Using LDT across a WAN

Is anyone out there trying to share LDT projects across a wide area network (WAN)?
How have you accomplished this?
Do you use a T1 or T3 connection or something else?
Do you use any third-party software to assist in file management or replication?
Do you have any access speed problems?

We have four offices. Each office has a file server. A project, in it's entirety, is saved on only one server. That means all the files for a project are saved on one server in one office at a time.

In the past we would move a project from one office (server) to another depending on where the majority of the work was being done.

We now have a large project with a projected three year time line that needs to be shared among all four offices.

Presently, our offices are connected with a T1 line. This has worked okay for AutoCAD as long as the drawing, including xrefs, that is being opened is under 20MB. The time to open and save is a little slow but otherwise it works fine.

If we open any drawing in LDT and try access the database everything slows to a crawl. For example, listing all the points in a database with 100 points in it takes about 1 minute. Likewise, creating surfaces and working with alignments takes at least 5 times longer than when working on files on a local server.

We have begun looking at some solutions. But they seem to be costly. To upgrade to a T3 line our costs would increase from $84K / year to $310K / year. Two file management software packages that we looked at (Cyco, Smarteam) would cost from $300K to $500K and probably won't work with the LDT databases anyway.

 

We have two offices connected via WAN and like you, came to the conclusion
LDT was pretty unworkable when it came to serious data manipulation. We use
Land Enabled MAP whenever possible if we absolutely have to work on
something over the WAN. We try to keep drawing portions of projects separate
between each office, but we do follow the same file structure at both
locations so everything stays organized. Low horsepower stuff like
spreadsheets and other documents aren't usually a problem over the WAN.

Our offices are kind of unique in that we switched from standard 1.5meg
T1/DS1 connections between the offices to a currently 2meg wireless solution
at both ends. If we want to pay, it's scalable up to 8meg without changing
any of the hardware at all. We've got a little flat antenna on the roof of
both offices that each point to their respective relay points. It's been
real reliable so far, and much less costly that T1. We're still trying to
determine if it's worth going to 8meg - I'm hoping they'll let us try for a
month before buying in.

John

entirety, is saved on only one server. That means all the files for a
project are saved on one server in one office at a time.

depending on where the majority of the work was being done.

needs to be shared among all four offices.

for AutoCAD as long as the drawing, including xrefs, that is being opened is
under 20MB. The time to open and save is a little slow but otherwise it
works fine.

to a crawl. For example, listing all the points in a database with 100
points in it takes about 1 minute. Likewise, creating surfaces and working
with alignments takes at least 5 times longer than when working on files on
a local server.

upgrade to a T3 line our costs would increase from $84K / year to $310K /
year. Two file management software packages that we looked at (Cyco,
Smarteam) would cost from $300K to $500K and probably won't work with the
LDT databases anyway.

 

John,
Thanks for your reply. I am interested in knowing more about this wireless solution. Who provides this service for your company? Do they have a website where I can get more information?

 

Right now we deal with a small local company - www.vistabroadband.net - you
may be able to get info from them re: tracking down a similar provider in
your area.

John

solution. Who provides this service for your company? Do they have a website
where I can get more information?

 

Check into Availl software, real-time data replication at a *fraction* of
the cost ($4,000 for us for a server and 2 client stations)
http://www.availl.com

Set the project files to replicate across our T1, the Availl software only
sends the changes across the wire compressed, not the whole file. Works
seamlessly for our branch office, all the data is "local" to either side of
the T1 connection.

Mark Evinger

entirety, is saved on only one server. That means all the files for a
project are saved on one server in one office at a time.

depending on where the majority of the work was being done.

needs to be shared among all four offices.

for AutoCAD as long as the drawing, including xrefs, that is being opened is
under 20MB. The time to open and save is a little slow but otherwise it
works fine.

to a crawl. For example, listing all the points in a database with 100
points in it takes about 1 minute. Likewise, creating surfaces and working
with alignments takes at least 5 times longer than when working on files on
a local server.

upgrade to a T3 line our costs would increase from $84K / year to $310K /
year. Two file management software packages that we looked at (Cyco,
Smarteam) would cost from $300K to $500K and probably won't work with the
LDT databases anyway.

 

Mark,

Do you use Land Desktop?

I am concerned that replication software may not work with the shared databases in LDT.

 

Works A-OK with the databases in LDT. Properly creates and maintains file
open status, lock files, etc. Updates to the point.mdb files are also
propogated without issue. LDT typically only allows one user to open the
project object (alignment, profile, surface, etc.) for write, all other
users get read-only access until you close the file again.

Mark Evinger

databases in LDT.