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As a brief statement of fact that is all technically correct, but as I have come to expect from GRAPHISOFT over numerous software releases, there is always more to their releases than meets the eye - some new and interesting or unique feature, or a different way of doing things.

GRAPHISOFT’s commitment to BIM methodology at a very early stage in its development put them ahead of the game, and subsequent software releases reinforced the ability of ArchiCAD users to collaborate with project team members and to share data with other CAD applications through their strong commitment to OPEN BIM and IFC data sharing technology.

And so it is with this release. Ákos Pfemeter, VP of Marketing at GRAPHISOFT, provided the clues at the official launch of BIMcloud in Japan. Explaining that BIMcloud is intended specifically for the AEC industry, rather than merely providing online data storage, project collaboration and software virtualisation, he warns, "we strongly believe that cloud computing is most disruptive to the way people collaborate." He was, of course, referring to the problems that cloud computing brings to BIM collaboration, as well as the benefits.

GRAPHISOFT'S BIM SERVER
In the first place, providing real-time access to complex building information models to every team member on a 24/7 basis causes immense problems of model editing and version management. Secondly, the global bandwidth required to share massive BIM models over the Internet precludes rapid access to data. Either issue is a killer for real-time access, but together they are disastrous for running an efficient BIM collaboration utility in the cloud.

By happenstance or design, GRAPHISOFT launched the solution a couple of years ago, with its Delta Server or BIM Server technology. Instead of transmitting entire model files users download just those segments of the model they wish to work on, and, from those, just the changes that have been made are transmitted back from ArchiCAD workstations through the BIM Server to the BIM model host. Project team members request and lock out elements of drawings they wish to work on - a floor element, or layer, or 3D volume. Changes, because of their vastly smaller size, are capable of being saved regularly and the central database is kept up to date, with all drawings automatically updated and backed up at the same time.

Bence Kovacs, GRAPHISOFT's VP for Asia, stated that the BIM Server solution is so efficient that file updates can even be sent from tablets or mobile phones in the field.

If someone else wants to work on the same section, he or she can send an email requesting sections to be unlocked for them. Levels of permission can be assigned to different roles in a project, providing a layer of management and control to the whole process.

Compare that ability to the problems associated with model files two or more Gigabyte in size that have to be sent in their entirety, and that need data compression tools and expensive server devices before they can be successfully transmitted. Such difficulties generally force users to delay updating models until after office hours.

With such a handy, tried and tested BIM collaboration tool already out in the field, GRAPHISOFT are delighted to be able to launch BIM in the Cloud, which is merely an extension of BIM Server to multiple offices, each of which is connected to the BIMcloud system.

There is absolutely no requirement for powerful servers, faster communication networks, commercial cloud providers or any other equipment beyond that which is already in-house running ArchiCAD. If servers are a little under-powered for normal office requirements then switching from one to another takes no more than a couple of minutes.

ROBUST, FLEXIBLE AND SCALABLE
BIMcloud includes tools for built-in conflict resolution, automatically resolving access issues that arise as 'server-locks' in other systems. It also comes with extremely high network tolerance, enabling long distance access on standard Internet lines, supporting secure HTTPS protocol, and providing advanced back-up and version rollback utilities. BIM data, the intellectual property asset of any project, remains perfectly secure within BIMcloud.

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