A steel detailing firm should back up everything its work depends on: the model server and all project files, its Microsoft 365 email and SharePoint data, and the configuration of key systems like the licence server, following the 3-2-1 principle, keeping one copy isolated from ransomware, and test-restoring regularly. The aim is a known, fast recovery for anything that could go wrong, not just the comfort of having backups. For most firms this is part of managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month. Here is what to cover and how.
Backups are the safety net under a detailing practice, but only if they cover the right things and actually work. Here is what good backup looks like for a CAD firm.
Back up the models and project files
The model server and all project files are the priority, because they are irreplaceable and represent the firm’s output. They should be backed up frequently and completely, so you can recover any project to a recent state. This is the core of a detailing firm’s backup, and it must be done thoroughly.
Do not forget Microsoft 365
Many firms assume Microsoft fully backs up their email and SharePoint, but it does not to the extent most expect. A dedicated Microsoft 365 backup protects your mail, SharePoint sites and OneDrive files from accidental deletion, departing staff and ransomware, and is one of the most commonly missing pieces of an otherwise solid setup.
Follow the 3-2-1 principle
Keep at least three copies of your data, on two types of media, with one off-site. That way no single failure, hardware, human error or attack, can wipe out every copy at once. It is a simple, proven rule that quietly prevents most data-loss disasters.
Keep one copy isolated
Because ransomware targets backups, at least one copy must be isolated or immutable so an attacker cannot reach and encrypt it. This isolated copy is what makes recovery from a serious attack possible, so it is the single most important feature of a backup built for today’s threats.
Test restores, not just backups
A backup you have never restored is only a hope. Regular test restores prove the data is really there and usable, and show how long recovery takes, so there are no nasty surprises during a real incident. Proven recovery is the entire point of backing up in the first place.
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 and your business genuinely protected? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.