ProjectWise V8i Overview Part 1 Gary Cochrane Technical Director – Geospatial Sales NAOU

ProjectWise is not a product ProjectWise is: –A Brand name representing all Bentley server products –ProjectWise has traditionally referred to Bentley’s solution for Engineering Content Management –With XM (and later editions), it is now a family of products that can be combined to form a solution for Engineering Content Management and Distribution ProjectWise is NOT: –Ironically, ProjectWise is not a project management solution E.g. Primavera, Meridian Prolog, etc.

ProjectWise Mission Statement According to Gary –To organize, manage, and find engineering content Such that content can be leveraged and re-used –To eliminate geographic and time zone barriers And facilitate extended project teams –To manage work processes for extended teams By enabling/enforcing standards, thus improving the quality of project deliverables

Focusing on Content Management ProjectWise provides: –Centralized control of distributed content In other words, content is stored near the user This approach minimizes the effect of slow network connections –Alternately, ProjectWise can be configured for centralized storage Such that all files are in a single location Places much more emphasis on network speed, but offers easier administration

Central Control of Distributed Content File Server

Introducing the modules Each solution comprises one or more of the following server modules –PW Integration Server –PW Caching Server –PW Web Server –PW Web View Server –PW Publishing Server –PW InterPlot Server

ProjectWise Integration Server Central component of every ProjectWise solution –Formerly known as PW Application Server –(At least) one in every PW Configuration Possibly more to serve large organizations (defined as greater than 500 simultaneous users) Or possibly more to provide redundancy Or possibly more when multiple sites operate independently of each other and don’t want to rely on other sites…

Before moving on… Server versus Service –Server – a ProjectWise module that is purchased Has a corresponding Professional Services deployment fee Also has a corresponding SELECT fee. –Service – Functionality or feature included with a Server Not all services included with a Server are configured in each deployment Thus, no “standard” fee for server deployments

Example ProjectWise Integration Server includes: –Content Management service –File storage & caching service –File indexing service –Component indexing service –User Synchronization Service –Distribution Service This will make more sense soon –A picture is worth a thousand words…

Essential Components Either Oracle, or Microsoft SQL Server * Not supplied by Bentley In this configuration, all files stored on Integration Server * Via File Storage service

Adding Unified Logon

Users not prompted for password when logging in to ProjectWise * User authentication via Windows domain All files still stored on Integration Server

Quote / Proposal Shopping Cart for configuration shown thus far: –Qty (1) PW Integration Server w/ deployment services: For Content Management service For File Storage service For Full Text Indexing service For User Synchronization service –Qty (XX) ProjectWise Passport Licenses (Named User client licenses)

Scaling Up As usages grows… –It may become necessary to move file storage to a second server This gives the Integration Server one less job to do –In this case, the configuration would include the ProjectWise Caching Server Configured to run the File Storage service In other words, even though it’s called the Caching Server, it can also act as just a file server

ProjectWise Caching Server Primary function is to provide remote file storage –Formerly known as ProjectWise Distributed File Server And prior to that, known as the ProjectWise File Transfer Server –Provides 3 services File Storage Service File Caching Service ProjectWise Gateway Service (more on this later)

Adding Remote Storage

Files may still be stored on Integration Server Files can also be stored on a remote server, thus reducing load on the Integration Server

Updated Quote / Proposal To previous quote, Add –Qty (1) PW Caching Server w/ deployment services For File Storage service

Adding Remote sites Remote sites may be supported: –With minimal investment No PW server infrastructure Only add PW Passport licenses for remote clients Typical for small sites –With additional investment for better performance Remote file storage service Remote file caching service

Multiple Site support - Good No PW server infrastructure (file storage) at site 2. Performance will be highly dependent on bandwidth between sites.

Multiple Site support - Better

PW Caching Server provides file storage at site 2. Performance is significantly enhanced for remote users (provided their files are stored on PW Caching Server2). Local file transfer

Multiple Site Support - Best PW Caching Server provides file storage at site 2, and file caching for files stored at site 1. Performance is optimized for site2 users. PW Caching Server provides file storage at site 1, and file caching for files stored at site 2. Performance is optimized for site1 users.

Updated Quote / Proposal To base quote, Add –Qty (2) PW Caching Server w/ deployment services For File Storage service (“Better” configuration) For File Caching service (“Best” configuration) –Note: You could move the original PW Caching Server from site 1 to site 2 And therefore only need to purchase 1 Caching Server However all files at site 1 would then be stored on the Integration Server again

Clients ProjectWise Explorer is the primary client –Provides richest user experience Intended for “doers” ProjectWise also includes web browser clients –Must purchase PW Web Server to enable –Provides subset of PW Explorer functionality Intended for casual users, viewers, and reviewers

PW Web Server / Browser

Adding PW Web Server / Browser In this example, the PW Web Server is available to internal users only. Although not shown, one PW Web Server can serve browser clients at both the local and remote sites

Updated Quote / Proposal To base quote, Add –Qty (2) PW Caching Server w/ deployment services For File Storage service (“Better” configuration) For File Caching service (“Best” configuration) –Qty (1) PW Web Server w/deployment services For Web Explorer client

Updated Quote / Proposal Note: PW Web server provides: –Basic content management functionality, Log-in, search, modify properties, simple check-out No reference file support, title block support, workspace support, etc. If web users need to view/redline drawings using only a browser, add: –Qty (1) PW Publishing Server With services $$ to integrate with PW Web Client licensing –Web browser users still require a PW Passport

PW Web View Server For Read-only users –PW Web View server may be more attractive Users may log-in, search, view, etc. Users may not check-out, redline, modify properties, etc. –Browser users accessing PW via Web View Server do NOT require a PW Passport Web View Server is more expensive than Web Server, but client access is free Attractive option if an organization has large quantities of read- only users 30 |

External Users Within Information Technology, it is common practice to create a network “neutral zone” to support external users –This is a network that can be reached by both internal users and external users –Often referred to as a DMZ This is an accepted term within IT circles –Created by implementing multiple firewalls, or high- end single firewalls

Neutral Zone (DMZ) Configuration In this example, the PW Web Server has been moved into the neutral zone. Internal browser clients may still access PW via the Web Server.

Neutral Zone Configuration

By moving the PW Web Server to the neutral zone, External browser clients may also access PW via the Web Server.

Updated Quote / Proposal Same as previous scenario (from a software perspective) –Qty (2) PW Caching Server w/ deployment services For File Storage service (“Better” configuration) For File Caching service (“Best” configuration) –Qty (1) PW Web Server w/deployment services For Web Explorer client However, Bentley will add services $$ in anticipation of DMZ / Firewall issues…

External Users The previous configuration addressed external Web browser users (viewers & reviewers) –What if an organization needs to provide for external “doers”? The ProjectWise Explorer client is internet-capable However, rarely will the network security policy of an organization accommodate such use

ProjectWise Gateway service The ProjectWise Gateway service was designed to solve such problems –It acts as a “go-between” the ProjectWise Integration server and external users –Remember, it’s a service, not a Server Therefore no software or SELECT fee Included with the purchase of PW Integration Server Only adds implementation services to deploy

External Doer support

One last twist Rather than require a second machine in the DMZ –The ProjectWise Gateway service can be installed on the same machine as the ProjectWise Web Server

External Doer support

PW Passport client licensing ProjectWise Client licensing is “Named User” –You need one, for each user Does not matter if they are PW Explorer users, or PW Web browser users –Client licenses are not “poolable”, “shareable”, or “floatable” Usage is measured based on the number of unique names that access the system NOT based on peak concurrent usage (like MicroStation)

Client Licensing Mitigating factors –PW Passport license fee dropped to US MSRP $360 –SELECT provides 1 PW Passport for each MicroStation license covered This license is not an owned asset, but a benefit of SELECT If SELECT contract is cancelled, this benefit is forfeited –PW Passport covers access to all Bentley servers Also covers access to desktop applications including: –PW Navigator, Dynamic Plot Client, InterPlot Client, and more

Summary This should help you understand common ProjectWise configuration scenarios –This discussion was limited to “ProjectWise Classic” –Next week, we will look at SharePoint and associated Bentley solutions –We will also look at Geospatial components of ProjectWise