Working from home with OpenPlant


Applies To
Product(s):OpenPlant Modeler, OpenPlant PID, OpenPlant Isometrics Manager, OpenPlant Support Engineering, OpenPlant Orthographics Manager, OpenPlant Project Administrator
Version(s):CONNECT Edition & v8i
Environment:-
Area: Products, Services, General
Subarea: - 
Original Author: Bentley Product Advantage Group

In these challenging times when COVID-19 is imposing significant disruptions to day to day activities and affecting normal business flow of our much-valued users and employees, we at Bentley are mindfully committed to ensuring smooth transition of work from office to remote location or home. Our innovative software and services are all geared for working from home or remote locations and do not impose the need to be in an office set-up.

To ensure smooth transition of work and effectiveness of your daily workflows with Bentley software, we have assembled information that you can refer to while working remotely or from home. We are working hard to deliver high levels of customer service, and welcome feedback, questions, and ideas on how we can serve you better in a remote work environment.

Home Installation

You may decide to install the software on your home computer. If you do this, once signed in via the CONNECTION Client using your normal work email login, you will have the same licenses available as you do in the office

Machine Requirements

There are several options to work remotely. You may decide to install the software on our home computer. See these minimum machine requirements for OpenPlant Modeler, OpenPlant PID, OpenPlant Isometrics Manager, OpenPlant Support Engineering, OpenPlant Orthographics Manager and OpenPlant Project Administrator

Processor

Intel® or AMD® processor 1.0 GHz or greater. OpenPlant products are not supported on a CPU that does not support SSE2.

Memory

16 GB minimum, 32 GB recommended. More memory almost always improves performance, particularly when working with larger models.

Hard Disk

24 GB free disk space (which includes the 16 GB install footprint for a complete installation), 10-25 GB depending on additional installations such as Companion Features and Companion Products.

Video

See the graphics card manufacturer for latest information on DirectX drivers. 512 MB of video RAM or higher
is recommended. If insufficient video RAM or no graphics card supported by DirectX can be found, OpenPlant products attempt to use software emulation. For optimal performance, graphics display color depth should be set to 24-bit or higher. When using a color depth setting of 16-bit, some inconsistencies will be noted. For more information on recommended workstation profiles for OpenPlant products, see MicroStation System Requirements and Hardware Recommendations.

Screen Resolution

1024 x 768 or higher

Internet Connectivity

Internet Access

Internet access is required for downloading and installing the software. The OpenPlant Modeler installer is almost 1.6 GB and all OpenPlant products are almost 8 GB, therefore we recommend adequate data and bandwidth. After downloading the small installer setup file, if you are facing problems running it for downloading the full software, you can download the full software installer directly from the link shared below in DOWNLOADING SOFTWARE section.

Internet Proxy Settings

OpenPlant products will try to obtain your Internet Proxy Settings from Internet Explorer browser. If it is not feasible, you can fill the details manually as described in this MicroStation blog page.

Connecting to your Organization's Network Via VPN

Virtual Private Network enables organizations to provide secure connection to their network over Internet so their employees can connect remotely or from public places. Follow these instructions to connect to Windows VPN. If your organization uses a different VPN software, contact your IT Administrator to guide you with the steps.

OpenPlant Product Features that require Internet Connectivity

The following features of OpenPlant products may not work properly in the absence of Internet connectivity.

  • PlantSight Integrated workflows
  • Bing Maps
  • CONNECT Project
  • CONNECT Licensing
  • CONNECT Advisor
  • Web Map Service
  • Component Center
  • Issue Resolution Service
  • Reality Context Share Service
  • User Feedback Service
  • Send as Email
  • Google Earth integration
  • Social interaction (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & etc.)
  • Online Help
  • Publish iModel and PDF to ProjectWise Share
  • CONNECT Notification Service
  • RSS Feeds

Virtualization and Virtual Machines

Important notice about use of Bentley applications in virtual environments - click here

Virtualization enables organizations to create virtual machines from a single physical machine and administer them to their employees on demand.
OpenPlant products are certified on Citrix XenApp. Follow the steps given below to set it up.
Bentley is exploring other virtualization providers like VMWare Horizon and Azure Virtual Desktop. If your organization uses any of these, please reach out to us with your questions and we’ll try our best to assist.

    Virtual Machines

    Virtual Machines are a great way to manage operating systems and work remotely with a running Remote Desktop Connection, login credentials and a valid IP Address. Installing virtualization software allows one or more virtual machines to share one physical computer. Your IT Administrator can create VMs with a readymade image of Windows operating system that includes OpenPlant products and any other software needed. When such a VM is provisioned to you, you can directly launch OpenPlant products and start working on your project.
    You can create a new VM and install its operating system by following these simple steps.
    You can export and import existing VMs in Windows Hyper-V Server by following these steps.

    Remote Desktop Connection

    Remotely Accessing Home Computer

    If you work on a heavy-duty desktop machine that is difficult to carry or if your organization does not allow employees to move computers out of the office premises, Remote Desktop Connection offers a great way to log into that machine from your personal computer. You will require your computer name or IP address. Click here to follow the instructions in this page.

    Sharing Configurations & Project Data

    When you’re working remotely, you are still part of a team and therefore sharing of project data is crucial. This is where the Configuration system shines. No matter where you are, you can be sure to be using the correct CAD standard with server-based Configurations. If your system has already been configured to use server-based resources virtualization and remote desktop access results in a similar experience to
    working in the office, there may be some graphic latency, but the system will be identical.
    Attempting to connect to a configuration on office-based shares via VPN may be possible, depending on your IT systems, but is likely to be subject to significant latency, especially with many more VPN users than usual. Working with a local copy of the network configuration may be more appropriate.

    Storing your Project data on ProjectWise Share or OneDrive

    Store your Project data on ProjectWise Share or Microsoft OneDrive that allows high level of control. Easily manage and transfer without the need for additional software. 

    Collaborating on Projects with ProjectWise

    The beauty of working with ProjectWise is that work sharing is built-in and the concept of being tied to a location is foreign. In a Client-Server architecture the client can be anywhere. By storing standards and work files on a server you can ensure proper access for anyone. By establishing a digital environment for all project information, you can give access to people regardless of location and device type. However, ensuring the correct access is the key to success.

    So, setting up ProjectWise Explorer locally is key.

    The way to install ProjectWise Explorer can be found here.

    Downloading Software

    • The latest OpenPlant products can be downloaded from the Software Downloads
    • Portable Deployment Images
      We recommend that CAD/BIM administrators create Deployment Images to use as the source for multiple installations in normal circumstances. In this situation either an existing or a new Deployment Image can be copied to removable media and taken home to use as the installation source where internet availability/speed is limited (note: Internet access is still essential to sign-in to licensing services). The steps to create a Deployment Image for OpenPlant products are explained in this Wiki.
    • Download link for full installers(aka. Deployment Image)
      If you are having difficulty downloading OpenPlant software from Software Downloads site, full installers can be obtained by contacting support by filing a Service Request here: https://apps.bentley.com/srmanager/ProductSupport .
    • CONNECTION Client
    • LumenRT CONNECT Edition Update 13

    Accessing Product Documentation

    Resolving License Issue

    How to get help

    Useful articles about working remotely

    Other available resources

    Comments or Corrections?

    Bentley's Product Advantage Group requests that you please confine any comments you have on this Wiki entry to this "Comments or Corrections?" section. THANK YOU!