We look after IT for architecture and engineering practices: workstations specified for Revit, Archicad and rendering, fast access to project files across offices, and backup for models and drawing sets, alongside Microsoft 365 and security.
Project file accessStorage and links sized for large models and drawing sets, whether files sit local, hybrid or in the cloud
Secure project dataImmutable backups of project folders and model versions, with DLP on tenders, fee proposals and client information
Design workstationsCPU, GPU and memory matched to Revit, Archicad and rendering loads
Copilot at workCopilot and AI agents working across specs, reports and project correspondence, within your project permissions
Sector focus
IT for large models and hard deadlines
Architecture studios, engineering consultancies and multidisciplinary firms push their IT in different places, from rendering and drawing sets to point clouds and survey data, or several offices working on one live project.
Architecture practices
Models · Drawing sets · Rendering
Architecture practices run on large Revit or Archicad models, drawing sets changing right up to issue and rendering on high-end workstations.
We keep that environment fast and controlled across every office, from the workstation on the desk to the project site in SharePoint.
RevitArchicadAutoCADRenderingSharePointBackup
What we look after
Workstations specified and configured for Revit, Archicad, AutoCAD and rendering
Fast access to live project files from every office and from home
Teams and SharePoint structured around projects and stages
Plotters, large-format printers and displays in every studio
Project folders and model versions backed up through the day
New software versions tested and rolled out with your BIM lead
Coordination with Autodesk resellers and CDE providers
Engineering consultancies
Civil 3D · Point clouds · Field teams
Engineering consultancies combine design offices with field work: Civil 3D and 12d models, survey data and point clouds measured in hundreds of gigabytes, calculation software and staff working on site.
That puts the weight on storage, networks and devices. We size storage and links for large datasets, manage field laptops and tablets to the same standard as the office, and keep survey and model data recoverable.
Civil 3D12dPoint cloudsSurvey dataField devices
What we look after
Storage and networks sized for point clouds and survey data
Workstations for Civil 3D, 12d and modelling software
Managed laptops and tablets for site and field staff
Secure remote access from site and client offices
Links between offices and sites, with SD-WAN where it fits
Backup and recovery for survey, model and calculation data
Coordination with software vendors, carriers and hardware suppliers
Multidisciplinary firms
Several offices · Shared projects · Acquisitions
Multidisciplinary firms run architecture, engineering and other disciplines across several offices, and many grow by acquisition.
We give them one setup: one identity model, consistent workstations and security in every office, links between offices that keep shared files fast, and a staged approach to acquisitions that starts with identity and works around project deadlines.
One identitySD-WANAcquisitionsMicrosoft 365Co-managed
What we look after
One identity and device standard across every office
SD-WAN and secure links between offices
Acquired teams moved onto the group’s identity first, without interrupting project work
Consistent patching, security and backup in every office
Microsoft 365 structured across disciplines and projects
Co-managed support alongside internal IT and BIM leads
Recovery planned across shared project data
Project data
Where project data lives
We usually split project data into four practical zones, because each needs different storage, access and protection. We map yours before we change anything, then manage it that way.
Live work
Models and drawings in progress
Lives on
Local or hybrid file storage, close to the workstations
Access
Project team, by project
Protection
Snapshots through the day and immutable backup
Recovery priority
First, in hours
Coordination
Shared models and issued sets
Lives on
A CDE or cloud worksharing, run by the vendor
Access
Project team, signed in through the CDE
Protection
MFA, secure sign-in and bandwidth sized for sync
Recovery priority
Sign-in restored first, data held by the vendor
Correspondence
Email, Teams and project documents
Lives on
Microsoft 365
Access
Staff, by team and project
Protection
DLP, sensitivity labels and Microsoft 365 backup
Recovery priority
Same day
Archive
Closed projects
Lives on
Immutable archive storage
Access
Directors and the records owner
Protection
Retained for the firm’s liability period
Recovery priority
On request, restore tested yearly
What we manage
The systems we look after day to day
From the workstation on the desk to the project archive, this is the IT we look after for design firms.
Users and IT support
Designers, engineers, drafters and project staff message us in Microsoft Teams and follow the request there, with AI-assisted triage routing it to the right engineer. New starters are set up ahead of time, and a deadline-critical outage is a P1. Under our SLA-driven support model, the response target for a P1 incident is under 15 minutes.
Microsoft 365 and identity
Teams and SharePoint are set up around projects and stages, with MFA and Conditional Access on every account. Data loss prevention (DLP) and sensitivity labels are part of the setup, covering tender documents, fee proposals and client information.
Workstations and devices
Workstations are specified and configured for Revit, Civil 3D and rendering workloads, with the graphics, memory and drivers each needs. Driver and Windows updates are scheduled around deadlines, and new design software versions are tested and rolled out in step with your BIM lead.
Cloud, infrastructure and networks
File servers, hybrid storage and Azure are chosen for how project files behave: size, locking and sync. Links between offices, and internet capacity for cloud worksharing, are sized for the work.
Backup and recovery
Immutable backups of project folders and model versions, with restores tested, and recovery that puts live submissions first. Archives stay retrievable for years, which matters in NSW, where practitioners working on regulated designs have record-keeping obligations under the Design and Building Practitioners Regulation 2021.
Vendors and design software
Autodesk, Graphisoft, Bentley and 12d software, and CDEs such as Autodesk Construction Cloud or Aconex, all depend on the workstations, storage and connectivity we manage. We coordinate with each vendor, reseller and your BIM manager.
Cybersecurity and client data
Identity, endpoint and email security, patching and privileged access are part of the service, with Essential Eight-aligned controls and SOC and MDR when you need monitored response. We keep the evidence government clients, tender panels and insurers ask for.
Copilot, AI and automation
We review project SharePoint and Teams permissions so Copilot stays inside each project. Beyond Copilot, we build AI agents for tender, fee proposal and specification review, and set clear boundaries for AI design tools that handle client material.
We manage what that software runs on: workstations, storage, networks, Microsoft 365, backup and security, and we package and roll out new versions across your fleet. The software itself stays with its vendor and your BIM or CAD manager, and we work with them when an issue crosses over.
Why are our Revit or project files slow?
Usually the cause sits around the software: storage that can’t keep up with file locking, links between offices, sync clients fighting over large files, or workstations below spec. We test each layer and fix the one causing the slowdown.
Should project files move to the cloud?
Some should and some shouldn’t. Correspondence and issued documents usually belong in Microsoft 365 or a CDE, while large live models often run better on local or hybrid storage. That was the call for Australis Facade, where live design files stayed on local storage.
What workstation spec do Revit and rendering need?
It depends on the work. Much of Revit runs on single-threaded CPU speed and memory, while GPU renderers such as Enscape and V-Ray GPU lean on the graphics card and its memory. We spec by role, so a drafter, a modeller and a visualiser each get the right machine, and we test against your own models before you buy.
How much does Managed IT cost for a design firm?
The price depends on users, sites, the technology being managed and security requirements. Microsoft licensing, hardware and project work are identified separately. Use our Managed IT cost calculator for an indicative estimate.
How does onboarding work for a design firm?
We start by documenting your environment: access, workstations, storage, design software, vendors, security controls and any open issues. We then bring each area under management in stages, beginning with monitoring and backup, and plan around project deadlines.
How long do NSW design practitioners need to keep project records?
Under the Design and Building Practitioners Regulation 2021, registered practitioners must keep records for at least 10 years from the date the building work was completed, including copies of regulated designs and the compliance declarations they provided. Those files have to stay retrievable long after the project team and software versions have moved on. We keep closed projects in immutable archive storage, control who can reach them and test a restore each year.
Can Copilot see our tender and fee proposal files?
Microsoft 365 Copilot works within each user’s existing permissions, so if tender folders or fee proposals are shared too widely, Copilot can surface them. Before rollout we review SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive permissions, remove old “anyone with the link” sharing and apply sensitivity labels to commercial documents. After that, Copilot works inside the same boundaries as the rest of Microsoft 365.
How do we protect project files from ransomware?
With several layers. MFA on every account and endpoint detection on every workstation make it harder for an attacker to get in. Snapshots through the day let you roll a project folder back to the morning, and immutable backups keep a copy ransomware can’t change. Recovery is planned so live submissions come back first, and restores are tested on a schedule, with monitored response where SOC and MDR are in place. Incident plans also include the ransomware payment report due within 72 hours for businesses with annual turnover above $3 million.
How does co-managed IT work alongside our internal IT as the firm grows?
Your internal IT person or BIM lead keeps the work that needs local knowledge, and we take on the rest: IT support, Microsoft 365 and identity, security monitoring, backup, networks and the infrastructure behind your project files. As you add staff or offices, we set up new sites, devices and links to the same standard, so shared models stay fast between studios. The split is agreed up front and can change as the firm grows, including a move to fully managed IT when that makes more sense.
What reporting and reviews do we get?
You can check the health of your systems at any time through your support portal, and you get a monthly snapshot of support, security and backup activity. Each quarter we meet to look ahead at new offices and staff, workstation and storage replacements, software versions, licensing and security improvements, so upgrades are budgeted before they become urgent. The reporting and meeting rhythm is set to suit your firm.
