Where should I install BIM Server??

[Anonymous]

We have a central computer that no one uses as our server, with all our information being backed up to that computer and everything being saved there. Ideally, this would be great to use as the BIM server as well, but it is an older PowerPC, which cannot be used for the BIM server, correct? If so, is it plausible to install the BIM server on one of our computers (it would be installed on the office managers computer). Are there any problems with this?

Thanks,

[Anonymous]

I should note that the office managers computer has all the system requirements for the BIM server, I'm just wondering if it will slow things down or be an issue with the server on the same computer as AC13 itself...

[Erika Epstein]

You will need a new computer/ or assign a computer that you already have to be the server for your office, one that is a mac intel. This is the computer on which, ideally, you install the BIMserver. All AC13 will need to be on the mac intel machines. All the other machines using AC13 will have just the BIMserver Manager, a component of the BIMserver and a separate install in the AC13 disc. This is what you will use to log into the BIMserver from each machine using AC13.

The BIMserver and BIMserver Managers in and of themselves will not slow down the computer. However, the AC13 files and libraries take up a lot of space. There have been some discussion about this here on AC talk. Also, look at the WIKI.

For TW2 you will be keeping all your files in one location. I am not familiar with the size of the projects your firm does.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Erika wrote:
All the other machines using AC13 will have just the BIMserver Manager, a component of the BIMserver and a separate install in the AC13 disc. This is what you will use to log into the BIMserver from each machine using AC13.

Erika, I think you do not necessarily have to install the BIM Server Manager on every computer that has AC13 running on it. See my previous post about this:

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=154635&highlight=#154635

[Anonymous]

Laszlo, about the Pen stick comment you referenced in the link, does that work for Macs only? I mentioned that to one of my principals and he said it sounded like it works for Mac only since PCs will likely need to have the dynamic library (.dll) installed before reading from a USB Memory Stick.

[Laszlo Nagy]

It works for me on a pc.

I don't know what this DLL thing is supposed to mean, maybe in certain offices attaching Flash drives to USB ports is not allowed for security reasons? I don't know.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Hi Steve,

I've been mostly offline for a week...

You can continue to use your PPC server as the file server for the office. As you probably know, a server may or may not run a server version of the OS. It is not essential unless you want the features that OS X Server provides (roaming profiles, better response to large numbers of users, etc). I only mention that since there sometimes confusion that a 'server' must run OS X Server, but for most small to medium offices, it is just a computer that has folders shared (and, as yours, backed-up).

The BIM Server does have to be installed on a MacTel machine, but it need not be the same as your file server. Ideally, it should store the project files on fast local disks, but you can configure it to store the project and library files on your PPC file server AFAIK - if it allows you to browse to a network share for placing those files, I'm not sure what the BIM Server will do if that share is temporarily unavailable (the file server is rebooted/etc).

Whether you run AC 13 on the same computer that has the BIM Server depends on the size of your workgroup and the power of the MacTel machine that it is installed on. Certainly no reason not to do so in a small office of 2 to 4 (no idea what the max would be) users and only think about getting a dedicated machine if the server load seems to bog down.

(You would have to be a little concerned about the user on the shared workstation shutting down or restarting the machine while other users are accessing the BIM Server. I have not tested the BS to see if it and AC 13 are robust enough to deal nicely with a reboot of the BS in the middle of a send/receive by one or more clients, for example, but have to assume that GS addressed this.)

Cheers,
Karl

[Anonymous]

Karl,

Thanks. We did install the BIM Server on one of the office computers also being used for ArchiCAD. It is working fine.

Karl wrote:
I have not tested the BS to see if it and AC 13 are robust enough to deal nicely with a reboot of the BS in the middle of a send/receive by one or more clients, for example, but have to assume that GS addressed this.)

The computer was put to sleep at one point, and it did interrupt the connection with my computer and the server, but once we woke it up it connected just fine. Seems to not be a problem so far, though we haven't tried shutting it down while trying to send changes or anything..

[MMontgomery]

Sorry I have nothing to add except that I thought this was funny, "We have a central computer that no one uses as our server" - which can be read to mean the exact opposite of what it was meant to express. 😉