AutoCAD in the Cloud: Store drawing files anywhere

3 May 2011 Geoff Zeiss

AutoCAD in the cloud, also known as AutoCAD WS, is getting a lot of interest. AutoCAD WS enables you to share AutoCAD drawings (DWGs) including viewing and editting over the web.  Users can view, edit, and share drawings with just a browser, or with standalone iOS or Android apps.

  • autocadws.com – web application and online workspace
  • AutoCAD WS – mobile app for the for Apple iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch and for Android
  • AutoCAD WS Plug-in – to upload and synchronize files automatically from AutoCAD

Hosting your data on your own servers

One of the questions I hear often from large organizations is, can I host the drawing files on my own servers instead of uploading them to Autodesk servers ?  

With the 2012 release, AutoCAD WS now allows you to host your data on your own servers.  AutoCAD WS streams your data from your servers into the AutoCAD WS web and mobile apps, so you don’t have to manually upload or  keep copies of your drawings on Autodesk servers. This new capability is known as Anywhere Storage and was released last week.

Using this feature users can connect their AutoCAD WS accounts to a variety of external and internal storage sites. Basically it lets you map an external server into your AutoCAD WS account. All rules including permissions are determined and administered by the external service or server. The protocol used to transmit the data to AutoCAD WS is the industry standard webDAV secured protocol, supported by all major platforms and content management systems (Dropbox, Windows Server, Sharepoint, Buzzsaw, Documentum, Box.net, and others).

There are tutorials on how to set this up at the AutoCAD WS tutorials site, for example, to connect AutoCAD WS to Windows Server or SharePoint. 

Geoff Zeiss

Geoff Zeiss

Geoff Zeiss has more than 20 years experience in the geospatial software industry and 15 years experience developing enterprise geospatial solutions for the utilities, communications, and public works industries. His particular interests include the convergence of BIM, CAD, geospatial, and 3D. In recognition of his efforts to evangelize geospatial in vertical industries such as utilities and construction, Geoff received the Geospatial Ambassador Award at Geospatial World Forum 2014. Currently Geoff is Principal at Between the Poles, a thought leadership consulting firm. From 2001 to 2012 Geoff was Director of Utility Industry Program at Autodesk Inc, where he was responsible for thought leadership for the utility industry program. From 1999 to 2001 he was Director of Enterprise Software Development at Autodesk. He received one of ten annual global technology awards in 2004 from Oracle Corporation for technical innovation and leadership in the use of Oracle. Prior to Autodesk Geoff was Director of Product Development at VISION* Solutions. VISION* Solutions is credited with pioneering relational spatial data management, CAD/GIS integration, and long transactions (data versioning) in the utility, communications, and public works industries. Geoff is a frequent speaker at geospatial and utility events around the world including Geospatial World Forum, Where 2.0, MundoGeo Connect (Brazil), Middle East Spatial Geospatial Forum, India Geospatial Forum, Location Intelligence, Asia Geospatial Forum, and GITA events in US, Japan and Australia. Geoff received Speaker Excellence Awards at GITA 2007-2009.

View article by Geoff Zeiss

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