Collaboration & Data Management in a BIM WorldBill Knittle, Application Specialist

Agenda for Part 1 – In the Office

• Revit Server: On Premise Server-Based Collaboration• Vault Professional: On Premise Data Management

Revit Server: On Premise Server-Based Collaboration

• Revit Client and Server PLATFORM are the Same• Revit Client BUILD NUMBERS are the Same• Revit Server only Manages Central Files, NO LINKS• Revit Clients are pointed to their LOCAL Accelerator

CENTRAL

RVT

REVIT LINKS

Revit Server is an on premise solution for Revit users to concurrently collaborate on a Revit Central File across the Wide Area Network (WAN) with Local Area Network (LAN) performance

Client 1 Client 2 Client 3 Client 4

Host Accelerator

Administrator

San Fran NYC

Sync with Central

Accelerator

Revit Server: On Premise Server-Based Collaboration

S S

W.A.N.(MIRROR)

CACHE

CENTRAL

LOCAL

LOCAL

LOCAL

LOCAL

#

CHANGE DOWNLOADSCHANGE UPLOADSVERSIONS

2 3 4 51

Host(s)• Stores the Central Model(s) and,

manages element permissionsAccelerator(s)

• Aggregates data from the Host(s) by bringing it local to the client’s location

Administrator• Web-based utility to manage

Hosts in the Revit Server Network

Vault Professional: On Premise Data Management

• How do you access your data?• How do you store your data?• How do you organize your data?• How do you search for your data?• How do record the history of your data?• How do you manage the flow of your data?

Vault Professional: On Premise Data Management

Client

Client

Vault is a secure on premise document management solution that enables design professionals to access, store, organize, search, and track all project documents throughout their lifecycle.

Vault is made of Two Primary Components• Autodesk Data Management Server (Web Server, Database, File Store)• Client (Stand-alone Vault Explorer, Integrated Application Clients)

File Store: Secure storage

of Files and Versions

Database: Metadata, Search Indexes, and Data

Relationships

Local Area Network

Web Server: Client to Server

Communications

PRO

Server

PRO

PRO

Vault Professional: Typical Workflow

Server

Client

Client

Local Area Network

The first Check-in records the file as the first version and replicates its file directory in the Vault while locking the original on the Client

A Check-out by a different Client replicates an unlocked copy of the file and its directory while locking the version in Vault

Each Check-in locks the Client’s copy when recording a new version in the Vault

Locked

Locked

UnlockedLockedUnlocked

Working Folder

Working Folder

1 2

File Store

W

RVT

CAD/REVIT/MARKUP

LINKS/IMPORTS

REVIT FAMILY

LIBRARIES

MICROSOFT OFFICE

FILES

VIDEO / IMAGE FILES

SHEETS

RVT

CAD/REVIT/REVIEW EXPORTS

PRO

Manage a Workflow / Process

REVIT SHARED

PARAMETERS

VIEWPOINTS, CLASH TESTS, SEARCH SETS,

REPORTS

NWD/3D DWF EXPORTS

MODEL, CACHE, DWF

RVTNWC

NWD

Vault Professional: On Premise Data Management

Vault Professional & Revit Server Integration

Client 2

SAN FRAN NYC1

Sync with Central

Record to Vault

Revit Server Host

S

Vault Server ADMS

PRO

CENTRAL

CACHE

CENTRAL

Administrator

Revit Server Accelerator

S

Client 1

Vault Server AVFS

PRO

CENTRAL

Mirror

Replication1

5 6

Vault Professional & Navisworks

Vault Server

Estimator

Coordinator

Superintendent

1 1

AppendFrom Vault

Save LocallyCheck-in to Vault

Publish NWD

1 1

Merge from Vault

1 11 1 Navisworks• Vault maintains the Audit trail and File

Appendages throughout the Workflow

Vault Professional & Revit Server Integration

Options• Allows the User with an Administrator Role to define the integration between

Vault and Revit Server• Mapping Tab: Defines the mapping between a Folder on the Revit Server

Host to a Folder in the Vault• Sharing Tab: Defines the methods in which Revit shares the Central File

to Vault

Vault Professional: Users, Groups, & Roles

Users• Accounts to access a Vault(s)

Groups• A Membership of Specific UsersRoles• User-Level Permissions• Group-Level Permissions

Group A

User

User

User

Roles

Roles

Roles

Roles

Vault Professional: Lifecycle Definitions

Lifecycle Definitions are a Vault behavior used to define a process of States that a document can Transition through

• States define the status of a document within the Lifecylce Definition as well as, which Users can Read, Write, or Delete the document given its status

• Transitions are the paths between States that a document can follow as well as, which Users can make the given transition

Work in Progress

Internal Review

Approved for Release

Archived

Bump the Revision

Design Approval Process

Work in Progress

Internal Review

Approved for Release

Archived

Bump the Revision

Design Approval Process

Work in Progress

Internal Review

Approved for Release

Archived

Bump the Revision

Design Approval Process

Vault Professional: Categories & Rules

Categories• Define a Folder or File’s purpose within

Vault by automatically assigning specific Behaviors.

• Behaviors can consist of Rules, Lifecycle Definitions, and Revision Schemes

Rules• Automate the assignment of Categories

to Folders or Files the first time they are recorded to the Vault

Category

Rules

Lifecycle Definitions

Revision Schemes

Vault Professional: Defining the Workflow/Process

Design - Model -

ArchitecturalArch Models

MEP Models

Structural Models

2016_ElementarySchool_ARCH.rvt

RVT

Rules Category

Design Approval Process

Lifecycle Definition

Design Completion

Process

Revision Scheme

States & Transitions

Work in Progress

Internal Review

Approved for Release

Archived

Vault Professional: Versions & Revisions

Versions• Are created at each Check-in, Sync with Central, or Lifecycle State change• Each version is a historical record• Vault automatically creates versionsRevisions• Manually initiated or,• When the Lifecycle Definition transition specifies it

Work in Progress

Internal Review

Approved for Release

Archived

Bump the Revision

Design Approval Process

Preliminary25%

Complete50%

Complete75%

Complete100%

Complete

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 89

Version

Revisions

#

Owner, TXMEP, NY

Buzzsaw: Off Premise Data Management

Buzzsaw is a secure off premise document management solution that enables design professionals to access, store, organize, search, track, and share project documents in a central location in the cloud.

Buzzsaw has several applications to collaborate with:

• Buzzsaw Desktop• Buzzsaw Web-browser• Buzzsaw Mobile App• Buzzsaw Sync

Architect, CA Structure, FL

Agenda for Part 2 – In the Cloud

• Buzzsaw: Off Premise Data Management and Collaboration• A360 Team & Collaboration for Revit: Cloud-Based Collaboration

Vault Professional & Buzzsaw

Project Sync• Maps Folders in Vault to corresponding Folders on Buzzsaw Site• Defines Synchronization SettingsLifecycle Event Editor• Automates the Synchronization of Folders between Vault and Buzzsaw per a

Transition within a Lifecycle Definition• The Job Processor for Vault processes the Synchronization

Work in Progress

Internal Review

Approved for Release

Archived

Bump the Revision

Design Approval Process

Preliminary25%

Complete50%

Complete75%

Complete100%

Complete

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

Version

Revisions

Firewall

Local Area Network

5 6 7 8 9

5 6 7 89

CENTRAL

1 2

Buzzsaw Sync and Buzzsaw

Server

Client

1Sync

Buzzsaw Sync• Maps Folders in your network to a corresponding Folders on Buzzsaw Site• Defines Synchronization Settings• Pushes updates up to Buzzsaw• Pulls updates down from Buzzsaw

Firewall

Vault Professional, Project Sync, & Buzzsaw

Vault Server Vault Server

Modeler

Architect

Modeler

Engineer

FirewallFirewall

Work in Progress

Internal Review

Approved for

Release

Bump the Revision

Work in Progress

Internal Review

Approved for

Release

Bump the Revision

Architects Engineers

CoordinatorProject Manager

Vault Server

Firewall

Contractors

Work in Progress

Work in Progress

Internal Review

Internal Review

Approved for

Release

Approved for

Release

Preliminary25%

Complete50%

CompletePreliminary

25% Complete

50% Complete

2 23 34 4

5 56 67 7

Preliminary25%

Complete50%

CompletePreliminary

25% Complete

50% Complete

1 1

11

2 2

22

1 12 2

1 1

The Architect & Engineer change the state of the Revit model to Internal Review

The Architect & Engineer review the models and change the state to Approved for Release

Vault pushes the Revit models to the Buzzsaw site.

Buzzsaw notifies each Party that new versions of the Revit models are available

The Contractor synchronizes Vault with Buzzsaw to download the Revit models

The Architect & Engineer change the state back to Work in Progress. Vault pulls down the opposing model from Buzzsaw andbumps the Revision

The workflow repeats

A360 Team and Collaboration for Revit

• Collaborators on same RVT file must be using the same Platform of Revit

(ie. 2015, 2016, etc…)

• Collaborators on same RVT file must have the same Build installed

(ie. Update Release 4)

• Each Collaborator must have an Entitlement to use the A360 Collaboration for Revit service. An Entitlement to A360 Collaboration for Revit includes A360 Team

• Each Collaborator must install the A360 Collaboration for Revit Add-on

• Like Revit Server, A360 Collaboration only hosts Revit Central models. NO LINKS.

• Vault does not integrate with A360 either

CENTRAL

RVTREVIT LINKS

Revit and File-based Worksharing

Client 1 Client 2

Network Server

Revit• Internal concurrent collaboration within a single office of a company• Central File stored behind company firewall on network server• Users work on copies (Local Files) of the Central File• Syncs with Central are internal and relatively quick• Partner models are exchanged across the WAN using Buzzsaw, FTP,

Dropbox, etc…and are linked as versions • Team communications through phone, email, web-meetings

CENTRAL

LOCAL LOCAL

Client 1 Client 2

Network Server

CENTRAL

LOCALLOCAL

Architect MEP Consultant

Sync with Central

FirewallFirewall

Revit Server• Internal collaboration between two or more

offices in a company• Central File stored behind company firewall

but, shared across the company domain via linked servers

• Users work on copies (Local Files) at each office

• Syncs with Central are internal and external• Partner models are exchanged across the

WAN using Buzzsaw, FTP, Dropbox, etc…. and are linked as versions

• Team communication through phone, email, web-meetings, Bluestreak

Revit and Server-based Worksharing

Client 1 Client 2 Client 3 Client 4

LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL

Client 1 Client 2

Network Server

CENTRAL

LOCALLOCAL

Architect Office A

MEP Consultant

Architect Office B

S

Sync with Central

S

CENTRAL

CACHE

Host Accelerator

Administrator

Accelerator

A360 Team

Collaboration for Revit

Revit and Cloud-based Worksharing

Client 1

Client 2

A360 Collaboration for Revit• Concurrent collaboration regardless of company or geography• All the Central Files stored in a Cloud Project on A360 Team• Users work on the Central File via a Local Cache• Syncs with Central are external • Communication within Revit via Communicator• Partner models are accessible to mobile devices

Client 1

Client 2

Architect MEP Consultant

Sync with Central

Initiating A360 Collaboration for Revit

A360 Collaboration for Revit• Log into A360 Team• Create a Project on A360 Team• In Revit, Select Collaborate to begin• Select to Collaborate using A360• Choose the new A360 Project to Initiate the process • Revit enables Worksets, uploads the Central File, and saves the Local Cache