A detailing firm should host its shared Tekla models on a properly specced, resilient central server, with enough performance and fast storage to serve large model files quickly, RAID or similar redundancy so a single disk failure does not stop the team, close monitoring to catch problems early, and tested backups of everything. Because the whole practice works off these files, that server is critical infrastructure and must be treated as such. For most firms it is managed as part of IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month. Here is what good hosting looks like.
The shared model server is the heart of a detailing practice, every drawing and deadline depends on it. Here is how to host it so it stays fast and never lets the team down.
Spec it for big files and many users
Serving large Tekla models to a team at once needs real performance: enough processor and memory, and fast storage such as SSDs, so opening and saving models is quick for everyone. An underpowered or ageing server makes every save feel slow across the whole office, so sizing it correctly is the foundation.
Build in resilience
Because the server holds the work the entire practice depends on, it needs redundancy, RAID storage so a single failed disk does not cause an outage, and ideally resilient power and a UPS. The aim is that common hardware faults are ridden out without the team even noticing, rather than becoming a lost day.
Monitor it closely
Proactive monitoring of the server, its disks, storage health, resources and the model share, catches problems early: a disk showing errors, storage filling up, a service struggling. Catching these before they bite is what turns a potential failure into a quiet, scheduled fix rather than a sudden crisis mid-project.
Back it up and test restores
The models on this server are irreplaceable, so they must be backed up, with at least one isolated copy and regular test restores so you know recovery works and how long it takes. A backup you have never restored is only a hope, and for data this valuable, hope is not enough.
Plan its lifecycle
A server has a finite life, so it should be replaced on a planned basis before it becomes unreliable or unsupported, rather than run until it fails. Treating the model server as critical kit with a managed refresh plan keeps the practice on dependable hardware and avoids the worst-case scenario of a failure with no easy way back.
What to ask a provider
A specialist for steel detailers should be able to answer:
- Have you supported Tekla detailing practices and CAD firms, including their licensing, before?
- How do you keep our Tekla licences, workstations and model server running to a fabrication deadline?
- How do you let us share drawings and models securely with fabricators and contractors?
- What is your response time when Tekla is down and the whole team is stopped?
- Is the price clear and per user, with security included rather than charged separately?
Where to start
If you are not sure where your practice stands, a short review is the quickest way to find out: check that your Tekla licences are hosted reliably and not on a single neglected server, that your workstations and file server are sized for your models, that drawings are shared securely with MFA, and that your backups are tested. Those few checks show where a CAD-aware managed setup would pay off.
The bottom line
For a steel detailing firm, good IT is the difference between hitting a fabrication deadline and missing it. Tekla opens first time for every detailer, the model server stays fast even on the heaviest jobs, drawings reach fabricators securely, and the work is backed up so nothing is ever lost. The technology stays out of the way and the team gets on with detailing.
That reliability comes from a setup built around how detailers actually work, high-RAM workstations, properly hosted licences and models, and tested backups, rather than generic office IT. For a small practice whose whole output depends on a few CAD seats and one file server, a predictable per-user cost for that dependability is far cheaper than a day with the whole team locked out of Tekla.
Why steel detailers choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including engineering and design firms, and we understand how a steel detailing practice works: Tekla Structures, AutoCAD, Autodesk and Graitec licensing, high-RAM CAD workstations, large-model file servers, secure SharePoint project sharing with fabricators, and Datto backup for irreplaceable models. We support firms across Essex, Hertfordshire and London. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we have been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want your models hosted and protected the way a detailing firm needs? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.