What is best practice? To keep ipj file in vault or network

[jgunter3JNFK]

Hi All, New to Vault here.

Where do you keep your system files like your ipj file, design data folders etc. Here are my thoughts... have I missed anything? What do you do?

Vault Pros

- Backed up

- Everyone has access

- Once performed a "get" the files are then on your C drive and therefore the files will be faster to access?

Vault Cons

- A "get" is required after everychange, this is a manual process. With a large company 100+ users its hard to keep track off.

- Our clients have their own drawing boarders so our design data (styles) library, is updated regularly = a get is often required.

- As the "get" is a manual process, their is a huge room for error using the wrong out of date templates.

Network Pros

- Files are always up to date

- Simplest method for users

Network Cons

- Could be slower

- Not backed up

- Complexity - Network to be set up as a read only drive and editable for just admins

I orginally set vault up to store all these files. I am now thinking of changing it to be on a network drive, and then keep a copy of the file in vault for back up purposes.

What are your thoughts?

Cheers all!

[Gabriel_Watson]

Some discussion around this has been done in other posts, so I'll link the first one that came to mind I answered a year ago:
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/vault-forum/inventor-template-in-vault/m-p/11862942#M94930

To comment on your thoughts:
- Vault Pros: not everyone has access (it depends on permissions for visibility and editability), and you can set up workspace sync or other VGET automation (plugin) to automate the download of libraries or IPJ (during boot or once a week/etc.).
- Vault Cons: not manual, and usually the solution for large companies is to get a reseller to code a plugin with VGET or simply set the out-of-the-box workspace sync to update local libraries.
- when additional projects or customers need new standards/styles/borders/blocks, the best is to simply upload to a new template folder and add standards to those files. Design Data can always add or update without much impact on MBs stored.
- Network pros: no need for sync plugins or tools, but everyone can delete or edit (depending on network permissions), so you have to account for extra manual labor by the admin managing backups saved aside.

With that you have a good start. I think I'd start talking to your reseller about automating sync with Vaulted libraries and templates. It's honestly much easier to keep backups and comments on versions/releases, and conceding permissions without asking for IT to change harder settings in your network.

[Frederick_Law]

I keep everything in Vault.  Setup WorkspaceSync and run it daily.

I have Design Data, Template, Content Center and other in Vault and keep copy on user drive.

I don't know if admin could run it for all users if necessary.

Most programs are not designed to work on network files.  They expect instant full file access.  Any delay/retry will crash the program.

Vault manage and allow file access in local drive.

[BDCollett]

Vault now syncs Design Data and Templates on login which means you can just keep it all in Vault and should. You just need to map them.

As Frederick said, you can run Workplace Sync. This can be set to run from a bat file with a windows task if required. So, either on demand or automatically when required.

[Frederick_Law]

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@BDCollett wrote:

Vault now syncs Design Data and Templates on login which means you can just keep it all in Vault and should. You just need to map them.

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Now means 2025?

I'm on 2023.

[arkad_s]

@Frederick_Law - Design Data and Template Management feature is available for Vault 2024 and newer:

Inventor Vault Add-in Enhancements (What's New in 2024)

[BDCollett]

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@Frederick_Law wrote:

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@BDCollett wrote:

Vault now syncs Design Data and Templates on login which means you can just keep it all in Vault and should. You just need to map them.

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Now means 2025?

I'm on 2023.

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Now would usually be in reference to the current time yes 🙂

As someone replied though, this was introduced in 2024. 
They need to fix it, so it doesn't sync when you have the files checked out though, which is coming.