DFS file servers are not a supported environment for Revit?

[ASCunningham]

We have had some issues with Revit 2020 and are working with Autodesk to find out what is wrong. Has anyone else been told this and if so what type of file server/sharing do you use?

We have been running Revit since version 2009 and are now being told this? Seems to me it's a generic response that is not related to the problems we are having. Thanks for any advise/input.

[Anonymous]

So what is the problem you are having with Revit?

[Mark.Lancaster]

@ASCunningham 

Review this https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Distribu...

[rkmcswain]

@Mark.Lancaster wrote:

Review this https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Distribu...

Yeah, that is exactly what @ASCunningham made reference to, in post #1. 

@ASCunningham wrote: "Seems to me it's a generic response that is not related to the problems we are having."

Granted, I get that Autodesk can't test every single configuration that every customer might run, but what they could do is work with customers to evaluate the real problem instead of just throwing this blanket over everything and say "no that won't work" - when in fact this is not always true. 

[ASCunningham]

Projects are becoming corrupt. All the families within the project need to be removed or reloaded. This is on multiple projects in Revit 2020 only.

We have dozens of other projects we are currently working in previous versions of Revit without any issues.

[ASCunningham]

And what is that link supposed to do for me? Same crap I was sent from Autodesk already.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@rkmcswain 

There was no indication of that link or that reference in the OP posting.   I wasn't sure what they had found outside of what was being told.  I was just sending a reference because others have been told the same thing by Autodesk and has that article referenced.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@ASCunningham 

Sorry for sending the reference again but I had no clue what was sent to you or what was talked about with you while on support.

In addition we always tell our customers (but I don't work for Autodesk) to stay away from that type of configuration because of the issues that we have seen/experienced and what you have pointed out.   We know it gets limited support from Autodesk and we pass along that to our customers.

Sorry again that I couldn't help you out...

[ASCunningham]

Ok so what configuration should be using?

We have multiple offices

[Mark.Lancaster]

@ASCunningham 

I'm not a Revit user or expert but you may want to look into

Revit Server: http://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2020/ENU/?guid=GUID-4DE9A327-583E-40DA-81EB-1150D60E6887

Bim 360:  Review the 10 part series https://synergiscadblog.com/page/2/?s=bim+360

[rkmcswain]

@ASCunningham  - I can't speak for Revit, but I know of many environments that run DFS without any issues, at least with AutoCAD based applications and .DWG files.

I also know of certain 3rd party syncing software (used for real time syncs of large quantities of data), and it *does* have occasional issues with various Autodesk files, most notably .DST files.

I have also seen an environment where all data files were moved to some kind of unsupported device and it caused all sorts of havoc. They were in the same boat as it sounds like you are now. All Autodesk would say is what you find in that support document essentially.  Use a standard Windows server with onboard storage.... blah, blah, blah..... we don't support X or Y or Z or anything other than blah...blah...blah..

Again, I understand they can't test everything, but they do know how their own software works and could work with customers to solve problems.

[rkmcswain]

@Mark.Lancaster  - there was no complaint towards you or what you posted. I was just helping to confirm what @ASCunningham theorized in the initial post regarding the generic response

[ASCunningham]

Like I mentioned before, we have been using Revit since version 2009 and have always had DFS file servers running. The only projects we are having issues with are the ones in 2020. We have dozens of current projects running (older versions of Revit) on the DFS severs without any issues.

Not sure why now they are stating this is a problem. MY IT department has stated that this is not a easy change for a company our size and could take weeks to modify the servers. I mean really? Are we to invest this amount of time and effort for something that might not even be the issue?

Once again I'm just frustrated, getting nowhere with replies like this from Autodesk for weeks.

[rkmcswain]

@ASCunningham wrote:

Not sure why now they are stating this is a problem.

Why? Because Autodesk telling you that is a lot easier than them actually finding out what may have changed in 2020 Revits file system.

Just for grins have you tested files in the same network location using Revit 2019, or older?

Just to rule out it isn't something that changed on your end?

[ASCunningham]

Not sure what you mean by "tested" but yes all files are on the DFS servers.

As for going backwards in Revit, you cannot do that. So the 2020 projects we have must stay in that version.

Do you mean something else that I'm not following? Thanks

[rkmcswain]

What I mean is..... you say it was working fine in older versions, but not 2020, right?

So there is a chance (however small) that whatever changed, could have been a change on your end and not in Revit's file saving process.

In order to rule that out, fire up Revit 2019 (or 2018/17/etc) and perform the same tests using files on the same DFS share. (I know Revit files are not backwards compatible, so you'll have to find an old non-upgraded file or create one using that version)

[ASCunningham]

Unfortunately I don't have anything to go from or know what to test.

We have started all our 2020 projects the same no matter what version. At some point after the projects are setup and working on them (multiple people accessing central files) the project families become corrupt. And we get some type of error like below. However we cannot pinpoint what causes this or when. It's always after the fact.

Families, duct & pipe setttings all need to be reloaded and it varies from one 2020 project to the other.

[rkmcswain]

Good luck.

You might ask the mods to move this to the Revit forum for more exposure.

[Joe.Stott]

Just come across this thread after seeing some unusual issues with DFS paths on a project so playing catchup with this but really ADSK - our entire infrastructure is built upon centralised data centres obviously using DFS and NOW your telling us that you don't support it???

btw we have been using Revit from 2012 and never had any issues .. but i do find it odd that the only "solutions" being offered are to use the ADSK cloud services..