Changing the way business is conducted

Changing the way business is conducted

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autodesk360THE FREEDOM TO WORK ANY TIME AND ANYWHERE

When we think about the work environment 30 years ago, it seems real changes have occurred since the days when we were virtually chained to the typewriter, the drafting table, the analog phone and the thick files of documents.

The technological revolution we experienced has changed our work environment before our very eyes, starting with the transition from hand drafting to computerized drafting and advanced planning of structural modeling solutions (BIM) in the field of architecture and infrastructures, and solutions for digital prototypes in the field of mechanical engineering.

The work environment continues to change at a dizzying rate and coping with the next generation of business means it’s vital to adopt growth promoting solutions, such as cloud technology.

 Doing business comfortably

The cloud has accompanied us since we’ve been able to connect to email from any computer and any location with an internet connection.   It’s now an inseparable part of our daily lives.  Through the cloud we can access sources of information on the web, synchronize music files between smartphone – tablet – computer without any physical link among them, photograph and share photos direct on social networks from our mobile phones, download and watch TV programs and video clips the instant they’re uploaded to the internet, and more.

The cloud similarly serves us in our work environments.  Tasks in the world of employment tend to require greater resources and capabilities than merely downloading a  song or photograph, but the cloud supports multilayered business applications.  When a company such as Amazon, Google or Dropbox became dominant cloud suppliers in 2012, the barriers of hesitation inhibiting many organizations from adopting the technology were broken through.  The cloud has become an integral part of organizational perception and its impact is evident at all levels of information infrastructure and business procedures in the organization.

A survey published recently by the IDG Enterprise media company indicates that more than two thirds of organizations (68%) have already invested in cloud technology and the remainder intend to do so over the coming three years.  The survey anticipates an average 38% growth rate over the next 18 months, alongside immigration of some 53% on average from the IT environment to the cloud environment, and transitions to the hybrid cloud (integrating private and public cloud capabilities), accelerating the cloud transition rate to 56% by the end of 2015.

 Why the cloud?

Organizations that initially, at the start of the concept, rejected the concept, claiming it as a passing trend, are now adopting it.  Why?  Because it’s a technology that improves productivity, work speed and efficiency, and lets every business, small or large:

  • Create, edit and submit data and applications at any time and anywhere, from any computer, instrument or installation whether fixed or mobile
  • Share actions with others irrespective of physical or geographical location
  • Execute multifaceted tasks simultaneously without limited the desk top resources
  • Complete complex tasks faster
  • Update and upgrade automatically
  • Receive endless storage space instantly and whenever needed

Not every cloud solution fits those categories.  It may seem as though every company has a “cloud product” just because so many others are quickly relabeling their products and services as cloud products, jumping on the trend bandwagon.  Quality cloud technology provides far more than the limited scope of traditional software, additionally enabling:

  • Flexibility – the organization is not limited to the IT supplier’s resources or any existing equipment, and organization employees are mobile
  • Efficiency – focusing on core business areas without wasting time on operational computer infrastructures
  • Personal adaptation – increasing / reducing the scope of use in the field and the computer’s power based on need
  • Data security – storage of data and information on a physical digital secure data center
  • Backup –data is automatically backed up and all changes are preserved even when the computer crashes
  • Cost saving – uses innovative computer resources based on need without requiring investment in their purchase

Based on a survey conducted by Cisco, the relative share of “software as a service” (SaaS) is anticipated to grow from 41% to 59% by 2018 at the expense of 28% of “infrastructure as a service” (IaaS)  and 13% of “platforms as a service” (PaaS).  The most impressive growth in cloud services is a rate of 450% in the field of public cloud storage and particularly in the use of smartphones and other mobile computer options.

 Changing the way business is conducted

Autodesk has always invested the bulk of its resources in identifying ways to innovate, improving on working better and faster, and optimally promoting creativity.  The software solutions system offered by Autodesk is one of the broadest and most powerful in the industry, combining the most innovative updates in the field of mobility, touch installations, and access to computerized resources.

As the only CAD company offering SaaS cloud solutions for every field of industry, Autodesk’s software tool allows working in a multidisciplinary environment and cooperating with multiple factors.  In this way, as part of Autodesk’s historical path of innovation, the company offers its clients unique cloud platforms and once again enables professionals to work more smartly, leverage resources more effectively, and be more competitive.

The integrative cloud platform “Autodesk360” changes the way business is conducted.  The strong secured planning system it offers dramatically improves planning processes, simulation, cooperation and knowledge.  The project’s management services and cooperative services are cloud based, making it possible to store project documents, models, drafts, and every kind of file that is uploadable to the online portal base, define and manage project teams, seek data, and communicate with other team members.

These capabilities are available in two versions: the A360 free version, allowing the creation of one project with a total storage volume of 5GB (or 25GB for Autodesk maintenance subscribers), and the A360 Team version for a fee, which allows creating a large number of projects with a total volume of 10GB for $10 monthly for the year-long user, and even allows purchasing additional storage as needed.

Although the freebie version is based on resources of Autodesk software user communities for receiving information and answers to product questions, the A360 Team version includes training and basic technical support by both the international Autodesk company and its Israel representative, Omnitech.

As its name implies, the A360 Team platform allows comprehensive quality cooperation at any given moment.  The rpj team, its clients, partners and even the general public in some instances, can access the information and view the project data from any tablet or smartphone, or other mobile accessory, using designated applications.

Supporting more than 100 formats, including other CAD tools, without needed to convert information for viewing, the platform enables anyone to use the A360 to share information.  In this way the various factors involved in a project can work, manage processes, and share expertise and ideas easily and efficiently, even if they don’t have the Autodesk program, and in this way provide higher quality end products.

The A360 simultaneously changes the manner of accessing, using and purchasing Autodesk solutions.  It will always be possible to continue purchasing programs the traditional way, but now it is already possible with just one click to purchase a subscription, and enjoy a diverse array of innovative accessible cloud options.

This shiny sparkly stuff really is gold

From planning and engineering and all the way through to production and construction, projects become more complex.  Successfully implementing them means faster adaptation to change and coping with dynamic demands and challenges.  To achieve this, work teams must be mobile and information must be accessible to them,  allowing them to execute multileveled tasks when they need to, through continuous smooth communication options.

As a comprehensive end to end solution, covering the fully cycle of a product or project, the A360 platform is causing a revolution in the way architects, engineers, planners,  and development and production teams think, express themselves and work, enabling any idea to be expressed wherever it comes up.

A personal A360 account lets the user access the computer’s resources, cloud services, flexible and almost limitless storage at any time, grow based on business needs, present and edit files, model data, form, function, execution, production and processes, and run simulations, optimizations, intensive analysis and processing as part of the integral planning system.  And all of this – without the need for special software or hardware resources.

From the moment the account is opened, it sister possible to begin creating projects, upload files into them, organize files into folders, label and categorize documents and files to make location simpler, and view them through the structured advance display tool which supports most Autodesk software platforms and third party software, various image formats such as JPEG and GIF, and business formats such as Excel, Word and PDF.

Autodesk360 offers professional tools for leveraging platform resources easily and efficiently, such as: control panel for speedy access to all information relevant to the project, pin-it options to the home page for frequently accessed projects, an automatic mechanism to capture user activities, project schedule for coordinating project targets and meetings, tools for managing discussion and information sharing.

The social work environment offered by A360 is also integrative to common social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, and allows easily moving from an individual work format to working as part of a team.

 An entire world of SaaS solutions

In addition to the shared A360 app, the Autodesk360 platform allows accessing advanced apps for managing the product’s life cycle, structuring models, simulation, and styling in the fields of architecture and construction, infrastructure, production, media and entertainment.  The apps are available for use on the cloud, mobile, internet and social networks, and include, among other qualities:

Autodesk® PLM 360 for product life cycle management – an application for making processes more efficient.  It is intuitive, easy to spread and constitute part of Autodesk’s Digital Prototyping solution allowing businesses of any size to develop, produce and supply products more efficiently.

Autodesk® BIM 360™Glue® for building information modeling management (BIM) and cooperation  – a cloud based app allowing all team members in a project to work together and efficiently assist the work processes on a BIM project.  With mobile and internet access any time and from any place, to models and updated data, and support of 50 different 3D data and model formats, BIM 360 Glue empowers the multidisciplinary team’s capabilities to identify and resolve coordination problems effectively and far faster.  With BIM 360 Glue, contractors, architects, engineers and real estate linked businesses anywhere in the world can cooperate in real time across the project’s full life cycle.

Autodesk®  SIM 360 for simulation – an app that integrates core functions of desktop products in the field of simulation together with strong cloud based services that allow executing mechanical analysis and simulation of planning and engineering projects in the cloud anytime and anywhere.

Fusion 360 for design – the next generation 3D CAD.  Design in a completely different way with one tool integrating industrial and mechanical design together with cooperative capabilities in one package.  Easy to use, worthwhile, allows accessing designs anytime from anywhere, whether via More activities:, personal computer or mobile phone.

AutoCAD 360 – the internet and mobile app for reading and editing AutoCAD files, offering mobile CAD tools for drawing markers, red lines, adding remarks and images, sharing and storing files on the cloud – in the office, the client’s location, or in the field.

ReCap 360 – app for reality capture and 3D scanning that allows capturing real data and integrating them direct into the planning process.  Because the app works with Autodesk’s planning and production package, every plan can be commenced with precise  contextual 3D data of a full photograph quality instead of with an empty screen.

Energy Analysis for Revit – cloud based app for simulation and energy analysis that allows comparing energy costs and estimated life cycle.  The app is operated by the Green Building Studio which supports sustainable accessible planning.  Purchasing a permanent software license integrates with the maintenance subscription or Desktop Subscription for select prodcts.

Configurator 360 – the cloud based solution that offers engineers, sales representatives, and clients internet access and mobility to the product’s 3D configuration. Using this app, existing models can easily be uploaded to the cloud, and 3D configurations produced with personal labeling to impress client, provide them what they need, and expand the scope of sales.

Mockup 360 – an app that allows working with suppliers and clients more efficiently in a simple cloud based environment.  As part of the digital prototype solutions, the app supplies engineers and project managers with a production environment, sharing services, and digital templates for real time 3D planning.

 Instead of inventing the wheel – use momentum

As a powerful addition to the planning, production, structuring and engineering, Autodesk360 complements what is missing from existing work environments while supporting innovation.

Alongside business and operational flexibility, Autodesk360 streamlines processes, saves costs, allows smart allocation of resources and use of vital tools for implementing tasks at optimal levels.

Whether the specialist is the mechanical planner, engineer or architect, bridge builder or new product designer, Autodesk360 solutions allow everyone to imagine, plan and produce more effectively, more speedily, abused more innovatively.   The platform’s unique capabilities totally change the way organizations, teams and professionals currently work.  The revolution… is already here!

Written by Hemy Miller