How to speed up the process of file opening?

(posted on behalf of user)

Using MicroStation V8 2004 (08.05.02.35)

V8 DGN-files of large size (aprox. 32 MB) are stored in their central office. When accessing the files from their other office it takes around 5 minutes to open one file. There is 10Mbit/s link between the offices.
User would like to know how they could speed up the file opening process? How does MicroStation V8 2004 cach the file? Are there caching settings they could change and speed up this process?

 

  • Even if a 32MByte file had exclusive use of a 10Mbit/s link with 100% efficient packetisation, it would take about 26 seconds to open.   In practise, it won't have exclusive use of the channel and packetisation will further reduce the efficiency of transmission.  I'd be surprised to see a file of that size open in less than one minute over that channel, whatever the application.

    Does the DGN model have references?  Each attachment must also travel over that same communication channel.

    I don't understand the question about caching.  A cache stores a local copy, either in memory or on local disk.  However, the file must first arrive in the cache for it to be useful, so the same consideration about transmittal times apply.

     
    Regards, Jon Summers
    LA Solutions

  • Only real options you have other than upgrading the connection, software or going to a system of file management like ProjectWise is:

    You could reduce the size of the file(s) by removing bogus information that's stored in them.

    Remove extraneous/extra graphics in the file.

    Use the Data Cleanup Utility (Delete Duplicate elements)

    Use the Compress tools (& Options).

    If possible, you can break the files down into smaller portions of the job so you don't have files so large to push/pull through that shared funnel.

    I Hope This Helps Someone Reading This!  (Intergraph>PseudoStation>MicroStation user since 1980's)

  • You good also try Goodsync or Drop box if this is a one by one need

    Ustn since 1988
    SS4 - i7-3.45Ghz-16 Gb-250/1Tb/1Tb-Win8.1-64b

    Eric D. Milberger
    Architect + Master Planner + BIM

    Senior  Master Planner NASA - Marshall Space Flight Center

    The Milberger Architectural Group, llc

  • Hi Andrea,

    some additions to ideas posted by others:

    There are several areas the user can enhance to speed up the opening process.

    Network infrastructure

    10 MBit doesn't tell too much, it's very general information. The connection is as fast as the slowest place (a bottleneck) is. It's not only about the speed of the conection from one particular office, but also how central office network is designed and also how the storage with files is configured. What a user (or better to say IT admins) can do:

    • Use a compressing alghoritm to decrease an amount of data sent between offices. I am not network expert, but I am sure there are more tools available, it's even possible to say what type of files will be (not) compressed. Its contribution depends on network traffic character, but some simple and fast alghoritm can decrease traffic by some percents even with extra work required to compress and decompress the data.
    • Be sure their shared disks are able to handle network requests. I often see in small companies how normal disks are shared directly from Windows, which cannot work fine at all for more users. You can imagine it as sitting in Prosche when is no traffic jam, but you have to wait in McDonald drive-in to be served because there is one window only ;-)
    • Prioritize the network traffic: There are ways how to implement the packet prioritization on top of plain TCP/IP communication, which doesn't support it. In such case packets with (compressed) DGN files can receive a precedency. This approach make sense when "a communication race" exits and many users and applications fight for the shared communication.
    • There is no information if the file has references or not. If DNS is slow or not configured right, every attached reference can increase time to open also.

    Design file organization

    In my opinion, to use and share 32 MB DGN file is a kind of evidence of a bad data organization. I am curious how quickly MicroStation is able to open the file (and also reference, if used) if it is stored on a local disk (not even shared on the local network). Did the user test it? It's an important metric.

    It was adviced already to try to split the file into smaller and easier manageable parts. It's also good to define what data are read-only from the local office point of view and they can be one-way synchronized to the local network and what has to be really shared. Such definition and data restructuring is imporant and even mandatory also for an efficient implementation of some design file management.

    Design file management

    Several solutions were mentioned already:

    • ProjectWise is an ultimate solution, which provides much more than efficient network sharing and management only. Several last versions support delta transfer, which minimize network communication, but I am not sure if MicroStation V8 2004 Edition is still supported. In older ProjectWise versions a local synchronized storage area was used.
    • Depending on the type of sharing and used workflows and processes, solutions like DropBox, SkyDrive / SkyDrive Pro and others can be used.
    • An efficient way can be to implement own synchronized storage, e.g. rsync can be used.

    As you can see, more different ways how to speed the opening process exist and it's up to the user to make some tests and to evaluate, what will bring the biggest increase with acceptable investements ... and also without breaking required processes.

    With regards,

      Jan

  • Hi,

    Just another dumb question, why are the files "stored" in the central office.  If they are in live use by both offices and have to have live access from both places at all times, that is one thing.  But if it is just a good place to store files, you could set up the local server to cache everything for the day and then update the main server after hours.  

    --Robert