How to setup a file server for an architectural firm?
June 6, 2011 9:51 AM Subscribe
How to properly setup a file server for a small architectural office running Windows (Vista and Win7) and Autocad 2010?
I've been tasked with the challenge to setup a proper file server for a small architectural office sharing CAD drawings. There are currently 8 computers in the network. We plan to run daily, if not weekly, backups of the drawings and files. There have probably been similar questions asked before about file servers, but I want to know if any one has set one up specifically for Autocad and/or have experience running servers for architectural firms?
I've been looking at solutions such as the Drobo and the Lenovo ThinkServer which requires I learn about Windows Server. My knowledge of computers is limited so running a Linux server would probably not be the best option.
Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
I've been tasked with the challenge to setup a proper file server for a small architectural office sharing CAD drawings. There are currently 8 computers in the network. We plan to run daily, if not weekly, backups of the drawings and files. There have probably been similar questions asked before about file servers, but I want to know if any one has set one up specifically for Autocad and/or have experience running servers for architectural firms?
I've been looking at solutions such as the Drobo and the Lenovo ThinkServer which requires I learn about Windows Server. My knowledge of computers is limited so running a Linux server would probably not be the best option.
Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
Learning to set up and run a Windows Server is not impossible, but it's not trivial, and best not done on the job, especially if your knowledge is limited.
The ideal option would probably be to hire a consultant to design a good solution for your office. For instance, you might end up with a Windows Server-based machine to act as a file server, which automatically backups all data to an external hard drive, which gets swapped out daily and stored off-site.
Or you might have a NAS device, and back up your files every day online to an off-site place. It really depends on your specific needs.
Whatever you do, make sure you have multiple backups, and at least one that's stored off-site.
posted by Magnakai at 11:20 AM on June 6, 2011
The ideal option would probably be to hire a consultant to design a good solution for your office. For instance, you might end up with a Windows Server-based machine to act as a file server, which automatically backups all data to an external hard drive, which gets swapped out daily and stored off-site.
Or you might have a NAS device, and back up your files every day online to an off-site place. It really depends on your specific needs.
Whatever you do, make sure you have multiple backups, and at least one that's stored off-site.
posted by Magnakai at 11:20 AM on June 6, 2011
A few years ago I got help to set up a dell win 2003 file & terminal server combined, easier than trying to figure it all out myself. Since then it has been essentially maintenance free. (We run retail POS software)
I installed the AVG file server antivirus as it seemed the cheapest & easiest.
posted by canoehead at 2:53 PM on June 6, 2011
I installed the AVG file server antivirus as it seemed the cheapest & easiest.
posted by canoehead at 2:53 PM on June 6, 2011
As others have noted, you don't necessarily need a real server so much as a NAS box. Our office has a WinXP server for our contact database and billing, but it probably causes more headaches than it solves.
W/R/T/AutoCAD, the software needs to be installed on each of the client PCs, and you can either store licenses locally or serve them over the network. Common configuration files (plot settings, scripts and etc.) can be stored on a network drive and accessed by all the clients. It's a pain if any of the clients are mobile, because AutoCAD doesn't fail gracefully when remote config files are unavailable, so hopefully that's not a requirement. Otherwise AutoCAD is no different from your common office programs like MS Word -- documents are single-user and file-based, so only one person can work on a file at a time, and the file is locked until they release it. Store project files on the NAS where all the clients can access them, and you're good to go.
posted by Chris4d at 4:30 PM on June 7, 2011
W/R/T/AutoCAD, the software needs to be installed on each of the client PCs, and you can either store licenses locally or serve them over the network. Common configuration files (plot settings, scripts and etc.) can be stored on a network drive and accessed by all the clients. It's a pain if any of the clients are mobile, because AutoCAD doesn't fail gracefully when remote config files are unavailable, so hopefully that's not a requirement. Otherwise AutoCAD is no different from your common office programs like MS Word -- documents are single-user and file-based, so only one person can work on a file at a time, and the file is locked until they release it. Store project files on the NAS where all the clients can access them, and you're good to go.
posted by Chris4d at 4:30 PM on June 7, 2011
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posted by white_devil at 10:54 AM on June 6, 2011