Configuring a “Killer” data center for your Revit users

1. Configuring a “Killer” data center for your Revit users • Bill Debevc • bill@bim9.com • @bim9bill

2. Logistics • Restrooms • Phones on Stun • Questions during the session, go ahead and ask. • Questions after the session, I will be • Copy of Slides

3. Your Speakers • Bill Debevc and Lonnie Cumpton • Experience • What have I done and how did I get there. • What am I doing • Where am i going

4. The Evolution of a Architectural PracticeFrom an I.T. prospective

5. It all started with a little Architecture Firm in Las Vegas

6. Small Network • Single File / Print Server • Switch • Simple • AutoCAD files

7. The little firm started to grow to Atlantic City, NJ

8. And then there were two • Single File / Print Server • Switch • Simple • AutoCAD files • Two separate networks setup the same. • Work sharing was done with.....

9. JetNet

10. And then there were two • CD of work done where sent from each location to the other every night • Work had to be planed • Expensive

11. T1 Welcome to WAN

12. Wide Area Network • Merging of networks • Drive letters had to be changed • IP addressing had to be fixed. • Files accessible

13. T1 T1 Newport Beach

14. T1 T1 VPN Biloxi

15. Then came Revit • Very Large Projects • Central Files • Riverbeds • 64 bit revolution • Save to Central Speed

16. What Revit is doing, why is it slower? • What Revit is doing when a user opens a central file and when synchronization is done. • Saving to central touches 40 files or more. • Backup folder contains all the object locks and other live information in the model. Only when a synchronize is done are these files consolidated in to the central file. • Processor Monitor from Microsoft can tell us what files are being accessed when they are accessed.

17. DS3 DS3 DS3 DS3 VPN New York

18. DS3 DS3 DS3 DS3 VPN DS3 DS3 South Beach

19. What is a data center • According to the Wikipedia: • A data center or data centre or computer centre (also datacenter or datacentre) is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems.

20. Types of Data Centers • Closet data center • Dedicated Room • Co-Location COLO • Outsourced or SAAS • Buzzsaw, Google Apps, Amazon, Microsoft Azure • Portable

21. What makes up a Data Center or Computer Network. • Servers • File / Print Servers • Domain Controllers • Email • Database • License • Remote Access • File Storage • SAN • NAS • Direct attached • File Backup • Tape • Disk to DiskNetwork Connectivity • Switches • Hubs • Routers • Firewalls • VPN • I.T. Guy or Department • Users

22. Find the bottle neck • Who is having the issue? Everyone, just a few, or everyone? • Start from one end and work to the other end. • It is only at parts of the day? what is happening during that time? • Do you have a point of reference, can you see another network in action? • Don’t fix more than you can evaluate at a time.

23. Network Infrastructure • The Basics of networking • Ethernet • TCP/IP • Layers • Get good managed switches, and standardize on a brand. • Trunk your connections • Avoid switch creep, it easy to add a cheap switch to get a port or two, but running a wire back to the closet is the best solution. • Wireless is not what its cracked up to be. • Bad cables cause bad problems

24. Network Storage Technology • SATA, SAS • SSD vs Traditional Hard Drives • RAID 0,1,5,6,10 • SAN, NAS • USB Drives • Backing up all this stuff.

25. Fixing the IT department • Who is IT working for, themselves or the users. • If its still broke, they may have forgot to fix it. • Yes a restart may indeed fix the problem, they are not just blowing smoke. • You IT department may not know the answer, but they better know where to find it. Don’t worry if they search the internet or call for help. Worry if they don’t. • It may take days to fix a problem, because some things must be done when users are off the system or server. Make sure they • It may require a top down approach to fix it.

26. Fixing your users • Your users should not be scared or look down to the I.T. department. • It not enough to show the error, sometimes you need to show your I.T. department how you get the error. • If there is a real deadline tell them, but don’t cry wolf. • If you do something over and over and think it can be automated it can. • Sometimes a restart really does help.

27. Fixing Revit • RAM • Worksets and Links • 3D or not to 3D • Families in your Project • Dividing up your project • Upgrading Project Files

28. Fixing Revit RAM(File Size) X 20 = Amount of RAM Needed to run the ProjectRevit Family SizeFile Size View Performance Model Performance LinksDWGRVT

29. Fixing Revit • Master Workset and LinkingWorksets Can be Used to Control More Than User Access.Use Worksets to Control Project and Link LoadingWorksets can be used to Improve PerformanceWorksets Can be Used to Protect Objects to edit Master text styles

30. Fixing Revit Avoid Linking DWGsAlways Link to a WorksetUse Worksets to Unload Links from RAMMaster Shared Coordinates and Project Base PointUse Worksets and Design Options to Protect Links

31. Fixing Revit • Families • Always have 2d Representations for PlansLimit Hosting to an Object use FaceTry to Never Cut the HostLimit Arrays and All in One FamiliesSize Does Matter But Not Everything

32. Tips • Do I have a bot / virus? Run: netstat -a might just tell you. • Vendor Lunch and Learns are worth attending, you might get more out of it than a nice lunch. • If you have an important webcast to attend, book a conference room. • Never stop learning. • Microsoft Technet • Find a IT or Autodesk partner you can trust. • Start debugging with the physicals first. • Check the temp folders. • Sometimes it is just faster to reload or re-image windows.

33. Questions? • Bill Debevc • bill@bim9.com Lonnie Cumpton Lonnie@bim9.com