managing multi-office, multi-platform mayhem: robert green

Managing Multi-Office

Multi-Platform Mayhem

Robert Green Robert Green Consulting

RGreen@GreenConsulting.com

Robert Green quick biography

Mechanical engineer turned CAD manager

Private consultant since 1991

Focus: CAD standards and management

Cadalyst Magazine author contributing editor

21 year AU speaker

Facebook: CAD Managers Unite!

Web site: www.CAD-Manager.com

rgreen@CAD-Manager.com

All these different offices, devices and platforms

make my head hurt!

Most CAD managers have said this.

What I hear from senior management

Our offices should be able to work share

We are one company, not four companies

We need to “load balance” our work

Remote workers need to be supported

I don’t understand why things don’t work better …

The barriers I often see …

Budgets differ

Branch offices have • Different management philosophies

• Different cultures

• Different budgets

Just get it done mentality

Voluntary lack of compliance …

The barriers that are often not seen …

WAN issues

Document storage issues

Differing devices and apps

Bad/slow processes forced on users

Lack of willingness to address these…

So What Do We Do About It? Lead with consistency, performance, and

simplicity so users want to follow.

Get everybody in sync!

No not like that!

Get everybody in sync!

Like this!

Systems make it happen …

WAN issues are paramount!

Consistency of applications is a must

Files must be managed (secured)

Management must commit to systems

Do these things and you can win

Do them not and you will fail …

Make Sure the WAN Works! What constitutes “works” though?

The WAN is central …

It is the bedrock of all shared tools

It supports collaboration

It holds centralized files

It is what makes work sharing possible …

A WAN works when …

It is fast!

It is faster!

It is even faster than that!

Users avoid slow WANs like the plague!

Slow WANs invite non-compliance …

Optimize the WAN!

But how and at what cost?

To speed your WAN …

Maximize bandwidth

Hardware solutions (Riverbed)

Software solutions (DFSR, PEER Software) Note: Distributed File System Replication

Doing them all works best

It does cost though …

The costs …

Maximize bandwidth

• Monthly fee $8K/year and up

Hardware solutions

• Riverbed: Per office node $8K to $30K

Software solutions (DFSR, PEER)

• MS DFSR: With Windows Server

• PEER: Per office node $5K …

If you don’t optimize …

Applications slow

Files can’t be accessed

Users bypass the WAN (going to LAN)

Files are copied multiple times

Revisions are lost

Offices fall out of sync

Entropy takes hold …

Talk to your management …

Stress costs of being out of sync

Stress the necessity

Stress the frustration of working in a disorganized

and undercapitalized WAN

Do this NOW so budgets can be adjusted …

Nothing facilitates better multi-office

coordination/collaboration than a killer WAN.

Show users a fast WAN and they will use it!

Manage the Files With the right tools on the best network

Simple rules …

One master file

In one secure place

At the right revision level

With file relationships kept in tact

Under company policy/control …

Not so simple to do …

Users copy files to LAN

Users copy files to personal devices

Duplicate copies abound

Revisions overwritten

One word: Anarchy

What is the #1 file management tool …

You Need a Tool to Help That is CAD centric and workflow aware

Proper file management is the bedrock of CAD

and BIM. Without it your projects will come

undone. It may not be the flashiest thing you do

but it is the most important thing you do.

Proper file management is only achievable with a

functional WAN and the right tools!

Stopping BYOD Madness! BYOD – Bring Your Own Device

Let’s Discuss

Simple rules …

BYOD’s won’t just go away

Treat a BYOD device like a work computer

Treat apps like a work software tools

Treat app data like company property

Now what happens …

Some immediate results …

Sensitive data can’t reside on BYOD’s

Sensitive data can’t be in Dropbox

BYOD’s are subject to policies

Policies must be enforced

This is a BIG IT issue …

Talk to your management …

Stress the risk

De-emphasize the “cool factor”

Bring up data loss scenarios

Get IT involved

Force the discussion now …

Ignoring BYOD issues is a clear threat to the

security of CAD/BIM data yet IT often doesn’t

understand the threat. Stressing risk is key.

License Smart

To avoid hassles

Keep Tools Current/Consistent How else can you get everybody

on the same page?

Let’s Discuss “The Cloud”

Goals …

The right software at each location

The ability to pool licenses

Software resource leveling

To support remote workers

To secure company assets …

Talk to your management (and reseller) …

Stress ease of management

Stress security of data

Stress application stability

Stress flexibility of workforce

Stress consistency of versions

Stress costs of ignoring the above …

Controlling your licensing to achieve a consistent

user experience and inter-office application

sharing is vital. Don’t just wing it.

The Fork in the Road Take the steps we’ve discussed to get on the

road to multi-office multi-platform success.

Get rolling …

Plan it NOW – do not wait!

Fight for budgets/tools – you need it!

Stress business logic

Think secure and well managed

Get your boss in the game …

Managing Multi-Office

Multi-Platform Mayhem

Robert Green Robert Green Consulting

RGreen@GreenConsulting.com