Configuring a “Killer” data center for your Revit users

Configuring a “Killer” data center for your Revit users

Bill Debevcbill@bim9.com

@bim9bill

Logistics

RestroomsPhones on StunQuestions during the session, go ahead and ask.Questions after the session, I will be Copy of Slides

ExperienceWhat have I done and how did I get there.What am I doingWhere am i going

Your SpeakersBill Debevc and Lonnie Cumpton

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

It all started with a little Architecture Firm in Las Vegas

Single File / Print ServerSwitch

• Simple

• AutoCAD files

Small Network

The little firm started to grow to Atlantic City, NJ

Single File / Print ServerSwitch

Simple

AutoCAD files

Two separate networks setup the same.Work sharing was done with.....

And then there were two

JetNet

CD of work done where sent from each location to the other every nightWork had to be planedExpensive

And then there were two

Welcome to WAN

T1

Merging of networksDrive letters had to be changedIP addressing had to be fixed.Files accessible

Wide Area Network

Newport Beach

T1

T1

Biloxi

T1

T1

VPN

Very Large ProjectsCentral FilesRiverbeds64 bit revolutionSave to Central Speed

Then came Revit

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.

What Revit is doing, why is it slower?

New York

DS3

DS3

VPN

DS3

DS3

South Beach

DS3

DS3

VPN

DS3

DS3

DS3

DS3

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.

What is a data center

Closet data centerDedicated RoomCo-Location COLOOutsourced or SAAS

Buzzsaw, Google Apps, Amazon, Microsoft Azure Portable

Types of Data Centers

ServersFile / Print ServersDomain ControllersEmailDatabaseLicenseRemote AccessFile StorageSANNASDirect attachedFile BackupTapeDisk to DiskNetwork ConnectivitySwitchesHubsRoutersFirewallsVPNI.T. Guy or DepartmentUsers

What makes up a Data Center or Computer Network.

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.

Find the bottle neck

The Basics of networkingEthernetTCP/IPLayersGet good managed switches, and standardize on a brand.Trunk your connectionsAvoid 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

Network Infrastructure

SATA, SASSSD vs Traditional Hard DrivesRAID 0,1,5,6,10SAN, NAS USB DrivesBacking up all this stuff.

Network Storage Technology

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.

Fixing the IT department

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.

Fixing your users

RAMWorksets and Links3D or not to 3DFamilies in your ProjectDividing up your projectUpgrading Project Files

Fixing Revit

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

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

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

Fixing Revit

QuickTime™ and aPhoto - JPEG decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

FamiliesAlways 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

Fixing Revit

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 TechnetFind 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.

Tips

Questions?Bill Debevc

bill@bim9.com

Lonnie CumptonLonnie@bim9.com