Revit Server

[MikeJarosz]

We are in a joint venture with a firm in another city that wants us to hook up to their existing Revit server. They will maintain the central file and the Revit server will synchronize the remote locations.

I'm concerned about the hardware requirements. The Revit wiki help http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Revit/enu/2013/Help/00005-More_Inf0/0138-Installa138/0175-Revit_Se175/0179-System_R179 requires:


2GHz/2 core processor
8G memory
hard drive 7200 rpm
gigabit ethernet
MS NET 4
Win Server 2008 R2
T1 phone line (found this requirement elsewhere)


I can accept this for the central server that will hold the central file. What disturbs me is the Wiki states "Each machine on which Revit Server is to be installed must meet the following requirements" Are they saying that everyone on the team requires this Sherman tank? It doesn't make sense; what user machine would be running Server 2008?

We are currently working on Revit 2012 and everyone on the team can run it, though some machines are a little slower than others. The T1 line is an issue because we are on a high floor of an older building that does not have fiber optic service. We exchange link files with our consultants via FTP and this has been working so far.

Any comments?

[mthurnauer]

You only need to have win server 2008 R2 on the server machine, not the individual computers. The faster your internet connection the better off you will be. If your office has a slow internet connection then you stand to have more issues and slower STC times.

[Alfredo Medina]

...I can accept this for the central server that will hold the central file. What disturbs me is the Wiki states "Each machine on which Revit Server is to be installed must meet the following requirements" Are they saying that everyone on the team requires this Sherman tank? It doesn't make sense; what user machine would be running Server 2008?
...

Notice that that sentence in the Wikihelp is true. It says "Each machine on which Revit Server is to be installed must meet..." That is true, but your interpretation of "everyone on the team requires..." is wrong. The Revit Server application needs to be installed only in a server, and that server must meet those requirements. You, the user, you don't need to install Revit Server, you just need Revit, which includes the option to connect to Revit Server.

[rbcameron1]

It's just the server machine that requires it. I concur with the other commenters.
Although a 2.0Ghz duo-core is probably too slow, even by today's standards. Today's minimum's requirements are tomorrow's headaches. Finding a faster Xeon Quad core is most likely a $300 more allowance in your budget...give or take. Intel e5503 2core vs. e5520 4 core

[MikeJarosz]

This isn't research anymore. I've been asked to put together a proposal for a new server. I have an IT consultant, but he doesn't know Revit. I have assumed that we need a copy of Revit running the Revit server on the new machine. We have just enough Revit seats for our current staffing, so another copy has to be included in the cost.

Is my assumption correct?

[Alfredo Medina]

Incorrect. The server computer does not need Revit, just the Revit Server Manager application.

[MikeJarosz]

Well, I'm sitting here staring at the newly installed Revit server. Our Kentucky office will be connected by the end of the week. I expect I will have lots of questions.

I asked the installer for the manual, and he laughed......... uh oh. What did I get myself into? :shock:

[Alfredo Medina]

...I asked the installer for the manual, and he laughed......... uh oh. What did I get myself into? :shock:

Welcome to Revit Server. There is information about it in Wikihelp; there are some gray areas, though, that turn black at certain points. :( You will need some IT assistance.

[cliff collins]

The latency in the WAN with only a T1 is going to kill your project. You MUST get faster internet at ALL locations. T1 is only 1.5 Mbs up/dn. Most mid-grade Cable/DSL residential speeds are higher than this.

We have 3 offices and our Central Files hosted at a datacenter ( VM ). Latency is a problem, esp. when you add a lot of users and there are a lot of STC going on. RS 2013 helps here a bit with it's new configuration with "accelerators" and caching. We have 2 offices using 30 down/5 up, and one that has 60 down/ 10 up. WAN is essentially Firewalls with VPN tunnels; we use Firewall software to "throttle" any VPN activity (load balancing at the firewall) which helps a bit. Best solution is fast fiber symmetrical up/dn over a Tier 1 or Tier 2 ISP connection to the backbone, or MPLS.

Faster pipe is a MUST. Moving to Revit 2013 / RS 2013 would also be a good move if you can get the team to do it.