Digitization and climate change are both hot topics. The two subjects are also getting used together in the same sentence more frequently. For example, did you know digitization is good for reducing carbon emissions? According to the World Economic Forum, Digital technologies have the potential to reduce global emissions by 15%.
Since the pandemic lockdown, people have been working from home. The workforce has been slow in returning to the corporate office setting. An IFS survey conducted last year reports that almost three-quarters of respondents plan to increase spending on digital transformation. The climate control benefits include a reduction of CO2 emissions due to less commuting and travel to in-person meetings. Technologies like Microsoft Teams have made multi-site team meetings easy and readily available.
Cloud migration is the price of admission to competing in the digital world.
Moving your IT environment to the cloud reduces the need for additional hardware, but more importantly, to your bottom line and the environment, cloud migration modernizes your operations. While being on the cloud, and using robust cloud-enabled services like IronOrbit’s INFINITY Workspaces, won’t make your business carbon neutral, it is a significant first step on that journey.
DEMATERIALIZATION
How You Can Reduce the Environmental Impact on Doing Business
Hardware casings, cords, adaptors, and other electrical products are called E-waste. E-waste is a growing problem. Significant environmental damage happens because nature cannot absorb these products. E-Waste is a significant contributor to the haphazard disposal of old electronics: they’re inert. All E-Waste products contain hazardous materials of one kind or another. The toxic materials are predominantly lead and mercury.
By switching to IronOrbit’s cloud, you can reduce the amount of hardware because you no longer need to invest in so many on-site computer stations. There’s no need to pay for its maintenance or replace machinery when it becomes obsolete. Instead, you only pay for the exact services you need. Over time, this saves you money. Cloud computing can help your company become sustainable while making it more profitable and productive.
Reducing Needless Travel Reduces Carbon Emissions
INFINITY Workspaces is our brand of DaaS, robust technology that enables employees to work remotely with ease. There are different INFINITY packages to fit specific use cases. Even designers and engineers can access the most demanding modern applications on their mobile devices. INFINITY Workspaces empowers Geographically dispersed teams to do their best work. The technology inspires productivity while eliminating the need for lengthy commutes. It also eliminates the carbon emissions associated with daily commutes.
Adopting a work-from-home environment or even a hybrid workplace is an excellent way to reduce your business’s carbon footprint. You could also save some money in the process.
Shared Data Centers Reduce Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
On-premises servers and data centers use substantial amounts of energy both for running and cooling. The manufacturing, packaging, and shipping of the hardware and peripheral products also add to GHG emissions. Companies can reduce emissions considerably by moving to a cloud computing environment. Once a company moves to the cloud, they use shared data centers. Like the ones operated by IronOrbit, shared data centers run far more efficiently than individual facilities or on-premises servers. There is no longer a need for personal equipment.
A recent forecast by the International Data Corporation (IDC) reports that cloud computing will prevent the emission of more than one billion metric tons of CO2 between 2021 and 2024. Moving away from legacy software and hardware and towards cloud adoption is a logical next step for companies. Insofar as business continuity and investment in the future, cloud migration is a necessity.
Cloud computing and all the digital benefits of having your IT infrastructure on the cloud are valuable for IT departments. IT departments can work more closely with business leaders to develop new sustainability goals. It is favorable for companies, and of course, it contributes to a healthier environment.
Contact us for a no-obligation proof of concept. We’re here to help.
Seamless collaboration is the future for many industries. But it is indispensable for the future of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry (AEC) sector. A recent McKinsey report found that 80% percent of average cost overruns come from change orders. Imagine how well the industry would perform if that statistic weren’t there. Years before the pandemic erupted, the AEC industry rapidly moved toward remote and hybrid work models. Competitive firms wanted to make it easy for the right talent to join their project teams.
According to the World Economic Forum, 98% of people surveyed want to work from home for the remainder of their careers. A Gartner survey found 82% of businesses plan to retain a remote work environment. Enabling remote work is only one part, albeit a foundational one, of an increasingly complex question. As more work goes on outside a corporate office environment, businesses will use cloud technologies to make applications and files available from anywhere on any device. The question is how to stay current and competitive with the rapid changes in the industry.
The AEC industry continues to undergo tectonic shifts away from labor-intensive methods to automation through digital technologies. The growth of digitalization paves the way for more rapid adoption of technologies such as Building Information Modeling.
The Promise of Building Information Modeling (BIM)
BIM is a computer-based tool used by architects, engineers, and builders to design residential housing to high office buildings. The time-saving and improved efficiency modeling potential is enormous where entire life cycles of buildings are manageable. Building owners can benefit from real-time monitoring of energy expenditure peaks and valleys, physical maintenance requirements, etc. Why not connect the smart features of the building into the BIM equation.
The power of BIM is growing as more and more cloud-connected technologies take collaboration and connectivity to whole new levels. Think about the integration of BIM so that cities can monitor civic resources like water and power consumption. Waste and recycling initiatives could become more efficient. But for all of that transformational power and potential to save money and build better and more efficiently, BIM is what Mitchell Hughes, author of the Future of BIM is Seamless Collaboration, calls a downstream tool. Hughes writes that architects, engineers, and building designers don’t want many upstream changes coming in from contractors.
Project team leads must make information and communication accessible across a well-managed, secure environment for architects and engineers to use what BIM offers fully. You want an easy-to-understand way for all project stakeholders, from the design captain to the contractor and building manager, to tap into the information they need. One way to do this is through the adoption of Desktop-as-a-Service (Daas).
DaaS is an evolution of the old Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
The difference, and what a significant difference, is that DaaS is cloud-based. The fact that a company’s IT infrastructure is in a cloud environment accomplishes many things, not the least of which is relieving the company of the burdens of daily administration, upgrades, patching, and troubleshooting that goes along with an on-premises VDI deployment. Let’s face it, an IT refresh and managing many desktops and mobile devices can eat up much time; and, therefore, money.
The custom fit of IronOrbit’s INFINITY Workspaces allows internal IT professionals the mental bandwidth and time they need to strategize with business leadership to develop initiatives that can have a direct and meaningful long-term impact on the company’s success. Not only improving efficiencies but also setting the stage for new digital innovation. Better Communication and Collaboration mean fewer change orders. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) would enable handling the necessary changes quickly and easily. The entire industry would become faster and more efficient.
The technology professionals at IronOrbit are passionate about helping companies unlock the full potential of being on the cloud. We’re also passionate about seeing the promise of BIM fulfilled. IronOrbit’s INFINTY Workspaces is not just DaaS, but a gateway into a multilayered cloud ecosystem offering unprecedented value and benefit.
Learn more about IronOrbit’s INFINITY Workspaces; download your copy of the INFINITY brochure.
If there was a silver lining to the COVID pandemic, it exposed vulnerabilities in the way companies operate their business. As lockdowns and work-from-home orders spread across the country, companies scrambled for their employees to effectively work remotely.
MSA Professional Services, a 350-employee-owned civil engineering and environmental firm located across four states, was one such company. You might see their work as you drive past a park, a reservoir, or a public activity center. Satellites orbiting Earth record the environmental and community impact of their thoughtfully designed works from outer space.
MSA’s work requires real-time collaboration with project managers or contractors in the field. Management has known that conventional application delivery and desktop management technologies wouldn’t keep up with growing demands.
Months before anyone had even heard of COVID-19, the MSA leadership was looking at the best way for them to migrate their IT environment to the cloud. Like sculptors chiseling away at a block of marble, the process began to reveal what the right cloud design should look like. Leadership knew they needed control of their information. They needed their data to be secure, and, perhaps most importantly, their engineers needed to work on heavy-duty 2D and 3D files on resource-hungry applications from home.
IronOrbit solved the problems of end-user performance with GPU-Accelerated INFINITY Workspaces. Whether it’s fifty users or a thousand, engineers enjoy an even better and more highly responsive experience than they’d get from a high-end physical workstation. Since scalability is built into the design, MSA found that adding or subtracting users was not an issue.
SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY RESULTS IN A SUPERIOR SERVICE
An essential aspect of IronOrbit’s delivery of high performance at scale is the use of NVIDIA RTX™ Technology, powering the most demanding design, rendering, and engineering workloads from the cloud . This technology delivers rapid deployments of virtual applications and workspaces. MSA engineers can view and work with large 2D and 3D models with efficiency and increased productivity.
“WE NEED MORE CONTROL & SECURITY” – MSA Leadership
As these specific requirements came into focus, it narrowed their field of view as they considered different cloud service providers. Because of the level of control they wanted, together with the necessity for tight security, they knew they were looking for a private cloud approach.
But not just any private cloud.
The delivery of services from the end user’s perspective had to be fast and seamless with no latency or drag of any kind. There’s nothing worse for a designer or engineer than working on a modern app like AutoCAD or Revit, being in the home stretch of finalizing a project, and having to deal with jumpy, erratic responses from a mouse or a stylus pen.
…AND ONE MORE THING
To make the challenge even more interesting, many engineers live in rural areas with sub-standard internet connections.
Senior Systems Engineer Mike Albitz led a series of proof-of-concept drills with IronOrbit’s INFINITY Workspaces when the pandemic erupted. “When the pandemic broke out, it escalated the whole process,” said Albitz. “When COVID-19 started, we were able to provide latency-free desktops to our engineers with slow home Internet connections using IronOrbit. This was an invaluable option to keep our teams productive.”
CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH CLIENTS MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
During the process of moving to the cloud, there will be technical challenges that pop up from time to time. The key is to address them as quickly as possible. This requires close communication and transparency. Built on a genuine commitment to customer service, IronOrbit onboarding teams maintain a high-touch with clients throughout the process and beyond.
Good luck getting an actual person to answer a question if you’re using a public cloud. Close client support isn’t part of their “do-it-yourself on our platform” business model.
This may be true of other private cloud companies as well, but not with IronOrbit.
For us, the standard is one-on-one human contact availability 24/7.
WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG?
It’s important to know that public cloud providers do not come standard with recovery time objectives (RTO) or recovery point objectives (RPO). It’s an add-on cost. With public cloud services, many features will fall under the category of an add-on cost.
IronOrbit offers comprehensive packages for predictable monthly fees, including standard 48-hour RTO and 24-hour RPO.
STRATEGY LEADS TECHNOLOGY (CONCLUSION)
MSA leadership was ahead of the pack going into 2020, and they’re still leading the way in the industry. They knew that they wanted to move into the cloud, and they realized that it had to be a high-impact, custom cloud and hosted desktop solution designed with AEC processes in mind.
The IronOrbit team applauds the long-term vision of the MSA leadership. They anticipated their need for better application hosting solutions and embraced the future of AEC cloud computing – INFINITY Workspaces. MSA put the focus in the right place. They explored technology based on their business operations and growth objectives.
What about you?
How well are your designers and engineers doing with off-the-shelf work-from-home solutions?
Have you gotten into a cloud environment that hasn’t been architected specifically for GPU-heavy workloads?
Let us give you a virtual tour of the INFINITY Workstation and discover what go-anywhere design efficiency combined with granular control and security can do for your business.
Call us at 1-888-753-5060 for your free consultation today.
Technologies are impacting every type of infrastructure imaginable. Not only is cloud computing changing everything about electronic design, but it is also democratizing the way we learn how to use the latest programs and optimize the way teams collaborate.
In an article that appeared on EETimes, the founder of Edge AI and Vision Alliance said cloud computing is changing everything about electronic design because more and more problems confronting designers are getting solved in the cloud. “The cloud is the number one force driving change in engineering departments around the world and has everything to do with almost every aspect of electronic design. It is drastically changing the way engineers work.”
The cloud is also changing the way student designers and engineers learn their craft.
Modern technology is about what many hundreds of thousands of remote computers can do to accumulate and store data and accelerate processing. It can transform the basic every-day personal computer into a super-fast powerhouse of a machine without investing lots of money in massive upgrades. Just as cloud computing is incredibly valuable to the working professional, it is indispensable for the Autodesk student learning to become a designer, an engineer, or an architect. In a recent CAD Community article, mechanical engineer Oren Klein (GoWesty) says, “It’s convenient to be able to work on dozens and dozens of projects independently on the cloud and not have to worry about file organization.”
IronOrbit’s INFINITY Workspaces, in particular, offer tremendous benefits to building an Autodesk learning environment that is both future-proof and relevant. Future-proof because there is the flexibility to conduct classes and exercises online, on-campus, or a hybrid of the two. Relevant because using INFINITY Workspaces condition students to understand exactly how to operate in real-world digital working environments. For example, a digital business has accountabilities rather than structure. While there is structure, it’s more about teams understanding the mission than having a boss telling them what to do. It’s more about component owners and not project managers. Being able to experiment and try things out quickly is critically important in a digital work environment. This worldwide shift to digital reflects the growing need for professional organizations and educational institutions to widen their scope beyond traditional disciplines to support their members and industry in an increasingly multidisciplinary future.
Recent events have shown the importance of having a resilient IT environment. IT systems have to be reliable going into a crisis to keep students on track. Building your IT infrastructure on the IronOrbit cloud will protect your learning environment from being stopped by unforeseen events. A robust educational experience can continue on or off-campus.
Because IronOrbit’s cloud computing technology delivers GPU-Accelerated virtual desktops, students experience, whether they’re on or off-campus, a no-latency blazingly fast end-user experience. This translates to increased efficiency, productivity, and a richer learning experience unhampered by any hardware limitations. Students will become inspired by technology, unleashing their imagination, and nurture a real proclivity to solving problems and anticipating innovations.
Setting up your learning center on an IronOrbit cloud environment can happen in just a few weeks. A typical INFINITY Workspaces scenario will:
• Provide each student with a personal workspace
• Replace your computer labs with an “anywhere/anytime” virtual Workspace lab
• Remote Collaboration Across Dispersed Teams is Seamless
• Students benefit from a high-end user experience without having to invest in expensive heavy-duty computers
• Continuously updated files always available
• Add or subtract the number of users easily and quickly
Current Project Files Are Always Accessible & Up to Date
One of INFINITY Workspaces’ main benefits is your data is stored securely in a data center located far away from your school or training center. Increasingly, this is becoming the preferred way for AEC firms to store their data securely. Shifting design models and moving data off distributed PCs into your data center secures mission-critical designs and IP, speeds the design process, and gives design and engineering students more work-style freedom
IronOrbit’s virtual desktops enable mobile access and secure remote collaboration for project teams in multiple locations. Project work files, such as Autodesk’s Revit and Inventor applications, can be accessed by you and your students from anywhere and on any device. Users can view and work with large 2D and 3D models without lag or delay.
Share & Collaborate on Work Seamlessly
INFINITY Workspaces make it easy for students to share AutoCAD and Revit projects. They can even collaborate on those projects at the same time. Whether you want to give someone else view-only access, or you want to collaborate with the real-time, INFINITY Workspaces make it easy.
A unique characteristic of all IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces is the high level of control administrators have over their entire ICT environment.
Perhaps the most important thing is that IronOrbit partners with you to replicate the same collaborative work environment learners will face in work environments worldwide.
To learn more about how IronOrbit can help prepare your AutoCAD students for sustained success, please call us at 888-753-5060.
GPU-Accelerated Workspaces That Leverage the Computing Power of the Cloud.
AEC GPU-Accelerated Workspaces
Many AEC firms are gravitating towards IronOrbit’s industry optimized and GPU-Accelerated INFINITY Workspaces. Powered by NVIDIA’s virtual GPU technology, they are quickly becoming an industry standard for graphic and compute-intensive applications. Slow internet speeds, bandwidth limitations, outdated hardware, and bulky, costly workstations are a thing of the past.
IronOrbit’s INFINITY Workspaces are tailored to fit your business, workflows, and requirements for a seamless experience with 3D rendering, visualization, and any BIM or CAD applications.
HAMMERQUIST CASALEGNO
Optimization & Growth with IronOrbit
Michael Jackola, PE, CEO of Hammerquist Casalegno, shares how their company needed to find an IT solution that would fit its immediate needs while offering robust capabilities necessary for future growth and resiliency.
Wonder What It’s Like to Work With IronOrbit? (Our Process)
Consulting
We listen to what our AEC clients want to do with their IT systems, taking their organizational objectives and timetables into account.
Design
We formulate a solution that addresses our client’s concerns with their current IT environment but that also enables them to pursue their next-stage goals.
Implementation
We bring the required IT solutions online while being careful not to interrupt the client’s daily workflow.
Continuous, Caring Support
We pride ourselves on speedy response times and maintaining a high touch with our customers (24/7 US-based support).
The BIM/CAD Cloud Your Architects & Engineers Will Rave About
For a Fixed-Monthly fee, IronOrbit provides a turnkey solution that leverages the power of the cloud for the assets that matter most.
Computing Capacity & Speed
Mobility & Flexibility
Scalability & Agility
Cybersecurity
Business Continuity
Backups & Disaster Recovery
Cost Savings & Predictability
Enhanced Productivity
Real-Time Collaboration
Synchronize Architectural Projects From Concept to Construction
The Perfect Cloud
Built for BIM and CAD to deliver a smooth, seamless, GPU-Accelerated experience for architects, engineers and construction professionals.
Cloud Journey
Moving to the cloud is the single most powerful decision you can make to optimize your business, drive innovation and advancement, while facilitating growth and reducing costs long term.
Safe & Secure
We standardize multiple levels of security, which are unparalleled in the industry. Your entire infrastructure is protected by state-of-the-art technology at Tier 4 Data Centers and surveillance.
Continuity You Can Count On
Our Business Continuity features Enterprise-grade backups and disaster recovery with data centers strategically placed throughout the US & Canada, with reliable 24/7/365 support.
NVIDIA Quadro augments our ability to deliver an agile, flexible, and scalable solution for real-time collaboration from anywhere on any device. Inherently secure mobile and remote access, combined with high-powered GPU technology, enables us to truly deliver future-proof designs without limitations.
“The IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces is ideal for professional graphics workstations used by engineers, architects, and designers across industries, from AEC to M&E to manufacturing. With Quadro performance from the cloud, on any connected device, professionals working from home can stay productive.”
Matt McGrigg, Global Director of Cloud Business Development, NVIDIA.
“We were trying to get a Proof of Concept going just when Covid hit,” says Mike Albitz of MSA. For IronOrbit it was an opportunity to save jobs and keep a geographically dispersed team of architects, engineers, and designers working productively.
Join your peers for an insightful discussion of the AEC industry, the state of the world, and the advancement of new technologies. These discussions are invite only and kept smaller to encourage healthy conversation. Nothing is scripted or sales oriented. We intend to enlighten our participants and viewers, and make navigating the AEC technology environment just a little bit simpler.
As architects of business transformation, our cloud solutions are designed and optimized around the unique demands of your AEC firm. Our INFINITY Workspaces are customized to improve workflow efficiency across all departments. We strive to provide an enhanced user experience that boosts productivity and fosters collaboration. The fixed monthly fee stabilizes and reduces overall IT costs, while increasing competitive advantage and building sustainable profitability.
IronOrbit Is Your Key to Driving Development & Advancement in Architecture, Engineering, & Construction
Your teams will design and build more effectively because they can collaborate and focus on their projects. On the backend, procedures and processes will be streamlined with the peace of mind knowing your data is backed up and secure in Tier 4 data centers. On the front end, your teams of talented professionals will enjoy a seamless GPU-driven experience that is always available from anywhere on any device.
How Digital Technology Helps Deal with Climate Change
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BIM - Building Better through Seamless Collaboration
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The Reason Why AEC Firm MSA Partnered with IronOrbit
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IronOrbit’s INFINITY Workspaces Help Prepare Future Design & Engineer Talent for Sustained Success
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AEC Solutions UPDATE
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AEC LP(Structure Magazine FINAL)
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What Can Your AEC Firm Control During Times of Uncertainty?
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Why Every AEC Firm Needs to Move to the Cloud Now
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VDI Planning: 4 Key Pitfalls to Avoid
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The Top Cloud Solutions Every AEC Firm Should Be Using in 2020
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Case Study: Dant Clayton
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VDI : What You Need to Know
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Real time design tools
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“Even through using a hotspot on my phone, I can access everything I need. I was able to pull up a CAD drawing at a client meeting and we were able to look at it and get an answer right then and there!”
Matthew Harper
VP of Technology, Dant Clayton
“The customizability & scalability of the platform have made it easy for us to add employees & expand as needed, as well as attract & retain the best engineering talent with a work-from-home option.”
Mike Albitz
MSA Professional Services
“When COVID-19 started, we were able to provide latency-free workspaces to users with substandard home internet connections using IronOrbit. What started out as a move to optimize our business operations really ended up becoming a lifesaver for our organization.”
“The IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces is ideal for professional graphics workstations used by engineers, architects, and designers across industries, from AEC to M&E to manufacturing. With Quadro performance from the cloud, on any connected device, professionals working from home can stay productive.”
Matt McGrigg, Global Director of Cloud Business Development, NVIDIA.
Future-Proof Technology Solutions
Fully customized, dynamic, modular, scalable, and secure Turn-Key solutions with GPU performance rivaling a physical workstation.
Digital Transformation → Workspace Virtualization
Business Optimization → Industry Optimized Solutions
Data Integration → Centralization and Management of Data
Hyperautomation → Adoption of AI and ML Technologies
Multiexperience → Implementation of AR and VR
Who We’ve Helped
Dant Clayton
Spending an average of $3,000+ on workstations, only having to replace them every 3-5 years just doesn’t work anymore. The cloud offers unlimited upgrading and no more hardware refreshes.
Giroux Glass, best known for its work on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, has established itself as one of the nation’s most respected glazing contractors since 1946.
What Can Your AEC Firm Control During Times Of Uncertainty?
Section 1
Author: John McMahon
Read time: 8min
Even as architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) companies anticipate project delays they are bracing for the unexpected. There’s the two trillion dollar infrastructure bill. Is it going to happen? Unless you’ve got a crystal ball, a lucky rabbit’s foot, and a divining rod all calibrated to the right frequency, your guess is as good as mine.
You rely on industry lobbyists to push infrastructure spending, Whether or when it happens, is out of your control. The big government money isn’t coming quickly. Coronavirus continues to cause volatility in every sphere. Nearly half of all AEC firms expect to be significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Many anticipate their projects to be postponed. So, all of this begs the question. What can AEC firms control in a time of uncertainty?
1. Today’s Work
I know that it sounds simplistic, but sometimes the simplest truths are the most important. Tomorrow we can’t control, so we have to focus on what we can do (and get done) today.
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “The future depends on what you do today” — and he’s not wrong.
2. Spending
Likely, your firm has already had to tighten its belt. Projects delayed and on hold are squeezing you. You can’t close the company wallet entirely while you ride out the storm.
Companies that choose their spending carefully will thrive. That’s true in general, but especially true during times like these. When things get back to normal, companies that choose to close their wallets and wait out the storm might find themselves behind. It might even be difficult to compete on a level playing field. Putting some financial resources into departments like marketing, internal sales, and human resources (searching for that perfect addition to the firm) during this time can pay off big.
3. Technology Utilization
In our current work-from-home climate, architectural, engineering, and construction firms across the country – big and small – have had to lean on cloud technologies like VoIP phones and hosted desktops to keep workflow rolling. Cloud computing also helps them stay in touch with employees, vendors, sub-trades, and clients. Right now, technology is something that you can control. If what your firm has got now isn’t working for you, or if you want something better, better is out there! And you’d probably be surprised how quickly and easily it can all be implemented.
Most firms will continue to use the cloud-based technologies they have discovered during the COVID-19 pandemic long after the crisis has ended. So, taking the “technology bull” by the horns now and taking control of your future IT environment, is a good call (understatement).
If you’d like some advice or assistance in how your firm’s technology can be improved upon, the IronOrbit team would be glad to have that conversation with you.
4. Care for Employees, Vendors, and Clients
The AEC firms that are going to come out ahead are the ones that focused on relationships. Relationship building is one of the things you can control. Anyone can pick up the phone or send an email to check in on a colleague or client – and you should. It’s good business. It’s also the kind of cement that can hold relationships together through thick and thin.
Steve Pavlina, author of Personal Development for Smart People, said, “Treat your business relationships like friendships (or potential friendships). Formality puts up walls, and walls don’t foster good business relationships. No one is loyal to a wall… except the one in China.”
By investing care, concern, support, and if needed financial resources into employees, vendors, and clients now, you foster a relationship that will pay dividends in terms of business when things get rolling again.
5. Compliance
As hard as it is, compliance with federal and state closures, social distancing, and isolation is something that you have under your control.
As things begin to open again, those restrictions begin to relax. Implementing ongoing safeguards in the workplace is also under your control.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 has changed the way the world looks at contagion, and the behavioral effects of the virus upon clients and employees alike will be with us for some time to come. There are sure to be an increased number of new safety measures.
6. Charity and Cheer
Remember the last time all the employees or your firm pitched in to take on a project that benefited someone who needed help. Remember what it felt like? Call it the power of positive intent or just goodwill. It’s amazing what good it does for the morale of a firm.
This week, in our town, a truck will pull into the parking lot of the local Salvation Army Church. Because this is a time when some people have a scarcity of food supply. We will distribute 50,000 pounds of potatoes and French fries to folks who need them.
Why?
Because a farmer somewhere knew he could do something.
So, your AEC firm has no potatoes… No surprise there.
But with some thinking and a little imagination, I’m sure you can find some way to band together. Become helpful to someone less fortunate during this time – and there’s always someone less fortunate.
We’re all in this together. And ever-so-slowly, we’re coming out of this crisis together. There’s one thing the leadership of every AEC firm in the nation has under their control. They can choose to be charitable. They can nurture an attitude of cheer and possibility thinking among their employees.
Great Britain may have gotten through WWII with the motto, “Keep Calm and Carry On” but that stoic side of bravery has never been the American way. Instead, every crisis has seen business owners step up to the plate. They do what they can (charity and cheer). A happy warrior to assist in combating the enemy.
Today is no different.
Sure, you may not be able to give to every charity that you would like to support. Your firm may be one of the thousands across the USA that have had to apply for federal loans to keep afloat. It’s a tight spot we’re all in.
But we’re all in it together. It’s an expression you hear a lot nowadays, and it’s true.
These are difficult and uncertain times. You need a solutions provider who can partner with you. IT experts who can pivot and adjust to your needs as they change.
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If you’d like to learn more about how we can transform your AEC firm into a secure virtual computing powerhouse, give us a call
(888) 753-5060
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Cloud computing is the future of everything digital. Modern IT environments use it. “Modern IT” is now hosting its infrastructure in some form of the cloud. Moving to the cloud is especially important for architects, engineering, and construction firms (AEC). A 2017 Sage Survey found that most of AEC firms had already moved to the cloud. It was quite a jump from an earlier survey conducted in 2012 when only 16% of construction contractors had migrated to the cloud.
That’s why most of them are on the cloud in one form or another. The AEC industry is highly fragmented, data-intensive, and project-based. Designing, building, and repurposing require all the traditional disciplines you’d expect, but also many ancillary areas such as energy, environment, and waste.
The Journal of Cloud computing: Advances, Systems, and Applications reported that sharing data and supporting coordination between people involved is difficult and reliant on third-party tools to support such capability. “We believe cloud computing provides a more efficient and robust mechanism for individuals within the AEC industry to collaborate and share data. Work is already underway in the AEC sector for developing data and process models to enable greater interoperable working between project participants.”
This research has led to the development of the concept of Building Information Models (BIM) – a design process that looks at a building’s life cycle. The BIM concept helps designers and others see how a building will use resources before it’s built. BIM was an evolution of ideas. Start with a powerful digital drawing tool and then evolve it into a much more sophisticated program. The software works in partnership with the designer or architect. A set of drawings becomes an interactive database. When the designer draws on the screen, the BIM system computes the properties of the building and even suggest improvements for everything from energy efficiencies to people flow while costing out every conceivable option. Every variable is built into the AutoDesk software. Any design changes are immediately reflected in revised cost estimates. It tells how much energy the modified design will save. The architect is working with a set of drawings and a data model that understands the whole building as a three-dimensional living system. Keep in mind that BIM includes all the information about a building. It should be a complete 4D virtual repository of the data associated with the structure from beginning to the end of its life.
Being on the cloud facilitates hiring, and retaining, some of the best talents all over the world.
THE CLOUD ENABLES REMOTE COLLABORATIVE TEAMS to work seamlessly together on complex projects.
Collaborative working environments have been long-standing key aspects of AEC workflows. Traditionally, those collaborative teams had to commute to one centralized location. Today, offering work environment flexibility (home office or corporate office) has become somewhat of an expected perk. This was a trend long before the coronavirus reared its ugly head. Now, there are government mandates pressing the point even more. We’re all being forced to work from our homes. Coronavirus aside, future AEC firms don’t want to have their collaborative teams tied to one physical location. Not any more.
Jennifer Howe, VP of SMMA (an architectural firm headquartered in Boston) and acting president of the ACEC organization, Massachusetts Chapter says, “As much as I don’t want to be working from home, there are times when I need to be working from home. Our IT staff had us set-up to work remotely, but it wasn’t the same as what we have now with the cloud. I can be on my laptop with IronOrbit and see everything the same way as we see it while we’re in the office.”
She recognizes that it’s more of an employee’s market now. “The ability to offer talented candidates the option to work from home is an added incentive to join your team.” That’s especially true when nothing is lost while moving from the office workstation to your mobile device-of-choice working at home. But there are other reasons to migrate to the cloud.
A much more enhanced remote work experience is not the only reason to move the cloud. The biggest, more critical reason, is security. But it can’t be just any cloud solution. , The cloud environment needs to customized to the unique needs of the firm. Jennifer talks about the biggest threat every firm faces. “Ransomware attacks are a tremendous concern. An ACEC Mass member firm had a recent incident where they were hit with a cyber-security breach. That was very concerning to our entire chapter. ACEC actually hosted an informative event where they shared some of the issues that they had. For SMMA, as government contractors, we need to be very protective and careful with the information that we have.”
Just a few short years ago, Google Drive and DropBox were the popular options between those who wanted to share large files. Those options weren’t great at protecting intellectual property. Concerns over security justifiably kept many AEC firms from utilizing them.
In addition to state-of-the-art firewalls, antivirus protocols, malware filters, and encryption, a truly holistic approach to security includes 24/7 monitoring.
Industry-Wide Concern for Security Is At An All-Time High
Carlos Charry is the Director of Technology for SMMA. He says security has been a top concern for everybody. “One of our competitors got hit with ransomware a few years back. It made me look at our own situation and ask, ‘Are we prepared for this?’ I knew we weren’t ready.”
The level of security provided by IronOrbit – the firm’s cloud solution provider is far beyond anything they could have accomplished on their own. The entire IT infrastructure is protected by state-of-the-art firewalls, antivirus protocols, malware filters, and encryption. The security doesn’t stop there. There is an entire team of engineers, rotating around the clock, monitoring the data centers for any type of potential security threat.
But Carlos adds, “The question of security aside, you still have to keep up with technology. That means having your IT infrastructure on the cloud. The cloud provides faster updates. Just keeping all your applications up to date saves you a lot of trouble. Most of my time before the cloud was spent handling IT issues. Things like the network not being responsive or our server going down. I spent time on things like that and couldn’t devote myself to what I truly love to do which is to improve our business processes. I want to make them better so the company can become ever more efficient.
Carlos continues, “The cloud has enabled us to hire anyone anywhere in the world. The employee just needs a PC and an Internet connection of some kind and they can utilize our tools. We currently have people working for us from Maine and New York. Since we’ve moved to the cloud, my headaches have been reduced. Once an employee is connected to the cloud, I don’t have to worry about it. I know the data is automatically being backed up. My worries are basically gone.”
FINDING THE RIGHT WAY TO COLLABORATE IS CRITICAL TO RUNNING AN EFFECTIVE BUSINESS
Jennifer says, “Working with Carlos, our IT director, we’re always looking for better ways to do our work. SMMA is a full-service design firm. Collaboration is the key to our success. Finding the right way to collaborate internally and collaborate with our clients is a critical part of running an effective business.
MOVING TO THE CLOUD. WHAT IS IT LIKE?
People were hesitant at first. The cloud environment is different from having your server on the premises. It’s different. “As we were going up to the cloud, and trying to figure out how to use it, they weren’t sure at first what to expect. Is it going to make my life better or worse? Finally, through effective collaboration and communication, we found it to be an invaluable tool. I find that I can access whatever I need wherever I am. One of the things that surprised me was being at a client meeting and just being on wi-fi and act as if I were in the office. I’m able to pull up any document I need at any time. For example, I do a lot of government work. When I’m doing a client visit, I often don’t have wi-fi available to me. No worries. I just turn on the hotspot on my phone and still be able to open up a CAD drawing. You’d think that would be impossible to do, right? But it really works quite well.”
Being able to be remote and share a CAD drawing on your laptop using the hotspot on a smartphone is amazing. “You think it’d be impossible, but it actually works very well.”
Hector Inirio is the Design Technologist. He says, “That the most attractive aspect of moving to the cloud was a blend of things. There are many aspects of advanced IT that are beyond our expertise such as high-end security threats. Ransomware is a good example. I really liked the fact that cloud technology democratized our computer systems. We’re not transferring any data from our local workstations. The workstations themselves, really become more like dumb terminals. So, no matter what kind the computer was at a particular desk, they all now respond like high-end machines. Previously, due to cost, we’d only have some users on higher-end machines. The ones who didn’t need the computing power were working on equipment with less computing power. Now, all of them respond with higher specs.”
“I really liked that cloud technology democratized our computer systems. It made all of them perform like higher spec machines” – Hector Inirio
The computer terminals become virtual desktops because they are hosted by the external cloud server. Any slowness or frustrations you’ve experienced with your current Internet connection go away. Once users log in to the hosted desktop you’re using bandwidth from the cloud. There are separate gigabyte connections to the Internet. Your bandwidth virtually becomes unlimited.
The technology needed to aid the construction industry’s complex workflows hadn’t become available until the past few years. There are now plenty of SaaS solutions available to make full use of what cloud technology offers. Most contractors are implementing cloud solutions. The few who are not risk losing any competitive edge they had. These firms are also in danger of becoming irrelevant as technology advances at exponential rates. They simply won’t be able to keep up. Remaining current with the speed of technology means being able to focus on human capital. These are qualities like talent, skills, know-how, empathy, and creativity. All of these are undervalued human assets to unlock. You won’t be able to leverage this human capital if you’re stuck in the mud because your technology isn’t current.
MAKE FULL USE OF THE BENEFITS
Construction companies already on the cloud should evaluate if they’re making full use of being on the cloud. There is another benefit of cloud computing. Construction companies should be cashing in on the ability to store tremendous amounts of big data files onto more powerful machines. More can be done with fewer resources. Anywhere there’s an Internet connection you’re good to go. Being on the cloud removes hardware limitations, prevents loss of data, dramatically improves security (if designed correctly), and improves accessibility.
One of the key issues within the industry is the storage of building data throughout the whole life of the building. Data processing is also an important concern for the industry. During construction, a large part of the work takes place on-site where computing resources, up till now, have been non-existent.
The cloud offers data processing power. Drones hover over construction sites and take pictures with detailed GPS coordinates and metadata. Stitching these images into an orthograph requires more processing power than typical computers can muster. Visiting job sites can take hours. Now construction sites can be viewed via a SaaS platform. A design captain or engineer can get a real-time view of the location from anywhere in the world, and on any device. This technology also makes sharing data much easier. There’s a misconception that data becomes less secure on the cloud. It turns out the opposite is true. That is if the new cloud environment has been designed with tight security in mind. If the data is kept at a Level 3 Data Center with round the clock monitoring, cybersecurity is on an entirely different level. It’s in a league of its own. One that isn’t possible for on-prem servers or public clouds.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) enables virtualized desktops hosted on remote servers on the Internet. Reducing the need for hardware while improving flexibility, VDI offers practical benefits as well as a hefty return on investment. There is a strong business case to be made. According to the IDC, “The Business Value of VMware Horizon,” of January 2016, there is a 5-year return-on-investment of 413 percent. On average, the virtualized desktop costs 71 percent less to buy, deploy, support, maintain, and use over a 5-year period. This is on a per-device basis. Users spend 76 percent less time on device application log-ins. VDI enables companies to make full use of human capital while preventing many IT-related issues. We need all the help we can get to unlock the massive human assets such as talent, empathy, and creativity. You know, the things computers aren’t that good at. There are indeed great advantages to moving to a DaaS environment. There are also many opportunities for making mistakes along the way. Let’s take a look at the 4 most common pitfalls associated with VDI migration.
A TechRepublic article cites a lack of planning as a major pitfall of VDI integration. The article went on to report that companies failed to plan for enough resources. Don’t provision for today or tomorrow. Design an infrastructure that will serve your needs next year and for the years ahead. That article was from 2013. It is just as relevant today.
Decide what are the priorities in your VDI environment.
The problem with most VDI implementation is lack of planning. Internal stakeholders should begin with a comprehensive assessment of the IT environment. Also, consider the individual desktop environment. The VDI landscape has changed over the years. Planning and project management are the key to a successful VDI adoption. The initial steps start with an internal dialogue. It’s a good idea to bring in outside expert advice early in the process. Each company is unique. There are different demands and different expectations. The time and effort put into VDI planning will pay incredible dividends for years.
Here are a few of the most common hurdles. They can be overcome when identified early.
A Common problem with VDI planning is wanting to include everything.
Don’t Try to Do Everything at Once
The first common issue in rolling out a VDI initiative is trying to do too much at once. This applies to both large and small environments alike. VDI does not look the same at any two companies.
Don’t try to include every attractive feature in your initial implementation. Be focused on meeting key objectives. And be selective. Understand the major features and benefits of VDI. But don’t try to include everything in the beginning. This will only slow down the process. It will also distract you from your key objectives. A white paper by VMware recommends taking a step back. Consider what you’re trying to do. Do this before you even think about IT requirements. Instead of diving straight into technical requirements, such as numbers of servers and sizing of WAN links, begin by exploring user needs, business drivers, and special requirements. These special requirements might include things like: compliance issues; high availability; disaster recovery plans, or even the need for the business to rapidly onboard large numbers of new users due to mergers or acquisitions.
Don’t get stuck on the age-old VDI question. For example, using non-persistent versus persistent desktops in their initial deployment.
A company may never deliver a useable VDI solution if they allow themselves to get stuck on an idea. Let’s say that you determine 99% of its VDI desktops will be non-persistent. Well, you need to know that you’re going to spend countless OpEx and CapEx funds.
Zero in on what’s most important to you in a VDI environment.
Narrow down what you need in the planning stage to get VDI in a solid usable state. Set-up your VDI on a set of lean criteria. You can make additions as you go.
Do an Effective Initial Assessment
The next hurdle is company-specific. It is also often overlooked due to the upfront cost and time. I am referring to the VDI assessment that should be a part of the planning. The VDI assessment is the discovery phase of the project. It will help you isolate and focus on what is most important for your business.
Identify who will be using the VDI solution. The assessment is two parts: discussion and analysis. Be sure the process includes all the stakeholders including those who will be using the virtual desktops. Getting them involved early in the design process will help manage expectations. It will also go a long way in nurturing the acceptance of the resulting VDI environment.
Bringing all the brains to the table will ensure the existing infrastructure is understood and all solution options are on the table.
Let’s use the example of an HR group that will be using VDI during the initial deployment. There is an initial interview. The agenda includes setting expectations of VDI. Begin by looking at how the company currently uses the computer environment.
Discussions along these lines will establish some parameters.
Do they generally only use a combined set of 4 applications? Do they work at varied times throughout the day? Do they only need a web browser and the ability to email clients on the company network?
You also need to do some data gathering of what traditional desktops are doing during the day. What are the applications used? What is needed for the machines to operate?
Most PCs are oversized with wasted resources. VDI is all about compute and storage density. Determining accurate sizing needs equals more cost savings. There are several tools that can do the 2nd part of this equation but don’t overlook the first.
Don’t Overlook Management and Support Responsibilities
This third point is around IT staff.
Who will be managing the new environment once the consultants have departed? Will you share this duty between existing desktop/infrastructure teams? Or will a new team arise to manage the entire solution? Decide this early on.
Manage a VDI environment requires an engineer who understands several key technologies. They sound know how these technologies affect the virtual desktop. These technologies include but are not limited to:
Networking
Know how users connect to the virtual desktop. Know where to troubleshoot problems like lost connections or poor performance
Compute/Infrastructure
Deep understanding of hypervisors and server infrastructure, depending on the vendor of choice
Security
Knowledge of security products will be inside the virtual desktops and in the network path of VD. This is for troubleshooting purposes.
Desktop Engineering
Basic knowledge for customizing Windows installations and troubleshooting.
Additionally, there are several other ancillary technologies that come in handy. These technologies include DNS, Active Directory, Application Packaging/Delivery, Load Balancing, and Storage.
These skills can come from various class training offerings. Many should come from experience. Knowing how all these different technologies work together in your environment is critical.
Larger companies own many of these technologies.
Separate teams manage them. It is crucial that all the stakeholders be aware of the impact of VDI.
Know who has ownership of the new VDI systems. Make sure there is buy-in from across your IT organization. This is important to establish in the beginning. Everyone needs to be on the same page. This will make training easier. can occur for those needing to ramp up.
This ownership and buy-in include first-line defenders like your typical service desk team. Let them know they’re responsible to field certain common VDI related issues as they come in. Provide education and resources to support them. Service and support is the key benefit of partnering with seasoned VDI consultants.
Don’t Forget the User Experience
As VDI deployment comes together, don’t forget about the user experience.
User experience is the final litmus test. How the user feels about the experience means the success or failure of VDI or DaaS.
Consider how things were before VDI. Chances are, your employees have been using similar pieces of hardware. They know how their workstation machines perform every day (good or bad). They’ll compare the new VDI environment to what they had before.
This goes back to the assessment stage. Understanding the proper-sizing and performance of each machine is important. It can mean the difference between successful adoption and one that isn’t. It’s also more than that.
If a user now has to login twice to access their Virtual Desktop they will complain. If the machine hangs when opening a video conference they will complain. If patches cause reboots on different days, they will complain. You want to make the change over to VDI as seamless as possible.
The experience should be better, not equal or worse than on a traditional desktop. Make sure you plan to provide the expected performance of each workstation. Allow for a tailored storage solution that is intelligent and optimized for VDI. Consider network crashes. If for whatever reason, they can’t access their virtual desktops, this can also be a problem. Here’s the point. Outside factors can contribute to the total experience on a Virtual Desktop. Many of these factors will be beyond your control.
The successful adoption of VDI means user acceptance. Deliver a desktop-like experience. It means proving the training and support necessary. Company-wide buy-in is key to the success of the whole program. It all begins with planning and making sure you have every brain at the table when that happens.
The quantity and quality of cloud offerings have grown significantly in the last few years. There are a number of new solutions available to AEC firms that are especially worth taking a look at. We’ll look at a few of the top cloud solutions in this article.
The AEC industry faces incredible growth and changes in urbanization and globalization. As traditional data centers become insufficient to meet these demands, so does the demand for security and efficiency. Trends such as hyper-automation, the distributed cloud, and practical blockchain are just some of the trends that will continue to proliferate into 2020. Each one of them has the ability to transform and optimize initiatives. The AEC sector has done a good job of keeping up to date. More than 2/3 of AEC firms store data in the cloud. The reason: cloud solutions are an important ingredient to maximizing workflow, costs, and sustainability.
Cloud storage, for instance, can be a more cost-effective alternative to spending thousands on upgrading your local IT. Cloud computing has become increasingly popular for a number of reasons: it’s more affordable, able to perform computationally intensive work, workspace flexibility, and more secure.
Also, there is the added advantage that, with cloud-based computing, it’s possible to view and work with complex renderings on an underpowered device.
Scalability is also easier in the cloud. Most providers allow for scalable, on-demand resource usage. This enables your company to have more computing power when it’s needed.
Cloud storage providers enable benefits that are impossible to duplicate. A Cisco report suggested, “By 2021, 94 percent of workloads and compute instances will be processed by cloud data centers.”
Firms that have moved to the cloud have an edge over the competition. With that in mind, let’s take look at what kind of cloud services are available. Let’s also consider how each one benefits an AEC firm.
1 – Cloud Storage
It’s less expensive than storing large CAD files on premises to house large data with a cloud storage provider
Cloud storage is a great solution because it is simple and offers several important benefits.
First, cloud storage providers backup your data. Cloud storage companies will often have servers in two different parts of the world. One server might be on the West Coast of the United States. The other server might be on the East Coast so that even the largest disaster won’t wipe out your files.
Files stored on the cloud can be accessed from anywhere. Whether your crew is working 10 or 1,000 miles away they’ll have easy access to everything stored online. It’s also simple to set permission levels on various files. For example, an administrator can dictate that renderings can be viewed at the job site but only edited in the office.
Everyday examples of cloud storage providers include DropBox, Google Drive, Sharepoint and One Drive.
2- Cloud Storage Gateways
Cloud storage gateways can help to reduce costs in a number of ways. Data compression reduces bandwidth which enables increased storage. These cloud storage gateways can make smart decisions about where to save files. Files that accessed frequently) are called “hot files.” Hot files can be more expensive to store online. A gateway may keep them in local storage while storing more infrequently used files in the cloud.
Panzura
Panzura has a cloud-based version designed to create a shared environment for everyone to work in. With Panzura users can store CAD and BIM files online and open them in a matter of seconds, not minutes. All files can be accessed from any location making collaboration easier. Panzura claims to “reduce infrastructure costs up to 70%,” over traditional data centers.
Like all cloud storage service providers, Panzura makes it easy to share files and collaborate across a variety of devices.
Another of Panzura’s interesting features is the work-sharing monitor. Work-sharing allows for remote viewing of another Panzura user’s workstation. As with other cloud-based solutions, Panzura can scale as your firm grows.
3 – Cloud-Based Accounting and Management Applications
Running your firm’s accounting and management applications in the cloud simplifies workflow. Collaboration is fluid when everyone at the company has access to the files. Accessibility to files while at the office, at home, or at a hotel room on the other side of the country.
Decreased IT and Hardware Costs: You’ll be able to significantly reduce IT and hardware costs when you host your Sage or QuickBooks software off-premise with a cloud hosting provider.
The cloud enables collaborators to work in real-time. Different permission models can be set for different users. It is also easier to collaborate with suppliers, distributors, and contractors. Since the files and data are already online it’s simple to give outside parties access. That’s opposed to localized data which is more difficult to share.
Deltek is a cloud-based solution to track projects. Project steps can be broad or detailed. Deltek tracks billable hours, resource usage, and expenses. If your firm uses different programs for different purposes, it may be time to consolidate.
While localized programs have offered project tracking for years. Deltek makes collaboration easier for the whole team. Everyone from accounting to the drafting team has access to the same program. The functionality is the same whether they’re on a $5,000 workstation or a $200 smartphone.
4 – Internet of Things (IoT)
The number of Internet-connected devices is growing at an exponential rate. As microchips and transmitters are becoming more affordable, more applications and innovations are being introduced onto the market. This means more tools for the AEC industry to track and improve efficiency.
The whole Internet of Things (IoT)
Internet-connected GPS devices, for instance, are great at tracking fleet mileage. They can also make recommendations about necessary vehicle maintenance. There is a Bluetooth tag that attaches to a piece of equipment making it easy to locate on a crowded job site. The tag also helps recover lost tools.
5 – Hosted Desktops
Hosted desktops transform computers into more powerful workstations without having to purchase expensive PC hardware.
A hosted desktop is ideal for AEC firms running multiple AutoCAD workstations. Scaling is also a breeze as hosted desktops can increase their resources to handle any task.
A hosted desktop transforms cheap laptop or tablet devices into a powerful workstation. The kind of devices that can launch power-hungry programs and model complex drawings. That makes it great for the crew out in the field who don’t normally have access to powerful computers.
IronOrbit INFINITY: The All-in-One Solution
The all-in-one solution offered by IronOrbit provides peace of mind, increased agility, and true synergy with key organizational objectives.
In a 2017 article entitled 7 Reasons Why AEC Firms Need Cloud Software, Eliza Fisher points out “cloud-based platforms are more appealing than hosting project management software because they do not require users to rely on their own computing power. There are quite a few other benefits to consider if you’re thinking of adopting a cloud solution for your AEC firm.” The article goes on to list the following benefits:
Cost-Efficiency
Safety & Data Loss Prevention
Easy Installation & Maintenance
Remote Access
Streamlined Work
Scalability
Insights, Audits, & Compliance
While it’s true that moving to the cloud will have positive impact on the way you do business, it’s important to shop around for the service provider that best fits your company’s future strategy. Keep in mind, not all clouds are created equal. Cloud-based products like our INFINITY Workspaces offer tremendous functionality and flexibility.
Our GPU-Accelerated INFINITY Workspaces combine the best features of cloud-based solutions into one place, including:
Hosted desktops
Cloud storage (including Panzura integration)
Application hosting (any application, including accounting and ERP software)
Unlimited computing, upgrades, and bandwidth
Managed backups and disaster recovery
Managed security and compliance
24/7 US-based IT support
The GPU-Accelerated INFINITY Workspaces allow access to CPU and graphics-intensive applications from anywhere and on any device. End-users will enjoy the fast uptimes, zero latency, and incredibly fast performance..
With unlimited CPU and RAM upgrades you never have to be concerned that you’ll run out of processing power and collaboration is easy when your whole team is working in a centralized environment.
Centralization allows the team to work with the same version software. The whole team uses the same application and work from the same set of files. There’s no longer the concern that employees are accessing different versions.
Inconsistent files can cause delays, accidents, compliance violations and more. Having the team working from the same set of files is a considerable benefit.
Then there’s the convenience of dealing with one vendor. Forget about tracking costs from multiple service providers. There’s no dealing with half a dozen account managers and support teams. IronOrbit gives you everything in one package so that you’ll only ever need to work with a single company.
An Easy-To-Manage and Future-Proof Solution, Too
Speaking of the all-in-one package, IronOrbit wants to make cloud management as simple as possible. They take care of setup, backups, application security as well as user support.
Other cloud solutions require the client to do a number of things. They have to set up the service. Integrate the service with existing infrastructure, and manage it on an ongoing basis. With IronOrbit these time-consuming processes are gone.
When considering a cloud service provider, it’s important to think about the future. IronOrbit is backed by today’s cutting-edge technology. It’s flexible enough to support any future technology growth.
IronOrbit is constantly upgrading its infrastructure. Their clients can take advantage of unlimited GPU and RAM; unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited upgrades to the latest versions of Windows and Microsoft Office.
Whatever devices and operating systems the future holds, IronOrbit’s GPU-Accelerated INFINITY Workspaces will be ready to support them and deliver the same level of service that you’d expect from a professional cloud-solution package. With INFINITY’s centralized, all-inclusive and convenient software you’re always in good hands.
In Thomas Friedman’s book THANK YOU FOR BEING LATE, he refers to the exponential acceleration in technology based on Moore’s Law: the speed and power of microchips double every 24 months.
In this age of acceleration, companies have 3 major objectives. They want to do more. They want to move faster. They want to do it at less cost.
To achieve all 3 objectives, a company has to ensure one thing. That there is alignment between their business objectives and their IT capabilities. Harmonizing clear objectives with IT capabilities, companies will realize their full potential. Not all companies are able to follow that path on their own. They may know they need to change, but don’t know how to get there.
If they do know how to get there, they don’t know who will manage the new environments. It’s more common now that company leadership won’t have a clue of what their future state should look like. Our primary job is to listen to the customer. We need to understand our client’s objectives and future-state desires. Then we analyze the requirements against IT capabilities. It has to be a solid yet flexible enough infrastructure that will support the future business goals. To the degree this harmony between goals and technology is in place, the intended transformations will happen.
It’s Time for an Upgrade
In the last couple of years, there have been a lot of exciting developments in the AEC-cloud-industry. From time and maintenance tracking to hosted desktops allowing users to render complex projects on their iPhones, the cloud has much to offer.
Not to mention savings, when you factor in the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars you can save by not having to continuously upgrade your workstations.
If you haven’t looked into moving to the cloud yet there has never been a better time. The AEC industry is heading toward cloud computing faster than ever. No firm wants to play catch up to its competitors.
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Hardware casings, cords, adaptors, and other electrical products are called E-waste. E-waste is a growing problem. Significant environmental damage happens because nature cannot absorb these products. E-Waste is a significant contributor to the haphazard disposal of old electronics: they’re inert. All E-Waste products contain hazardous materials of one kind or another. The toxic materials are predominantly lead and mercury.
On-premises servers and data centers use substantial amounts of energy both for running and cooling. The manufacturing, packaging, and shipping of the hardware and peripheral products also add to GHG emissions. Companies can reduce emissions considerably by moving to a cloud computing environment. Once a company moves to the cloud, they use shared data centers. Like the ones operated by IronOrbit, shared data centers run far more efficiently than individual facilities or on-premises servers. There is no longer a need for personal equipment.
Seamless collaboration is the future for many industries. But it is indispensable for the future of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry (AEC) sector. A recent McKinsey report found that 80% percent of average cost overruns come from change orders. Imagine how well the industry would perform if that statistic weren’t there. Years before the pandemic erupted, the AEC industry rapidly moved toward remote and hybrid work models. Competitive firms wanted to make it easy for the right talent to join their project teams.
