Advice Setting Up Student Use of PDM Standard

[DennisD]

I am working with a local high school and the students have the educational version of SWX Premium, which includes SWX PDM Standard. We cannot use a network drive on the school system for a vault. All of the students this summer will be using SWX from their personal computers.

I am looking for suggestions on how we can set up a vault and manage files between us. There are only going to be four to six of us trying to share files.

TIA!

- - -Dennis

[AlexB]

PDM requires a central server for file storage and running of the archive and database server processes. This could be as simple as a PC sitting in the corner of your classroom that's always on and only your computers can access. Is that something that's possible?

If they will be using their personal computers, are they on the school's domain? Will they be on-site or is this remote? Their local account and possibly VPN credentials would have to grant them access to the PDM server on your network.

I think a conversation about these options with the IT group of the school would be a good idea to get the ball rolling.

[DennisD]

PDM requires a central server for file storage and running of the archive and database server processes. This could be as simple as a PC sitting in the corner of your classroom that's always on and only your computers can access. Is that something that's possible? Not possible.

If they will be using their personal computers, are they on the school's domain? Will they be on-site or is this remote? Their local account and possibly VPN credentials would have to grant them access to the PDM server on your network. Remote, not on school domain.

I think a conversation about these options with the IT group of the school would be a good idea to get the ball rolling.

Unfortunately, the problem is that we are completely off the school network. For one, the school network has very restrictive access. The students can save their practice SWX files, but cannot even save their menu preferences.

The situation is several people operating on their own computers and not even on a shared network. We are currently using a Google drive, but this is a very manual process of checking which files are newer and copying those. Dropbox would be better, but it still has impediments.

That is why I asked here, hoping that someone has already solved this problem. I am thinking now of a cloud-based system, but we need a free system for the students to use. We are only using SWX desktop, and not their other confusions.

The PDM only needs to handle our SWX files, it does not actually have to be a SWX PDM.

[AlexB]

Unfortunately, the problem is that we are completely off the school network. For one, the school network has very restrictive access. The students can save their practice SWX files, but cannot even save their menu preferences.

That is unfortunate. It sounds like the Solidworks PDM Standard will not work for your situation. Hopefully someone can comment with another solution that may work with cloud storage, but I don't have any experience outside of SW PDM.

[AlexB]

I just remembered this thread. Will something like this help? I'm not sure if it will work on a google drive but it's worth a shot
viewtopic.php?p=27453#p27453

[Frederick_Law]

Hmmm someone can write addin to use any Cloud storage to work like Vault with Check in and Check out.
Problem with current cloud is sync timing. Sync will lock user from saving, modifying files. Sometimes it sync between SW saving files and cause crash and file lost.

The 3D youknowwhat is the only realtime share platform for SW.

[DennisD]

I just got this response from my VAR:
"You could place a PDM Server in the cloud but you would need someone to pay for that through AWS or Azure. I know you said that you did not want cloud CAD. The 3DX Platform is not PDM however it is also not Cloud CAD. You use desktop SolidWorks that is connected to the cloud. It allows for collaboration or storage. For a situation like this it may be your best option. I would recommend reaching out to the person at SolidWorks who set you up with the CAD and see if they can provide you with Platform licenses as well."

We don't have the money to rent such space. My VAR referred me to someone at 3DS who is out of the office until June 1. Hopefully he can help.

[JSculley]

Amazon AWS and MS Azure have 12 month free tiers and a signup credit. The free tier machine specs are underwhelming but you might want to give it a try.

[mattpeneguy]

Amazon AWS and MS Azure have 12 month free tiers and a signup credit. The free tier machine specs are underwhelming but you might want to give it a try.

@DennisD,
Also, since this is education related, it may be free or greatly discounted after that. Be sure to include that in the inquiry.

[josh]

As long as you don't need remote access or internet, you could easily set up your own wifi network inside the school with a basic PC running the PDM. All you would need is a router.

[mattpeneguy]

As long as you don't need remote access or internet, you could easily set up your own wifi network inside the school with a basic PC running the PDM. All you would need is a router.

That PC needs to be running Windows Server of some sort, correct?
Also, PDM needs to be set up and administered.

@DennisD,
Have you setup PDM before?

[josh]

I don't think Windows Server is required for PDM Standard. Pretty sure I've heard of small offices setting it up on one of the workstations. But I wouldn't take that to the bank. It doesn't sound like the students need PDM Pro.

[mattpeneguy]

I don't think Windows Server is required for PDM Standard. Pretty sure I've heard of small offices setting it up on one of the workstations. But I wouldn't take that to the bank. It doesn't sound like the students need PDM Pro.

I remember when I setup Workgroup PDM I had it running on a PC to test it out. I didn't do it that way when we moved over to PDM Standard because we already had a server setup and running.
So, I'm not sure if it will or won't run on a regular PC...There's always this:

But that's what is officially supported.

Anyone try installing PDM Standard Server on a non-server Windows OS?

Makes it easier if it can be on a PC because it could just be installed on the instructor's PC instead of having a dedicated PC.

[AlexB]

Anyone try installing PDM Standard Server on a non-server Windows OS?

Makes it easier if it can be on a PC because it could just be installed on the instructor's PC instead of having a dedicated PC.

I've had a test vault installed on a Windows 10 PC for a long time now. It's using a development license for SQL, which is equivalent to SQL Express I believe. It works fine locally, however I haven't tried opening it up to the network to allow access from other users. I imagine it would work fine for a simple PDM Standard server for a class of students.

I really like Josh's suggestion. The only issue I see is that student changes can only be checked in to the server when they're in the classroom.

[Diaval]

As long as you don't need remote access or internet, you could easily set up your own wifi network inside the school with a basic PC running the PDM. All you would need is a router.

This kind of a setup with SWPDM Standard would work just fine for your needs. Students would be limited to checking out/in and caching files only while in class, but they can cache the files the need to work on and then take the vault view offline at the end of class for working on the files outside of class. Then at the start of each class they can go online with the vault view and check in their changes to the server.

You would not need a server OS for this setup. A regular PC with Win 10 or Win 11 would work.

When installing SQL Express, there are a couple of additional steps required to enable SQL for remote access over a network. These are detailed in the Installation guide.

For this kind of a setup you only need to install the Archive server and client. You will not need the Database Server Service so I would recommend not installing it.

The SNL server is required to handle the PDM licenses but this can also be installed on the same system with the Archive server. You should be able to get the licenses for this from your VAR.

[DennisD]

I would love to use the SWX Standard, but the situation does not support it. We are all working on separate computers and not on any network, nor do we have one we can VPN into. We are looking at a cloud-based PDM that has been giving free use to students in the FIRST robotics program. Bild https://www.getbild.com/
We have only made contact with them, but it looks like it can easily serve our purpose.

[Diaval]

I would love to use the SWX Standard, but the situation does not support it. We are all working on separate computers and not on any network, nor do we have one we can VPN into. We are looking at a cloud-based PDM that has been giving free use to students in the FIRST robotics program. Bild https://www.getbild.com/
We have only made contact with them, but it looks like it can easily serve our purpose.

You could use a router to setup a local network that would be isolated to the classroom but that would be more work than using a cloud based solution. Good luck with Bild and I hope it can serve your needs!