Sharing a Revit model between different Architecture firms

[troy.crandell635379]

Ok, I have a good understanding of what the procedure is for sharing a model between offices of the same architecture firm, but what happens when you need to share it between two different firms? Obviously you wouldn't allow the firm you're working with to access your network, and passing the model back and forth is cumbersome, not to mention a coordination nightmare. So what is the solution? I know there are file hosting website out there, but is that a viable solution? We have partnered with a firm who is new to Revit, couple that with the model sharing problem and the process has been difficult. We are slated to begin another project in the next few weeks so I'd like to figure out a better way of doing things. Any help would be appreciated.

[Steve_Stafford]

The other firm could station their person/people at your office or vice versa. (moderately expensive approach unless separated by many miles and otherwise impractical)

Use Remote Desktop (or similar technology) to permit outside firm to access project central file via dedicated computer(s) in your office or vice versa. (moderately expensive, dedicated computer(s))

Create a common WAN that both offices can access and provide Riverbed-Steelhead technology on the servers at either end. (very expensive)

You say that they are inexperienced so I won't bother to suggest that you could create their local files for them, check out worksets, post their files and work in your own "sandboxes" very carefully and then they post their locals back at your office so you can STC for them. Not for the faint of heart...

[ededios]

. . You say that they are inexperienced so I won't bother to suggest that you could create their local files for them, check out worksets, post their files and work in your own "sandboxes" very carefully and then they post their locals back at your office so you can STC for them. Not for the faint of heart...

We will be in this same situation, but our users are experienced, maybe not experts but hopefully on their way to be. Would you elaborate on your suggestion for that situation, please?

Thank you

[Steve_Stafford]

...Would you elaborate on your suggestion for that situation, please?...

As I said, "not for the faint..."

The "home" office creates a local file for the remote user (with the remote user's username) and posts it on a ftp site. The model must be broken into logical User Created worksets that can be checked out in advance. Tasks must be clearly defined, like modelling only or documentation only etc. The worksets have to be created to support this clear delineation. The remote user downloads the file and opens it, accepts the warnings that it can't find the central file and will be editing at risk.

For example: I will remotely model the 2nd and 3rd floors today. I will not edit a sheet or view intended for a sheet. I will only work in prescribed views that have already been checked out to me. I will not element borrow. Nobody else will do any work related to these floors or work in any of "my" views. I will not alter project standards, create new wall types or do anything that will need to borrow, View, Family or Project Standards worksets.

If I do edit something that I was not supposed to edit I will call my contact person immediately to tell them so that they can open the central file and "pretend" to be me and borrow the element so that my file will be able to STC later. (This is where it gets really risky and may cause the team to have to copy/paste all your work instead)

Finally I save my local file and post it back on the FTP site. The "home" office downloads and opens the file pretending to be me and does STC.

Still want to try it? The risk and planning complexity escalates exponentially as you add users doing this. The hardest part is element borrowing is too easy to do in this manner of working. It is also hard to predict what a user will need to do.

Good luck!

[ededios]

For example: I will remotely model the 2nd and 3rd floors today. I will not edit a sheet or view intended for a sheet. I will only work in prescribed views that have already been checked out to me. I will not element borrow. Nobody else will do any work related to these floors or work in any of "my" views. I will not alter project standards, create new wall types or do anything that will need to borrow, View, Family or Project Standards worksets.

I had to re-read this paragraph, but then it finally clicked, and it makes a lot of sense!

Still want to try it? The risk and planning complexity escalates exponentially as you add users doing this. The hardest part is element borrowing is too easy to do in this manner of working. It is also hard to predict what a user will need to do.

I wouldn't try this, does sound scary!

Thank you so much, it makes a lot of sense, and I think would be helpful during our design phases, we have a manageable amount of staff during that time, I think I can make it work!

Thank you again!

[Scott Womack]

Ok, I have a good understanding of what the procedure is for sharing a model between offices of the same architecture firm, but what happens when you need to share it between two different firms? Obviously you wouldn't allow the firm you're working with to access your network, and passing the model back and forth is cumbersome, not to mention a coordination nightmare. So what is the solution? I know there are file hosting website out there, but is that a viable solution? We have partnered with a firm who is new to Revit, couple that with the model sharing problem and the process has been difficult. We are slated to begin another project in the next few weeks so I'd like to figure out a better way of doing things. Any help would be appreciated.

Back to addressing the original question. Our firm is in this position on numerous projects at this very moment. Sometimes the central file resides in their office, sometimes in ours. We have purchased and use the Steelhead/Riverbed sytem. IT is NOT cheep, but since a significant portion of work involes collaboration with other offices it made sense. See http://www.riverbed.com/. Using this, you can permit access to just the directory where that central file is located, and they can work in your, or you work in their model. With this is is back to the timetested Central/Local File set-up without need to break-up the model.

[lhanyok]

We've been using Revit for a couple of years now and are completely comfortable with the program. Two months ago we started on a new project where we're collaborating with another architect, who is also using Revit but hasn't used it as long. I was under the impression that they would be dropping out after SD's, but they are working through DD's.

When the project I first proposed, I discussed the potential issues with the project manager. The only viable solution for us was Remote Desktop with the files residing on our server. We don't do a lot of collaboration work like this, so a Riverbed Steelhead device is out of the question.

The other firm wasn't happy with the remote desktop setup, saying it was too slow to work in, so now we've hit a huge bump in the road. We did some exchanging the model back and forth, but the project is on a compressed timeline, so it's not really feasible to have people in our office sitting around waiting for the other firm to finish their work and vice versa. Unfortunately, at this point, there is no way to split up the model into links as there isn't a real clear division of work.

Are there any solutions that I'm missing?

[Steve_Stafford]

Where are your firms located? Can one or the other co-locate, meaning have their staff person(s) work in your office temporarily or vice versa? Have you looked into technical issues that might make Remote Desktop work poorly? Does their inexperience with Revit mean they are attributing slow response to remote desktop when file size or conditions might make it slower than they are expecting or used to?

[lhanyok]

Co-location isn't practical as we're in Baltimore and they're in Minnesota. What kind of technical issues might make Remote Desktop perform poorly?

[cdatechguy]

With our current project we just send our central files to each other via FTP once a week. Two architectural firms and one structural firm. Granted its not instant, but keeps the network traffic down as we already have fun with our office on the other side of the state.