[Samba] Samba & AutoCAd 2005

[Rahul Tidke]

 >> Patrik Dufresne wrote:
 >>> Hi,
 >>>
 >>> I have some problem with a network that use Samba as the main
 >>> FileServer. All client are Windows XP and are identical in almost
 >>> every point of view.
 >>>
 >>> User complain of several crash of AutoCad that happen during the day
 >>> for no special reason. It usually happen when the user execute a
 >>> command.
 >>>
 >>> The problem it's self it's not really important, I just want to know
 >>> if any body complain about similar problem with AutoCad+Samba. If
 >>> it's not the case, I will not care about the server and take a
 >>> further look to other network component.
 >>>
 >>> Thanks for your help
 >>>
 >>>    Patrik Dufresne
 >
 >
 > Rahul Tidke wrote:
 >> Hello,
 >>   I have same setup here; all the CAD standards and profiles are
 >> loaded in to AutoCAD using SAMBA shares, CAD project files are also
 >> accessed from SAMBA shares. This generates very heavy traffic over
 >> network and this is I/O bound operation; you should have sufficient
 >> RAM at both server and client side. Your AutoCAD should be update with
 >> all service packs and CAD fixes released by Autodesk. The problem you
 >> are talking about should be related to AutoCAD or possibly some
 >> network issues and not with SAMBA; as this happens when user executes
 >> certain command.
 >>  Make sure that AutoCAD is configured properly in case you are using
 >> some CAD standards/customizations and file paths should not be missing.
 >>
 >> Thank you.
 >> Rahul.
 >>
 >>
Yan Seiner wrote:

> Interesting.  I had a complaint today about AutoCAD being slow to access 
> files.  Once in a while users see very slow access when accessing files 
> from the server.  Apparently this is particular to AutoCAD.
> 
> I am waiting on more information, so that's all I know at this point.
> 
> --Yan
> 
>>

I went through number of problems while setting up CAD softwares and 
Samba file server, we use softwares like

1) Graphisoft ArchiCAD  which uses a concept called Teamwork (Multiple 
people working on same project file)

2) Autodesk Revit which uses concept of Central file (This is also 
shared by multiple peoples with restricted access to certain part of 
file; after finishing the work everyone saves back to central file and 
changes are reflected to central file).

3) Autodesk Architecture, this uses number of different client wise CAD 
standards, libraries , profiles which is all loaded in to AutoCAD 
project file from SAMBA share and this project files is accessed from 
different SAMBA share ( A common   share is created for CAD 
standards,CAD Libraries, customization files), in addition this project 
file has multiple external references (called xrefs) which is also 
loaded from common SAMBA share.

What I am trying to mention is a single file has multiple objects loaded 
from different SAMBA shares and a user saves the data (file on which he 
is working) back to server frequently (say after every 2-3 minutes); 
plus these software have "Auto save" feature which also saves the data 
back to server after particular time interval. So if your network 
disconnects (even if for fraction of seconds) in between; all the files 
become read only and sometime this affects the teamwork file or central 
file (file may get corrupt)!

My question to SAMBA developers is; whether accessing files this way 
from different SAMBA shares in to a single CAD project file and how 
SAMBA serves files are inter related in any way?? What kind of SAMBA 
configuration one should have in above cases?

Thanks
Rahul.