - one of our first problems - it appears that the central file isn't recognized over VPN connections - this is because the path saved by revit over VPN uses the servers IP address + the UNC path (192.168.x.xxx\sharefolder\folder\file (even though we have drives mapped)) and revit on the local network uses the standard windows path (Drive:\folder\file)

    Quote Originally Posted by janunson
    Wha't wierd is that it appears to be able to borrow permissions remotely, just not save to central. Is this an annoying inconsistency in the way revit stores file IDs/paths?
    I beleive that even though you can map via drives in Revit, at the end of day it resolves everything through UNC, so if your VPN is altering the UNC path that is probably the problem there.

    I've heard of people succesfully using Riverbed (I think that is what it is called) for sharing over a WAN. In general we have not had great success using Revit over our WAN, and this is a considerable priority for us.

    Be very interested to hear what others have to say.

    -R
    Last edited by robert.manna; 2006-09-14 at 08:12 PM.

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    100 Club Chris DiSunno's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sharing Central file over VPN

    we have been doing this. we always save a local file on the local computer. saving back to central across the VPN takes forever. we are a small firm, only three of us so we don't have an issue with overlap on the same job.

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    100 Club pdavis's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sharing Central file over VPN

    When I am at home and a situation arises that I need to access a model, I avoid doing this thru the VPN, though I can. It is just painfully slow, and I do have a fast SBC DSL connection.

    What I typically do, is log into a "shared" machine that we have in the office and then open what I need to on that. I admittedly do not know what this process is. I know that I start my laptop, connect to the office network via VPN, then remote access to the shared machine. I then start Revit on that shared machine and access whatever files I need, which are typically from servers in another office.

    We do use the Riverbed Steelheads, and a static or dedicated IP or something like that and since that implemented, it has made a difference.

    We also encourage the local save as well.

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    Default Re: Sharing Central file over VPN

    One of my clients has just entered the testing phase with some Riverbed appliances with the intention of sharing a Revit model with the rest of the design team over the internet. The client is hoping to start the sharing by the end of September.

    The building will likely be split exterior/interior with the other office. This should mitigate the duplication of work.

    Both offices are new Revit offices, and the plan is to pool our resources. We collaborated on an earlier project, for the same client, using ADT 2006. The results were good, the process was tricky.

    Still, I am interested in the day-to-day use of the Riverbed appliances. Can anyone pass on 'Best Practices' for the initial set-up?

    Thanks!

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    100 Club pdavis's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sharing Central file over VPN

    Quote Originally Posted by KestrelCADD
    One of my clients has just entered the testing phase with some Riverbed appliances with the intention of sharing a Revit model with the rest of the design team over the internet. The client is hoping to start the sharing by the end of September.

    The building will likely be split exterior/interior with the other office. This should mitigate the duplication of work.

    Both offices are new Revit offices, and the plan is to pool our resources. We collaborated on an earlier project, for the same client, using ADT 2006. The results were good, the process was tricky.

    Still, I am interested in the day-to-day use of the Riverbed appliances. Can anyone pass on 'Best Practices' for the initial set-up?

    Thanks!
    I will send something to our IT group and see if I can get anything out of them. Here is a link to a CADALYST article that might help: http://aec.cadalyst.com/aec/article/....jsp?id=353654

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    Count (Formula) dbaldacchino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sharing Central file over VPN

    I have been working via VPN on weekends from home succesfully. It does take a while to STC, but opening your local and reloading all the links (dwgs and RS file) isn't too bad. Having a fast internet connection is a must. But it has worked fine. Have not had server issues. Network drives are mapped (for isntance Y is mapped to \\servername\data\). I do have offline files and set the Y to be mapped every time (so my offline files appear on the Y drive as if I'm in the office). I don't have Revit offline files, don't even try it. The only issue I've been having is windows thinking I'm offline even while VPN is still running. Our IT said it might be due to packet loss (probably a cheap wireless router, or could be the DSL service). I just have to double click the icon on the tray and it does a synch and I'm back "online". Revit resumes as normal.

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    All AUGI, all the time robert.manna's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sharing Central file over VPN

    Quote Originally Posted by dbaldacchino
    I have been working via VPN on weekends from home succesfully. It does take a while to STC, but opening your local and reloading all the links (dwgs and RS file) isn't too bad. Having a fast internet connection is a must. But it has worked fine. Have not had server issues. Network drives are mapped (for isntance Y is mapped to \\servername\data\). I do have offline files and set the Y to be mapped every time (so my offline files appear on the Y drive as if I'm in the office). I don't have Revit offline files, don't even try it. The only issue I've been having is windows thinking I'm offline even while VPN is still running. Our IT said it might be due to packet loss (probably a cheap wireless router, or could be the DSL service). I just have to double click the icon on the tray and it does a synch and I'm back "online". Revit resumes as normal.
    Yes, but how does your VPN handle UNC paths? Does it add the IPaddress to the path like Janunson? Our VPN does not, so UNC resolves without a problem for me.

    -R

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    Count (Formula) dbaldacchino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sharing Central file over VPN

    I don't think it adds the IP to the path as I have not had any trouble. We're using Cisco VPN.

  10. #10
    All AUGI, all the time janunson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sharing Central file over VPN

    Quote Originally Posted by dbaldacchino
    I don't think it adds the IP to the path as I have not had any trouble. We're using Cisco VPN.
    OK, it sounds like the type of VPN server might be at issue... All you who said you're doing STC over a mapped drive through a VPN Connection successfully - What are you using for VPN Connections?

    We're using Watchguard Firebox (which is way old) and are about to buy a new VPN appliance.. sounds like this behavior in the appliance will be a critical factor.

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