Forums >> General Discussion >> Revit Project Management >> Revit Server vs Riverbed

burke424

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Joined: Mon, Jul 24, 2006
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Our firm is looking at implementing either Revit server or Riverbed to share models. We have two different scenarios one is working with an outside consultant who needs to work on the same architectural file as us. The other is simply sharing our architectural model with MEP and Structure and their models with us.

Any thoughts on which is best to do both or do the two scenarios require two different solutions?

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thetabest

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Joined: Tue, Mar 15, 2011
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I'll volunteer my opinion, which is revit server, yet we haven't gotten ours up and running due to some IT issues.  But assuming that it does as Autodesk says, then all models will reside on the server, and each office will get a proxy central file. 

This results in that you make a change, to your model, save it to your proxy central file.  At some point that change propegates itself to the server, where each office will pick up the changes. 

 This will let you work closer with consultants and such, but will NOT allow you to work in the same central file from different locations.  I recommend that if you are trying to set up a co-design situation, that you have your own file, and your consultant has their own file, link in the same links, etc.  Including each other's work...

Other expensive solutions:  if you have a consultant that you want to allow to work in your central file at the same time, set up a machine exclusively for them, in house (just like any of your other work stations).  Then give the consultant the information necessary to remote into that machine.  Now they have a machine (located in house) which can work on the central file at the same time as you, which is controlled at a remote location (their office).

Hope it helps

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Trent Best

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burke424

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Thanks thetabest. We are currently doing the linked files for our co-desing setup which has created its own problems as far as how to break up the model.

Am I correct in my understanding of the revit server hardware setup that each office has a server with the proxy central file on it and they are linked via revit server to another server with the actual central file on it?

Our IT dept thinks that we will have our local files linked to the central file and then the other office have a server with the proxy central file which is linked to the server hosting our central file that our local files are synchronizing with.

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thetabest

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Unfortunately, I'm still not 100% sure.  I only know that there will be a centralized file, call it a local or whatever, but to your local session of revit, it appears as a central file.  This file is a local file to the file stored on the server, thus I call the one on our machines a proxy.

this is directly from the new features, as you can see, autodesk is calling them local servers, BUT it is a central file by all rights and definitions.  What the server extension is doing is keeping this "local server" up to date with the version on the server.  Once we finally get ours up and running, and I know a little more, I'll try to remember to add what I know to this site.

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Trent Best

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DanDarling

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Joined: Tue, Jan 16, 2007
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You will end up with a server that will be the central server hosting the central model.

Each office location will have a local server that gets  model information from the central server model.

Each user will have a local model on his/her hard drive that gets its information from the local office model.

Any changes that a users does in his/her local model are uploaded to the local server model which, in turn, synronizes with the central server model.

We currently have one Central Server and 8 Local Servers providing access to a Revit project to each of the local users. The central server model also have linked Revit models for: MEP, Site and Arch exterior skin.

Dan Darling

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hhwse

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When you use Revit Server, do all of the remote work stations need to be from the same company of can you also collaborate with consultants as wall?  Also, what are the web connection requirements?  Do all locations need to have a server with dedicated IP or only the central with the local stations just having a 192 address?

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