You need to clarify if you are talking about "Revit Server" the application (which is free, with some hardware requirements) or if you are talking about "a general IT server to use with Revit files on it."

The latter is more than likely what they are discussing. The price of that item or items will depend on what they found in their assessment: is the weak link the networking gear, switching, routing, the file server itself (slow storage, network connection to the server, etc).

Without knowing all that, we are just guessing, unfortunately. 30k is enough to rebuild my entire small company infrastructure twice, though.

Sent from my Phablet. Please excuse typos... and bad ideas.

Aaron Maller
Director
Parallax Team, Inc.

I mean the hardware to run Revit Server, which, as far as I know, is basically just a pc with fast hdd.

We already have a file server in the office, but it is struggling to run Revit's file based worksharing.

So you want to start dealing with the hassle of running Revit Server (meant for WAN collaboration), just to get around slow file storage?

I'd buy a large Synology NAS and set it in the IT closet, before I'd mess with Revit Server. Total cost 2000 bucks, with hard drives.

The amount of extra work each project team will have to do when they receive consultants models, and then the Revit server maintenance, and all that goes along with it, is totally not worth it unless you have multiple offices.

Sent from my Phablet. Please excuse typos... and bad ideas.

Aaron Maller
Director
Parallax Team, Inc.

Well, that's why I need advice. I'm really struggling to find a solution. I'm not sure if it is slow file storage or other network issues.

Currently we have a 1Gbps network file server, run and maintained by our IT company who has never heard of Revit. When we have 5 users on one model, it regularly crashes.

So, I am hoping (but do not know) that Revit Server will solve that. If not, then what do you suggest?

Well, three posts ago I explained that all we can possibly be doing right now, is guessing. We certainly can't be sure what the actual problem is, as you aren't even sure what the problem is.

Crashing Revit could be anything. Slow performance could be many things: slow file server, slow network switching, slow local hard drives, slow computers, and on and on.

I recommend getting an IT professional that understands AEC technology and Revit, to do a REAL assessment of your IT systems, and give you recommendations. Taking guesses of the internet and armcbair quarterbacking what the problem could be, is a bad approach.

But here is what I can say for SURE: Revit Server is 200% wrong. It won't do anything besides possibly make things worse. And it's the wrong tool for the job. I know it's frustrating, but resist the temptation to throw money at IT problems without knowing whats wrong. It gets expensive and frustrating, quickly.

Sent from my Phablet. Please excuse typos... and bad ideas.

Aaron Maller
Director
Parallax Team, Inc.

FWIW, we solved the problem. After many wasted hours dealing with brain-dead IT "engineers", we discovered that it was a simple case of the antivirus software blocking multiple access to the central model file.
Also, a big thanks for nothing to Autodesk's completely non-existent product support. My team and I really enjoyed the countless hours of overtime, while our worksharing project continuously crashed.

Ebow, sorry just reading this now or I might have been able to help you.

I work on support like 2 days a week but I am not at or part of Autodesk.
I work for a reseller (application engineer) and we provide support for installation, and server licences and problems.
This is actually the job of your reseller - and at least if they can't get it resolved for you quickly, you can request through your reseller temporary licences that let you work on the product until it is resolved - this is because Autodesk can see you have a contract and they can also see you are not activating your products (each time you switch on your product they can trace it).

FYI next time get your reseller to do the groundwork for you and demand some temporary licences to let you work

Yes, I did work with the reseller here in Hong Kong. First I had to explain to them that they are in fact the reseller. Then I had to explain to them what Revit is. Then they tried to approach Autodesk...

Reseller doesn't know what Revit is?