SolidWorks PDM Virtual Servers

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Can SOLIDWORKS PDM be hosted in the cloud?

Fully supported Virtual Servers

Solid Solutions has partnered with iomart, one of the UK's leading cloud solutions companies, to provide hosted servers for SOLIDWORKS PDM. We use VMWare which is fully supported by SOLIDWORKS as a Virtual Machine environment suitable to run PDM.

Often it is performance and IT support that drives decisions towards cloud hosted environments, and SOLIDWORKS PDM is no different. Our servers have full uptime support, backup and disaster recovery planning and we can provide a full server and PDM care package for hassle free hosting of SOLIDWORKS PDM.

Request more information and access to our demo platform

Which Server?

Our PDM experts have created 3 servers specifically designed to run PDM and SQL; the Core, Mid-range and High-end VMs. We can also configure a unique server should you need it.

Relocate from on-premise

Our cloud hosted PDM servers are not just for companies just starting off with PDM. We have a full relocation service to move your existing SOLIDWORKS on-premise server to a cloud based equivalent.

PDM Server Care Package

We wanted to provide a flexible solution so whilst customers can retain full control of their hosted server, we are also able to offer a Care package for both the server itself and the PDM & SQL software.

Performance Testing

One of the reasons customers move PDM to the cloud is better performance for remote users who check-in and check-out CAD files. We have a cloud server set up specifically for you to test against.

Virtual Server options

Our servers are specifically designed to run SOLIDWORKS PDM at its best.

CORE: 2 x vCPU Processor | 8GB RAM | C:\ 150GB | D:\ 250GB | 500GB Backup Allocation
MID-RANGE: 4 x vCPU Processor | 12GB RAM | C:\ 150GB | D:\ 500GB | 1TB Backup Allocation
HIGH-END: 4 x vCPU Processor | 24GB RAM | C:\ 150GB | D:\ 500GB | 1TB Backup Allocation

These base servers are fully customisable with more resources, backup and storage available on request.

PDM and Server Care Package

There are a number of reasons why customers choose cloud hosted servers for their applications. Often it is to reduce IT burden and cost. To support this we have created an affordable Care Package for your PDM server. Primarily, Solid Solutions can handle your annual upgrade of SOLIDWORKS PDM to the latest version or a version of your choosing.

In addition, with each implementation on the hosted platform, the Solid Solutions engineer will create a backup schema specifically for the database for SOLIDWORKS PDM. Active monitoring by iOMart will alert us to any action that may need taking on the server (i.e. disk space) and we would encourage you to review your needs with your account manager regularly to ensure you are getting the most from the hosted platform.

Offsite disaster recover and backup

Every cloud hosted virtual machine we offer is provisioned with full backup and disaster recovery (DR). iomart uses Avamar backup technology from Dell to provide a comprehensive DR solution.

Our servers are backed up every night to an alternative iomart data centre via a dark fibre link. If needed we can restore everything from an entire server to a single folder or file at your request.

Connectivity - how do we access PDM?

All customer VMs are protected behind a firewall. There are two main methods of connectivity, site-to-site and direct client access via a VPN

Site-to-site. A customer office firewall is connected directly to the firewall protecting the PDM server so that all internal, authenticated users are able to access PDM through the secure customer network.

Client VPN. Each client PC has the Cisco AnyConnect (provided by SSM) installed and configured to connect securely through the firewall. Users have a username and password combination to connect to the server and can then access the PDM server from anywhere in the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we test connectivity and performance before we order?

Yes. We have a 'Core' level server set up with SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional and Standard. You can request access to this server through an account manager. The server is accessed through using the Cisco AnyConnect client which is connected using our walk-through guide. You will be issued with a time limited password for access.

Often customers want to test the performance of connection from an office or for a remote user who may be travelling abroad. For expediency, we have also provisioned an FTP test to the server via the VPN to simulate PDM check-in and check-out activity. This provides a good approximation of the performance you can expect from a fully installed server setup for your business.

How long are backups held for?

This period is known as the retention policy.

The factors that affect this policy are;

a) How often the backups are made (by default this is 24 hrs)
b) How big the incremental changes are that the backup captures each 24 hours
c) How much backup space is allocated to the server for storage in one of the other data centres

When we set up a server the default retention policy is 30 days. After a customer starts using the server we monitor the backups and assess if the retention policy needs to be reviewed. This is discussed with the customer and is either extended or shortened. Alternatively we can arrange for additional backup allocation space to be made available.

Can we have access to our backups?

The Avamar backup functionality we use is mainly used for disaster recovery scenarios but we can retrieve any file or folder depending on the retention policy. However, customers have full access to the server and all of our PDM implementations configure some backup folders for key datasets such as the SQL database. As a matter of good practice we recommend that customers make additional copies of these files and store them in an alternative location such as an on-premise data store or a cloud hosted platform such as AWS or Azure. These can be kept longer, accessed more quickly and be made more frequently if necessary.

This level of access and flexibility allows us to cater for all levels of customer security requirements. You have complete access to the server to perform additional backups over and above the 24 hour fully incremental backup Solid Solutions will make.

How do we restore files or the whole server if needed?

Data restores are performed by Solid Solutions and requested through the help desk.

I’ve got more questions, who can I speak to?

We are always available to discuss our cloud hosted PDM servers. Please either get in touch with your account manager, call us on 01926 333777 or complete the form opposite for a call back.

If you would like to speak to someone about our Hosted PDM solutions, call 01926 333777 or complete the form below and a member of our team will be in touch.

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