Working with C3D on an Egnyte Cloud Server

[buotejtg]

Hi - Does anyone have any experience working with Civil 3D (2021) with the data on an Egnyte cloud-based server? I'm curious to know if there are any best practices out there or tips from users who have worked with modelling on this platform.
Thanks

[mjfarrell]

I'm just going to toss this into your discussion.

Be advsied the 'cloud' based use of most autodesk software is 'unsupported', unless it is their solution.

If you can not duplicate any software issues locally they will not assist you in solving the issue(s).

[buotejtg]

Thanks - I figured that would be the case. I appreciate the response.

[BlackBox]

I cannot offer any specific comment on Egnyte.

However, on the topic of C3D performance, I can say that you're going to get the best performance working where your data is - meaning, if you're working on a local/physical workstation, then have your data stored on a local server (and backup to cloud for CYA?) - if you're going to store your data in the cloud, then you should also be working on a VM (virtual machine) in the same cloud.

The shortest 'distance' between workstation & data on server is the goal... then there's the question of which is actually faster.

If you work on a local physical workstation and are dependent on internet access to cloud-based server for data (that's being copied & computed locally to the workstation CPU & RAM), then you're going to slow down an already slow application, without 40G NICs and ridiculous amounts of money spent on redundant Gigabit internet, local security appliance with high throughput, 40G network switch (for each port!) & SFP+ cabling through the building, replacement wall plates for SFP+, and workstation upgrades in order to mitigate the lag introduced by having cloud-based data. Each office/company is different; you may already have all that.

Management/Ownership usually only care about two facets here - how much does it cost, then what is the production consequence - help them answer that by comparing some basics like drawing open/save/print times, XREF reload, DREF sync, etc so they can at least make an informed decision that isn't being guided by an IT department that's only trying to make their own job simpler and cost less.

If you can demonstrate which provides a productivity increase, especially if it comes with a lower price tag - that will be what they choose.

If you can save 15 mins per day, extrapolated over 50 work weeks (assumes 2 weeks vacation) is 1.56 weeks of additional billable time per user, per year - now ask management to consider how many users you have, how much additional revenue for the company that would generate, and how much is saved by not having to otherwise pay OT for that same level of production? Haha