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Management

Keeping the CAD Server Clean (CAD Manager's Toolbox)

9 Jul, 2008 By: Robert Green

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Here are some easy steps to declutter your CAD server and keep it clean and efficient.

Many CAD managers have a CAD server that is at least partially their responsibility to take care of. Given that our CAD standards, symbols, standard parts, plot files, and more live on the CAD server, it is definitely a major management concern.

But as time goes by, servers become cluttered and space gets tight. So what can you do to declutter the CAD server? Here are a few techniques I use.

Delete MP3 files. That's right; blow away downloaded music files that reside on the server using the good old-fashioned DOS command DEL like this (assuming that Q:\CAD is the CAD drive.

DEL Q:\CAD\*.MP3 /s

(The /s simply causes the delete operation to trudge through all subdirectories.) When people see their nonessential files being removed from the server, they'll start getting the message and will probably clear off the other garbage as well.

If it isn't standard, delete it. First back up any suspect directories, then zap the offending nonstandard files. If the content was critical, you'll find out shortly when someone comes looking, and then you'll give them the backup you made and have a conversation about storing information in the appropriate place next time. Over time this strategy gets rid of many improperly stored files.

Circulate a list of what you're deleting. An elegant variation of the above, this lets everybody see how much garbage is on the CAD server and why they need to get organized. Again, you'll back up the data before you delete, so you'll be covered no matter what.

I think you'll find that as you start using these concepts, your CAD server will get cleaned off pretty quickly and tend to stay that way because you'll be addressing user behavior as well as deleting files.

Do you have a suggestion/tip that should be in the CAD Manager's Toolbox? Send it to me at rgreen@cad-manager.com, and you might get a cool Cadalyst souvenir if I use your idea.