Remote Office

[Anonymous]

Looking to setup a remote office and was wondering if anyone has used VPN for file access. We currently have a bandwidth of 768k at both locations and was wondering if opening and saving files through the vpn would take a considerable amount of time. If anyone else uses something other than vpn for file access please let me know. Someone mentioned terminal services as a way to get file access but I don't think that will work with Cad. Any ideas or suggestions for remote office connections would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

http://www.seagullsoftware.com/products/free_ftp.html I only see a 30 day trial for the server version. "HDC" wrote in message news:40746183$1_3@newsprd01... > I'm agree with Justin, but in my office we use SEAGULL FTP (seagull.com) for > file sharing only, register and download a free copy. > > enjoy. >

[Anonymous]

Mark, That Avrill software looks VERY intriguing...Please let me know how it works out for you. I could see it easily solving about 13 of my IT related headaches. Matt mstachoni@comcast.net mstachoni@bhhtait.com

[Anonymous]

Mark, Have you gotten pricing for the different Availl software packages (replication, backup, sharing)? I've looked into Double Take fro NSI Software (www.nsisoftware.com), wondering how it compares price wise to the Availl solution. I've been quoted $2500 per server for Double Take. -Dan

[Anonymous]

Project size about 7.5 gb. I'm not sure if it is a dedicated T-1 or partial. I'm not an IT person so I'd have to ask one of those guys. "James T." wrote in message news:40768fcd$1_3@newsprd01... > How big of a file for 1.5 hour and is a dedicated T-1 or a partial. > > "Ti" wrote in message > news:407682ae$1_2@newsprd01... > > We have a T-1 network between all of our regional offices and it is still > > painfully slow to transfer projects. Takes about 1.5 hours to do a > > transfer. > > > > 2003 Vette? Were they better then the 2004 or something? > > > > "Matt Stachoni" wrote in message > > news:6lia705505mt24n412ubph1kmqii3hp85g@4ax.com... > > > On Wed, 7 Apr 2004 23:00:15 -0500, "Mark Evinger" > > > wrote: > > > > > > >Until you need to move or open a 10MB topo survey with attached xrefs > > over > > > >the T1 line.... > > > > > > True, true! The T-1 allows for (relatively) fast file transfer, but we > > find that > > > even the most modest drawings (under 200K) are unacceptably slow to open > > over > > > the T. > > > > > > >I talked with Ameritech some months back about faster speed connections > > > >(SONET 155MB or even Ethernet equivalent speeds). They came back with > a > > > >proposal that would make yer jaw drop. It would have been cheaper to > buy > > me > > > >a new 2003 Corvette and have me drive CD-ROMS back and forth to our > > Chicago > > > >branch office . > > > > > > Heh, well, that's certainly an option. You'd think with all the excess > > fiber > > > bandwidth around that point to point Fast Ethernet speeds would be easy, > > but > > > Nooooooooooooooooooo. > > > > > > >We are looking into Availl software - realtime n-way file replication > > > >between any machines. Just put a test folder out on the network today > > and > > > >will report back with impressions. So far so good. > > > >http://www.availl.com > > > > > > Thanks for the link, checking it out.. > > > > > > Have you looked into using Windows 2000 DFS (Distributed File System)? I > > don't > > > have any real direct experience with using it yet, but I'm thinking of > > > experimenting to see if some of the regular stuff we synchronize between > > the > > > offices could be done easier than using the MS Robocopy utility. > > > > > > Matt > > > mstachoni@comcast.net > > > mstachoni@bhhtait.com > > > > > >

[Anonymous]

Dan - last published prices were $1,000 per server. This covers replication/backup/sharing. The different features are activated at the agent level - you decide how you want the data to flow when you set up an Agent machine. Server requirements were disc space equal to 2.5 times the amount of data being stored (replicated). In these days of cheap SATA drives, building a 1.5TB array is roughly $1800, not too bad. The server RAM is recommended at 512MB, again any server out there should have 1GB just because they are Windows boxes.... So far, in *limited* testing the stuff does exactly as it advertises. Each new write/change is cached to the server machine and then replicated out to all the agents. I want to replicate a 1GB file structure to see how this stuff handles lots of changes over the course of a day - a reviewer on CadCamNet (http://www.newslettersonline.com) ran into serious performance issues using SolidWorks on a test LAN. My experience has been much better, using my workstation as the "server" and replicating dwg files and tnets over to an agent machine set up in our Chicago office. Reads/Writes and deletes are all real-time on my workstation. I have to get the Chicago office folks to hammer some dwgs and stuff out on the system from their end to benchmark system performance over a T1 line. Mark Evinger "Dan Elkins" wrote in message news:4079eefb_2@newsprd01... > Mark, > > Have you gotten pricing for the different Availl software packages > (replication, backup, sharing)? I've looked into Double Take fro NSI > Software (www.nsisoftware.com), wondering how it compares price wise to the > Availl solution. I've been quoted $2500 per server for Double Take. > > -Dan > >

[Anonymous]

open one file maybe, with xrefs no way. A better idea might be a file sync or mirroring program "James T." |>Looking to setup a remote office and was wondering if anyone has used VPN |>for file access. We currently have a bandwidth of 768k at both locations |>and was wondering if opening and saving files through the vpn would take a |>considerable amount of time. If anyone else uses something other than vpn |>for file access please let me know. Someone mentioned terminal services as |>a way to get file access but I don't think that will work with Cad. Any |>ideas or suggestions for remote office connections would be greatly |>appreciated. |> David

[Anonymous]

I just talked to Avrill and they said a 2 server one way mirror would cost $1495. A bi-directional mirror will cost $2500. I think its worth the extra $500. I need to mess with the demo. One thing I am concerned about is any propriety file system. the girl on the phone kept talking about an Avrill file system. I'd like to hear any more comments about this software. We have 2 offices and need a mirroring system because our ADSL's are too slow to allow real time use of cad files. We do use it for backup and time sheet (SQL) and doc/xls usage. Does anyone else know of a comparable system for cheaper then Avrill? Matt Stachoni |>That Avrill software looks VERY intriguing...Please let me know how it |>works out for you. I could see it easily solving about 13 of my IT |>related headaches. David

[Anonymous]

Mark Its has been a week or two what do you think about the Availl software. Is it working the way you want it to? Are the files updated when you access them remotely and what is the speed of the update occurring? Can you make changes remotely and then access them and see the changes that were made or is there a waiting period? "Mark Evinger" wrote in message news:4074ce4f$1_2@newsprd01... > Until you need to move or open a 10MB topo survey with attached xrefs over > the T1 line.... > > I talked with Ameritech some months back about faster speed connections > (SONET 155MB or even Ethernet equivalent speeds). They came back with a > proposal that would make yer jaw drop. It would have been cheaper to buy me > a new 2003 Corvette and have me drive CD-ROMS back and forth to our Chicago > branch office . > > We are looking into Availl software - realtime n-way file replication > between any machines. Just put a test folder out on the network today and > will report back with impressions. So far so good. > > http://www.availl.com > > Mark Evinger > > "Matt Stachoni" wrote in message > news:m1q87054itspcljk3e327feqrf91vm4i72@4ax.com... > > We use a T-1 between our three offices. It's the only way to fly :) > > > > Matt (I hate VPN) > > mstachoni@comcast.net > > mstachoni@bhhtait.com > > > > On Wed, 7 Apr 2004 14:25:20 -0400, "James T." > wrote: > > > > >Looking to setup a remote office and was wondering if anyone has used VPN > > >for file access. We currently have a bandwidth of 768k at both locations > > >and was wondering if opening and saving files through the vpn would take > a > > >considerable amount of time. If anyone else uses something other than > vpn > > >for file access please let me know. Someone mentioned terminal services > as > > >a way to get file access but I don't think that will work with Cad. Any > > >ideas or suggestions for remote office connections would be greatly > > >appreciated. > > > > > > >

[Anonymous]

"James T." wrote in message news:407eb08b_1@newsprd01... > Mark Its has been a week or two what do you think about the Availl software. Works as advertised - I set up the "server" on my local machine, and replicated to a folder in our Chicago office connected via a T1 line. > Is it working the way you want it to? Are the files updated when you access > them remotely and what is the speed of the update occurring? Yes. Files are updating in real-time. For example, create a 1.5MB dwg file. 1.5MB sent initially over the wire. Revise file, many saves and such. Only thing that transmits to the remote site is the changes - averages from 10 to 100kb chunks sent over the wire. File shows up as locked/read-only when remote users try to open file if I have it open here on my machine. Same thing only reversed if user opens file remotely - shows as read-only on my side. > > Can you make changes remotely and then access them and see the changes that > were made or is there a waiting period? No waiting, the file changes are written in real-time. Only lag is the time to transmit the delta file from Chicago to home office. The "server" machine actually runs a mini-webserver which tracks all the changes. So, I can review all the versions of a file going back to the time it was created. This works very much like the Novell Salvage capability, where the data is not actually erased until the system needs the disk space. Then the oldest erased files are removed to make room for the new data. With enough server space allocated you should be able to go back 2-3 months of versioning for a file. Will email Availl for pricing this week. Mark Evinger > > "Mark Evinger" wrote in > message news:4074ce4f$1_2@newsprd01... > > Until you need to move or open a 10MB topo survey with attached xrefs over > > the T1 line.... > > > > I talked with Ameritech some months back about faster speed connections > > (SONET 155MB or even Ethernet equivalent speeds). They came back with a > > proposal that would make yer jaw drop. It would have been cheaper to buy > me > > a new 2003 Corvette and have me drive CD-ROMS back and forth to our > Chicago > > branch office . > > > > We are looking into Availl software - realtime n-way file replication > > between any machines. Just put a test folder out on the network today and > > will report back with impressions. So far so good. > > > > http://www.availl.com > > > > Mark Evinger > > > > "Matt Stachoni" wrote in message > > news:m1q87054itspcljk3e327feqrf91vm4i72@4ax.com... > > > We use a T-1 between our three offices. It's the only way to fly :) > > > > > > Matt (I hate VPN) > > > mstachoni@comcast.net > > > mstachoni@bhhtait.com > > > > > > On Wed, 7 Apr 2004 14:25:20 -0400, "James T." > > wrote: > > > > > > >Looking to setup a remote office and was wondering if anyone has used > VPN > > > >for file access. We currently have a bandwidth of 768k at both > locations > > > >and was wondering if opening and saving files through the vpn would > take > > a > > > >considerable amount of time. If anyone else uses something other than > > vpn > > > >for file access please let me know. Someone mentioned terminal > services > > as > > > >a way to get file access but I don't think that will work with Cad. > Any > > > >ideas or suggestions for remote office connections would be greatly > > > >appreciated. > > > > > > > > > > > > >

[Anonymous]

I have not read the whole of this string but it sounds like you could take things a step further and use Intelligent remote file server technology. We use it with a data management product called DDM. I think you can either share the data from a single server or have two synchronizing vaults which constantly synchronize. I'm not the expert but it works well as all our 2d, 3d data and documents are supported. Inventor, AutoCAD even ProE. www.designedatamanager.com if you are interested.
Message was edited by: davidalister

[Anonymous]

Mark I have down loaded a version of the avail software too also to test and was wondering how you had it setup. Are you using the option of using a web address to gain access to the exchange volume. If so, All I think you need to do is have your dns server forward traffic to the Avail Server? "Mark Evinger" wrote in message news:407ef4cc$1_2@newsprd01... > "James T." wrote in message > news:407eb08b_1@newsprd01... > > Mark Its has been a week or two what do you think about the Availl > software. > Works as advertised - I set up the "server" on my local machine, and > replicated to a folder in our Chicago office connected via a T1 line. > > > Is it working the way you want it to? Are the files updated when you > access > > them remotely and what is the speed of the update occurring? > Yes. Files are updating in real-time. For example, create a 1.5MB dwg > file. 1.5MB sent initially over the wire. Revise file, many saves and > such. Only thing that transmits to the remote site is the changes - > averages from 10 to 100kb chunks sent over the wire. File shows up as > locked/read-only when remote users try to open file if I have it open here > on my machine. Same thing only reversed if user opens file remotely - > shows as read-only on my side. > > > > > Can you make changes remotely and then access them and see the changes > that > > were made or is there a waiting period? > No waiting, the file changes are written in real-time. Only lag is the time > to transmit the delta file from Chicago to home office. The "server" > machine actually runs a mini-webserver which tracks all the changes. So, I > can review all the versions of a file going back to the time it was created. > This works very much like the Novell Salvage capability, where the data is > not actually erased until the system needs the disk space. Then the oldest > erased files are removed to make room for the new data. With enough server > space allocated you should be able to go back 2-3 months of versioning for a > file. > > Will email Availl for pricing this week. > > Mark Evinger > > > > > > "Mark Evinger" wrote in > > message news:4074ce4f$1_2@newsprd01... > > > Until you need to move or open a 10MB topo survey with attached xrefs > over > > > the T1 line.... > > > > > > I talked with Ameritech some months back about faster speed connections > > > (SONET 155MB or even Ethernet equivalent speeds). They came back with a > > > proposal that would make yer jaw drop. It would have been cheaper to > buy > > me > > > a new 2003 Corvette and have me drive CD-ROMS back and forth to our > > Chicago > > > branch office . > > > > > > We are looking into Availl software - realtime n-way file replication > > > between any machines. Just put a test folder out on the network today > and > > > will report back with impressions. So far so good. > > > > > > http://www.availl.com > > > > > > Mark Evinger > > > > > > "Matt Stachoni" wrote in message > > > news:m1q87054itspcljk3e327feqrf91vm4i72@4ax.com... > > > > We use a T-1 between our three offices. It's the only way to fly :) > > > > > > > > Matt (I hate VPN) > > > > mstachoni@comcast.net > > > > mstachoni@bhhtait.com > > > > > > > > On Wed, 7 Apr 2004 14:25:20 -0400, "James T." > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > >Looking to setup a remote office and was wondering if anyone has used > > VPN > > > > >for file access. We currently have a bandwidth of 768k at both > > locations > > > > >and was wondering if opening and saving files through the vpn would > > take > > > a > > > > >considerable amount of time. If anyone else uses something other > than > > > vpn > > > > >for file access please let me know. Someone mentioned terminal > > services > > > as > > > > >a way to get file access but I don't think that will work with Cad. > > Any > > > > >ideas or suggestions for remote office connections would be greatly > > > > >appreciated. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

[Anonymous]

http://www.designdatamanager.com davidalister |>I have not read the whole of this string but it sounds like you could take things a step further and use Intelligent remote file server technology. We use it with a data management product called DDM. I think you can either share the data from a single server or have two synchronizing vaults which constantly synchronize. I'm not the expert but it works well as all our 2d, 3d data and documents are supported. Inventor, AutoCAD even ProE. www.designedatamanager.com if you are interested. David

[Anonymous]

I too am interested in implementing Avill. Do you know what happens if the internet connection goes down? Also say a home user wants to work on some files over a vpn do you need to buy another full machine license for that user? I got 3 home users who say the vpn is too slow for them to open their spreadsheets, maybe this would be a solution. Also what about databases. "Mark Evinger" |>"James T." wrote in message |>news:407eb08b_1@newsprd01... |>> Mark Its has been a week or two what do you think about the Availl |>software. |>Works as advertised - I set up the "server" on my local machine, and |>replicated to a folder in our Chicago office connected via a T1 line. |> |>> Is it working the way you want it to? Are the files updated when you |>access |>> them remotely and what is the speed of the update occurring? |>Yes. Files are updating in real-time. For example, create a 1.5MB dwg |>file. 1.5MB sent initially over the wire. Revise file, many saves and |>such. Only thing that transmits to the remote site is the changes - |>averages from 10 to 100kb chunks sent over the wire. File shows up as |>locked/read-only when remote users try to open file if I have it open here |>on my machine. Same thing only reversed if user opens file remotely - |>shows as read-only on my side. |> |>> |>> Can you make changes remotely and then access them and see the changes |>that |>> were made or is there a waiting period? |>No waiting, the file changes are written in real-time. Only lag is the time |>to transmit the delta file from Chicago to home office. The "server" |>machine actually runs a mini-webserver which tracks all the changes. So, I |>can review all the versions of a file going back to the time it was created. |>This works very much like the Novell Salvage capability, where the data is |>not actually erased until the system needs the disk space. Then the oldest |>erased files are removed to make room for the new data. With enough server |>space allocated you should be able to go back 2-3 months of versioning for a |>file. |> |>Will email Availl for pricing this week. |> |>Mark Evinger |> |> |>> |>> "Mark Evinger" wrote in |>> message news:4074ce4f$1_2@newsprd01... |>> > Until you need to move or open a 10MB topo survey with attached xrefs |>over |>> > the T1 line.... |>> > |>> > I talked with Ameritech some months back about faster speed connections |>> > (SONET 155MB or even Ethernet equivalent speeds). They came back with a |>> > proposal that would make yer jaw drop. It would have been cheaper to |>buy |>> me |>> > a new 2003 Corvette and have me drive CD-ROMS back and forth to our |>> Chicago |>> > branch office . |>> > |>> > We are looking into Availl software - realtime n-way file replication |>> > between any machines. Just put a test folder out on the network today |>and |>> > will report back with impressions. So far so good. |>> > |>> > http://www.availl.com |>> > |>> > Mark Evinger |>> > |>> > "Matt Stachoni" wrote in message |>> > news:m1q87054itspcljk3e327feqrf91vm4i72@4ax.com... |>> > > We use a T-1 between our three offices. It's the only way to fly :) |>> > > |>> > > Matt (I hate VPN) |>> > > mstachoni@comcast.net |>> > > mstachoni@bhhtait.com |>> > > |>> > > On Wed, 7 Apr 2004 14:25:20 -0400, "James T." |>> > wrote: |>> > > |>> > > >Looking to setup a remote office and was wondering if anyone has used |>> VPN |>> > > >for file access. We currently have a bandwidth of 768k at both |>> locations |>> > > >and was wondering if opening and saving files through the vpn would |>> take |>> > a |>> > > >considerable amount of time. If anyone else uses something other |>than |>> > vpn |>> > > >for file access please let me know. Someone mentioned terminal |>> services |>> > as |>> > > >a way to get file access but I don't think that will work with Cad. |>> Any |>> > > >ideas or suggestions for remote office connections would be greatly |>> > > >appreciated. |>> > > > |>> > > |>> > |>> > |>> |>> |> David

[Anonymous]

If the home users use the availl it will make exact copies of the drives on their home machines so say you have 50GB of data all 50GB would be on all 4 computers the server and the three users. From what I read Availl will let you open the file even though the internet is down but it will take some time after the fact for the update to go through. "David Allen" <*@*.com> wrote in message news:1nla80dtdc6ftj8sqb3stmb23skg2i3s0e@4ax.com... > I too am interested in implementing Avill. Do you know what happens if the internet connection goes down? > Also say a home user wants to work on some files over a vpn do you need to buy another full machine license for that > user? I got 3 home users who say the vpn is too slow for them to open their spreadsheets, maybe this would be a > solution. Also what about databases. > > "Mark Evinger" > |>"James T." wrote in message > |>news:407eb08b_1@newsprd01... > |>> Mark Its has been a week or two what do you think about the Availl > |>software. > |>Works as advertised - I set up the "server" on my local machine, and > |>replicated to a folder in our Chicago office connected via a T1 line. > |> > |>> Is it working the way you want it to? Are the files updated when you > |>access > |>> them remotely and what is the speed of the update occurring? > |>Yes. Files are updating in real-time. For example, create a 1.5MB dwg > |>file. 1.5MB sent initially over the wire. Revise file, many saves and > |>such. Only thing that transmits to the remote site is the changes - > |>averages from 10 to 100kb chunks sent over the wire. File shows up as > |>locked/read-only when remote users try to open file if I have it open here > |>on my machine. Same thing only reversed if user opens file remotely - > |>shows as read-only on my side. > |> > |>> > |>> Can you make changes remotely and then access them and see the changes > |>that > |>> were made or is there a waiting period? > |>No waiting, the file changes are written in real-time. Only lag is the time > |>to transmit the delta file from Chicago to home office. The "server" > |>machine actually runs a mini-webserver which tracks all the changes. So, I > |>can review all the versions of a file going back to the time it was created. > |>This works very much like the Novell Salvage capability, where the data is > |>not actually erased until the system needs the disk space. Then the oldest > |>erased files are removed to make room for the new data. With enough server > |>space allocated you should be able to go back 2-3 months of versioning for a > |>file. > |> > |>Will email Availl for pricing this week. > |> > |>Mark Evinger > |> > |> > |>> > |>> "Mark Evinger" wrote in > |>> message news:4074ce4f$1_2@newsprd01... > |>> > Until you need to move or open a 10MB topo survey with attached xrefs > |>over > |>> > the T1 line.... > |>> > > |>> > I talked with Ameritech some months back about faster speed connections > |>> > (SONET 155MB or even Ethernet equivalent speeds). They came back with a > |>> > proposal that would make yer jaw drop. It would have been cheaper to > |>buy > |>> me > |>> > a new 2003 Corvette and have me drive CD-ROMS back and forth to our > |>> Chicago > |>> > branch office . > |>> > > |>> > We are looking into Availl software - realtime n-way file replication > |>> > between any machines. Just put a test folder out on the network today > |>and > |>> > will report back with impressions. So far so good. > |>> > > |>> > http://www.availl.com > |>> > > |>> > Mark Evinger > |>> > > |>> > "Matt Stachoni" wrote in message > |>> > news:m1q87054itspcljk3e327feqrf91vm4i72@4ax.com... > |>> > > We use a T-1 between our three offices. It's the only way to fly :) > |>> > > > |>> > > Matt (I hate VPN) > |>> > > mstachoni@comcast.net > |>> > > mstachoni@bhhtait.com > |>> > > > |>> > > On Wed, 7 Apr 2004 14:25:20 -0400, "James T." > |>> > wrote: > |>> > > > |>> > > >Looking to setup a remote office and was wondering if anyone has used > |>> VPN > |>> > > >for file access. We currently have a bandwidth of 768k at both > |>> locations > |>> > > >and was wondering if opening and saving files through the vpn would > |>> take > |>> > a > |>> > > >considerable amount of time. If anyone else uses something other > |>than > |>> > vpn > |>> > > >for file access please let me know. Someone mentioned terminal > |>> services > |>> > as > |>> > > >a way to get file access but I don't think that will work with Cad. > |>> Any > |>> > > >ideas or suggestions for remote office connections would be greatly > |>> > > >appreciated. > |>> > > > > |>> > > > |>> > > |>> > > |>> > |>> > |> > > > David

[Anonymous]

Cheers David! Typing is not my greatest skill!