The ODOT Hybrid-Managed Workspace
The Engineering Applications Support Team with the guidance and direction of the CADD System Manager has spent over two decades developing and maintaining a CAD configuration and delivery system that provides consistent access to the ODOT CAD Standards. The CAD configuration is maintained and delivered with agility; update procedures incorporate change management, staging, testing, auditing, user communication, and user training. The ODOT CAD Standards automatically update on agency computers, and agency computers are configured such that it is difficult for an ODOT employee to operate without the ODOT CAD Standards being present.
A goal of improving performance and reliability led to the development of a hybrid-managed workspace when using ProjectWise. ProjectWise manages the access to the workspace, while the workspace itself is stored locally on the C:\ drive. The hybrid-managed workspace gives ODOT the best of two distinct systems:
- A data file management system with audited check out/check in using ProjectWise, and
- A local CAD configuration controlled by Project Delivery through the Senior Automation Engineer and the Senior Standards Engineer, and maintained by a team of CAD Administrators.
With the current system, there is CAD integration with ProjectWise when needed for project delivery. The ability to use the ODOT tools and ODOT CAD Standards without ProjectWise integration for training and specialized work not stored in the ODOT ProjectWise datasource is also provided with the local workspace.
The CAD configuration using a hybrid-managed workspace minimizes several risk factors: internet outage, PW integration services outage, slow network connection, license costs for DBEs, while maximizing access to ODOT CAD Standards, access to training configurations, assurance that ODOT employees are using an up-to-date CAD configuration, and providing consultant partners control over their timeline of software upgrades for themselves and their sub-contractors.
The internal method of delivery of the workspace using an engineering logon script, consistently and accurately delivers a local workspace to ODOT employees. The workspace is intentionally delivered separately and prior to the user process of launching a CAD application, which further reduces the risk of data loss during the DGN opening process.