Under the Hood

What Happened in Vegas - AU2011 Diary Day 2

Dear Diary,

It was a banner day here at AU2011 – one that I’ve been waiting on for months. We previewed our new solution designed to transform how manufacturers manage the entire lifecycle of a product--from its conception, through design and manufacture, to service and disposal. Introducing Autodesk 360 Nexus, which is expected to be generally available early next year. This is part of Autodesk 360 – a set of secure, easy to use and affordable solutions developed to streamline product and project business processes. Autodesk 360 for PLM is for companies of all sizes, from small companies eager to deploy PLM for the first time to large enterprises that have become disenchanted by PLM, due to the complexities and high costs associated with traditional PLM implementations.

In related news, my first class of the week ‘DM5427 Dogs and Cats Living Together: Coexisting Items and Documents in Autodesk Vault’ went great. There were plenty of questions and feedback on Docs and Item management after the class. Then the innovation forum ‘Everything Changes – The Future of Managing Innovation’ inspired everyone and gave us a glimpse of the future. Finally, the Manufacturing Customer Appreciation event was a great venue for networking and catching up with friends from past Autodesk Universities.

Stay tuned for more updates on AU2011.

-Brian Schanen

Autodesk University 2011 Diary - Day 1

Dear Diary,

Ok, I know technically that AU2011 doesn’t start until Tuesday Nov 29, but depending on who you ask, it starts today, maybe even yesterday (Sunday), and for some perhaps even before that. Today’s agenda includes preparation, dry runs, and customer listening sessions. I thought I would take a minute to reflect on the evolution of the Data Management track and the maturity of the Vault Family of products. I’ve put together some quick Fun Facts about Data Management classes at AU2011:

• 45 classes that feature Autodesk Data Management and the Vault Family of Products
• 26 of these are 90 minute Lectures
• 7 of these are 90 minute UnConferences
• 12 of these are Virtual classes (hint, hint, sign up…)

And the best part is these classes span across 10 tracks and disciplines including:

• Manufacturing
• Civil Infrastructure
• MEP Design and Engineering
• Data Management and Collaboration
• Customization and Programming
• Design Leadership
• Business Owner
• CAD Management and IT
• Utilities and Telecommunications
• Construction and Real Estate

For a quick list, please see my previous posts Part1 and Part2 a few weeks back. There are even more DM classes added since those posts. Check the AU site for exact room and availability. Registration is full on many of the Lecture and UnConference classes, but remember you can always come to the room and see if seats are open.

Stay tuned for more updates on Autodesk University 2011 throughout the week.

-Brian Schanen

On the B side. Again.

Attention fellow Vault fans. It’s that magic time of year…Beta. The Autodesk Data Management Team is taking requests for participation. If you want to see what’s coming in the next release of Vault, sign up here:

https://beta.autodesk.com/callout/apply.html?callid={D961CFA6-0992-4620-8CC8-66293BF5CF6B}

And you know the rules, I cant say much more about it – for now. Be sure to sign up, and I’ll see you over on the B side...

-Brian Schanen

New Whitepaper posted on Autodesk Vault Integration with Microsoft Sharepoint

The integration of Autodesk Vault Data Management software and the Microsoft collaboration platform builds a crucial connection between design teams and the extended business enterprise, helping organizations be more productive and profitable by facilitating sharing of and access to information throughout the lifecycle of any project.

Check out the new whitepaper here and find out how with the integration between Autodesk® Vault 2012 and Microsoft® SharePoint® 2010, even non-designers can use familiar SharePoint capabilities to find and securely work with engineering and design data stored in Autodesk Vault.

 

 

 

http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/microsoft_sharepoint_vault_integration_whitepaper_en.pdf

-Brian Schanen

More Data Management classes at Autodesk University 2011

In the last post I listed out the Data Management lecture classes at AU2011. This time I have outlined even more Data Management related classes in discipline related tracks:

CI4500 BIM 360 with AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Vault Collaboration, & Buzzsaw - In this class, we will look at delivering the promise of BIM 360 in the civil infrastructure profession by leveraging the interaction between AutoCAD Civil 3D, Vault Collaboration AEC, and Buzzsaw.

CI4557-U Project Workflow in a Collaborative Environment - In this unconference session, we will discuss the capabilities of Autodesk® Vault Collaboration AEC and its interaction with infrastructure software.

CI4563 Case Study: Vault Collaboration for Infrastructure - Don't believe Vault is ready for the infrastructure environment? Come see a customer who has successfully implemented Vault and used it to increase productivity in on a real project.

CI4539-P No Project Is an Island: A Practical Guide to BIM Workflow - This class will explain how to set up and manage a secure collaborative environment using Autodesk® Vault Collaboration AEC, AutoCAD® Civil 3D®, Autodesk Buzzsaw® and Autodesk Navisworks®.

CI5529 A Data Management and Infrastructure Modeling Platform for the Qatar Integrated Railways Project - We will describe a success story, highlight the implementation challenges, and point out the benefits of infrastructure modeling for a large-scale railway project.

CP4547 Vault Programming: Now with Events - The Autodesk Vault 2012 API has a new feature: Events. Now you can take your programs to the next level by customizing the Vault business logic. There are three types of events in Vault 2012, each with its own set of rules and features. This class will go over them all so that you can choose the right tool for the job.

MP4569 Incorporating Autodesk Revit into an Autodesk Vault Environment - Yes, Revit can utilize the security and workflow benefits of Autodesk Vault Collaboration AEC. This class will explore the interaction between the two applications and explain how using Vault can benefit a building project.

CR5563 Autodesk Vault Collaboration AEC Processes with Revit and Navisworks - This class creates an in-depth understanding of the new Vault Collaboration AEC platform and, in particular, its integrations with Autodesk Revit and Autodesk Navisworks.

MA5161 Trimming the Fat: What Can Product Lifecycle Management Do for Me? - Join us for a special class where we take a brief look at the history of PLM and its challenges and then look to the future to evaluate trends in technology that allow solutions to be more attainable than ever for solving real challenges throughout the product and project development process.

LF8580 Data Management as a Strategic Advantage - Attend this class to learn more about key data management initiatives and review customer case studies highlighting successful implementations currently benefiting from process efficiency.

MA5001 Why You Need integration Between Your Autodesk Vault Professional Data Management System and ERP/PLM Systems - In this class, you will learn what information is relevant in each system. Should the information be held redundantly? What are the workflows for exchanging data between the systems? When is the right time to do it? Should the integration be bidirectional? Attend this class and find out.

MA5034 "LEAN" Into The Vault: Using Autodesk Vault to Support Lean Approaches to the Development Process - This class takes a look at how Autodesk® Vault can be used to support key aspects of lean approaches to the development process.

MA4282 Integrating AutoCAD Electrical with Autodesk Vault Professional - We will also show you how to configure Vault Professional to communicate with AutoCAD Electrical. You can send project file information from AutoCAD Electrical to Vault Professional, and send item information from Vault Professional to AutoCAD Electrical.

MA4363 Real-Life Vault and Content Center for Large Organizations & Enterprises - This class will open up the world of Autodesk Vault Data Management and Content Center for use in large organizations such as regional or global enterprises.

DM7180-U The Vault Knows All: Using for Autodesk Vault for Data Management - Share best practices with peers and get answers to your data management questions in this unconference session. This session is all about networking with your peers and data management industry experts.

DM2744-U Autodesk BIM 360: Collaboration & Data Management for AEC - In this unconference session, learn from peers and the team at Autodesk about how to harness Autodesk BIM 360 for collaboration and data management in AEC.

DL5265-U Architectural, Mechanical, and BIM Sharing and Management - This unconference session will provide a forum to discuss successes and failures with respect to these questions. Put on your thinking caps and bring your megaphones, because those who participate fully are likely to reap the greatest benefit from this class.

DL5010 Big Projects with Vault Professional: Successful Implementation - Which steps are needed to make an implementation successful? You will learn how to approach big projects, what are the key success factors, and what are the main points to be discussed when initiating the project.

BO5347 Standards and Process and Vault, Oh My! Case Study of a CAD Modernization Project - This class includes redefining CAD standards, establishing a documented design process, standardizing on a specific version of AutoCAD, switching from paper markup to redlining, implementing a tracking system based on Autodesk® Vault.

And that’s not all. Next, we’ll take a look at AU Virtual classes that cover Autodesk Data Management.

-Brian Schanen

Data Management classes at Autodesk University 2011

In case you’ve not already heard, it’s going to be a great year at AU2011! On 11.29.11 Everything Changes. We’re rolling out some great new technology, and you won’t want to miss it. The Data Management team is also gearing up to deliver highly requested classes on Data Management that span from basic to advanced and cover multiple disciplines. In fact, you’ll find Vault related course in multiple tracks such as Manufacturing, Civil Infrastructure, MEP Design, Customization, and even Business Owner. For this post, I’ve listed the lecture courses in the DM track below with links for reference:

DM5427 Dogs and Cats Living Together: Coexisting Items and Documents in Autodesk Vault – A highly requested and debated topic for organizations that are adopting Vault Professional. Attend this class to learn from the experts the how to deploy both Item and Document-based workflows together in your organization.

DM4941 Get Vaulted: The Truth about Autodesk Vault Integrations – How about a real-world nonfiction story of a Vault deployment? This class is a must for anyone involved in the deployment of Autodesk Vault. Attend this class and learn first hand from the Vault implementer.

DM3679 Go Big or Go Home! Part 1 - Large-Scale Autodesk Vault Deployments - Learn how to deploy Autodesk Vault in an enterprise environment. In this class, you will learn how to install and configure global replication and scale it to the needs of the enterprise. Topics include disaster recovery/backup, replication strategies, and collaboration with remote workgroups. Part 1 of a 3-part series.

DM5609 Go Big or Go Home! Part 2 Collaborating across a Distributed Environment – Supporting a replicated multi-site environment requires specific hardware and network infrastructure performance. In this class, you will learn all about site replication with Autodesk Vault Collaboration. We will discuss server configurations and network performance requirements and where best to locate the publisher, subscribers, and remote sites. Part 2 of a 3-part series.

DM5575 Go Big or Go Home! Part 3 Extending Vault to the Enterprise Neighborhood - In this class, you will learn how to expose your precious Vault data to the larger organization by integrating with Microsoft® SharePoint® using Business Connectivity Services. You will also learn how to optimize Vault using WAN acceleration. We will also cover performance tips and tricks that are critical to large deployments. Part 3 of a 3-part series.

DM5363 The Proper Care and Feeding of Your Vault - Learn to migrate and load data into Autodesk® Vault. In this class, you will learn how to transfer data including original meta data, file history, and file references from legacy systems. You will also find out how to perform incredibly rapid data import using a new Vault server-side capability.

DM4585 Manage Dozens of Vault Workgroup Properties with Custom Forms and Reports - In this class, you will see how new tabs were added to Vault Explorer to allow users to access custom forms that facilitated review and update of as many as 80 properties for each document. In addition we will cover custom reporting, showing how the properties were leveraged to provide management with advanced project tracking information.

DM5533 Organize and Manage your Intellectual Property with Autodesk® Vault Workgroup Projects - . Autodesk Vault Projects allows you to now organize and manage all project-related data in one seamless interface. This class will teach you about all of the many great enhancements made to the product that will greatly improve your data management experience.

DM2480 Maximizing the Autodesk Vault Verticals (Workgroup, Collaboration and Professional - This class shows how a small manufacturing company on the front lines of a global market met their data challenges head on with Autodesk Vault Workgroup. We will discuss the key elements of Autodesk Vault Workgroup as they relate to these challenges and identify turning points in your organization.

DM6901 Looking into the Crystal Ball: A Sneak Peek at the Future of Autodesk Vault - Attend this class to hear about some exciting new concepts on how to better manage your data with Autodesk Vault technology.

DM6321 Solving Problems with Autodesk Vault Using Standard Troubleshooting Techniques - this class outlines the skills and resources needed to support Vault from a software vendor's perspective. Standard troubleshooting techniques will also be covered with a strong bias towards Autodesk Vault using real-life examples.

 

Coming up, I’ll list out the Data Management classes in other disciplines. Stay tuned…

 

-Brian Schanen

Navisworks Advantage Pack Enhancements for Vault

Introducing the Navisworks 2012 Advantage pack. Among its enhancements, this  subscription pack includes extended support for the Autodesk Vault 2012 family of products.

Background: the Autodesk Vault add-in previously with Navisworks 2012 only enabled you to open and append Autodesk Navisworks files (.nwc, .nwd, .nwf) from a Vault. New extended support for Vault now enables you to open and append all file types compatible with Autodesk Navisworks from Vault, on par with the file extensions with ‘from disk’ operation. See image below.

This significantly improve customer’s flexibility when creating aggregated models using both Navisworks and Vault. The service pack details are outlined here and the Advantage Pack is available through Subscription center.

-Brian Schanen

Meet the New Project, Same as the Old Project

Have I got an app for you. This is one of those utilities that Vault Admins cherish, as its benefits go beyond time saving, and onto company standardization. I’m talking about Clone Structure. The premise is simple, you have a folder structure, a hierarchy that you adhere to and you want everyone to use. This could be a familiar structure to all of your users, or a new one that you want to enforce. Either way, the Clone Structure allows you to copy a top level folder, change the name, and place it in another location in Vault.

Start by selecting a folder with some subfolders. In the example below, a right click on the folder displays Clone Structure in the context menu.

When the dialog box launches, you have options to enter a new name in the Clone As field, a destination field, and an example destination path. In addition, two options are provided to copy folder properties and folder permissions.

Click ok to complete the command. The new folder and subfolder structure is copied with subfolders, permissions (Access Control Lists), and properties intact.

As an added bonus, there is an option to include ( in an .xml file) files of your choice from the subfolders. This is ideal if you have an application that needs to copy system files as part of the structure. Finally, this utility was created by and is available though Autodesk Consulting.

-Brian Schanen

Vault Implementation Lessons Learned

Greetings Autodesk Vault fans. It's about this time of year that I see an increase in Vault deployments. Be it end of summer, everyone back from holiday, or just the natural cycle of our products, the activity level is up. And this is a good thing. Well I too am back in the swing of things, and have some notes to share with the Vault community.

I was sequestered away at a customer site this summer at a large Vault deployment - Vault Pro, Full Replication, Job Server(s), Items, ECO's, even SharePoint integration. Pretty much the Vault combo plate. I've put together list of 'lessons learned' that hopefully will benefit the Vault Community. I will also have some guest writers from our DM team submitting material, so stay tuned.

First, let's discuss some must-have utilities for any Vault Workgroup, Collaboration, or Professional implementation. The first one I'll highlight is Visual Lifecycle Status. This is a must have utility for not only using Document Lifecycles daily, but in your validation or QA cycle of your Vault deployment. This will cut your validation cycle significantly by being able to see all Lifecycle options based on your permission level.

A new tab is added in the History window, and when a file is selected, a variety of details appear. The states appear cascading down, with the current one highlighted in yellow. Adding to the fun is a grid mapping of transitions, complete with a description of actions in the left pane.

You can verify you’ve set up the lifecycle definition properly by quickly running around the grid and looking for allowed transitions (image above) and blocked transitions (image below).

We found this to be as useful for Vault Admins to test and troubleshoot as it is easy for Vault users to move files along their Lifecycle. Hope you enjoy this app as much as I did – it’s actually quite fun to use. You can download and read more here on the Visual Lifecycle Status utility.

-Brian Schanen

New - Autodesk Vault Product Data Management Profile video posted

Hey Vault fans! We have a new customer profile video posted to TheVaultKnowAll. Vault Product Line Manager, Jeremy Lambert, gives an overview of the benefits you can experience with Product Data Management using Autodesk Vault software, highlighting customer examples from Joy Mining Machinery and Reilly Windows and Doors. Enjoy!

-Brian Schanen