Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2021 - 18

Cloud Software
Tech Briefs: When referring to cloud
software, some distinctions must be
made. What is the difference between
" software as a service " and " software in
the cloud? "
Michael Lafleche: There is a substantial
difference between simply copying your
CAD system in the cloud versus architecting
the system to work specifically as a set
of services optimized for the cloud. With a
true SaaS (Software as a Service) model,
CAD system components are optimized in
a distributed model using trusted services
like Amazon's AWS and Microsoft's Azure
hosting platforms. This is coupled with a
fresh approach for accessing your design
software and data with zero file copies
along with increased access to the system
via a " bring your own device " approach.
This enables global real-time co-working
on design projects in a secure fashion.
Paul Brown: There are technical distinctions
between " as a service " and " in
the cloud " but it is also important not to
lose sight of what business problem a
company is
trying to solve by moving
from on-premises installations to either
of the two cloud approaches. CAD in the
cloud allows companies to use the same
software as on their desktop but streamed
to users through cloud services, getting
the benefit of cloud computing power
and access from any device using tried
and trusted solutions. As a service, products
are solutions that are designed to be
run specifically in cloud environments
using a browser-type interface.
Srinath Jonnalagadda: CAD in the
cloud embodies modern computing
technologies and benefits that bring
tremendous value to design and engineering.
Collaboration becomes a nonissue.
Once access is granted to the parties
involved in a project, everyone sees
the latest iteration of the project, gets
views filtered to what's important to
their role, and can do so from whatever
device they use - a desktop workstation,
home-based laptop, tablet, or through a
browser. The distinction between CAD
as a service and CAD in the cloud is an
important one in that cloud-native tools
offer all these benefits and more, while
CAD as a service can indicate a more
limited offering of existing legacy software
designed for a desktop or server
environment, offered on a virtual ma -
chine with a remote log-in.
18
Cov
Danielle Lopez: The distinctive element
for software that runs in the cloud
is that it runs in a data center - or many
data centers - operated by an external
party. This can include software as a service,
where the software is performing a
service or function for the user, which
can use cloud-based servers. As a company
that performs manufacturing as a
service, providing easy access to a virtual
part warehouse
through
the
cloud
makes it simple for our customers to
navigate their manufacturing needs.
That easy accessibility, facilitated by the
cloud-based data center, is a defining
mark of cloud technology.
impor " It's
Lopez: This is a complicated question
that comes down to which factors are
tant to
step back and take a
macro view sometimes.
Shifting to the cloud is change, and
change can be a difficult challenge for
both companies and individuals.
"
Srinath Jonnalagadda
Mark Rushton: Anyone can put desktop-installed
CAD in the cloud with
streaming technologies; however, by
doing this, you miss out on many of the
potential benefits and pay a higher price
for it. CAD as a service is much more valuable.
In our case, it is much more than
CAD. It is collaboration, data management,
and complete business innovation
platform that brings the entire organization
together, digitally transforming their
processes in a single, secure cloud environment.
The next-generation CAD tools
are just a part of the solution.
Tech Briefs: There are may " pros " to
using software in the cloud such as
mobility and eliminating installation of
software onto a computer or device. But
there are also major " cons " involved -
the most concerning being security and
suitable Internet access. How do you
decide if the pros outweigh the cons?
Brown: Companies must balance the
value that using cloud software brings with
these challenges. Recognizing the limitations
of network infrastructure is important
but we have found that current streaming
platforms deliver good performance
even on high-latency networks. A major
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most important for your business. When
evaluating a cloud-based software option,
it's important to consider how central
the function is to the core of your business.
That should indicate how much
weight " cons " like security and connectivity
should have. With cloud-based software,
even when physical infrastructure
is lost or destroyed, the data is safe residing
in the cloud. For every new vendor
and partner you work with - especially
those dealing with sensitive information
- it's critical to fully vet their security
practices before using their technology.
Lafleche: Security is one of the greatest
strengths of a pure SaaS or cloud-based
system. For example, we have security
measures built-in by the very nature of
how the system is built. So, when granting
design rights
to the engineering and
manufacturing team, the rights can be set
to allow editing for some users but not
copying or sharing. The fundamental
issues of sharing data through the supply
chain can now be solved by granting
access rights to a set of information, with
those rights always being controlled.
Rushton: Mobility is nice and it is definitely
convenient but it is not the major
benefit of a cloud solution. The events
of the past 18 months have definitely
accelerated our clients' desires to more
easily access their data, particularly for
remote and home workers. With the
cloud,
there is
less
software maintenance
required, less server hardware to
purchase and keep up to date, and more
hardware choices to access and author
data. Suitable Internet access is rapidly
growing all over the world and is rarely
an objection we come across. Security is
something that gets mentioned but in
many ways, the cloud gives you more
security. You know exactly who is accessing
data at any point in time and you
can remove that access if necessary.
Tech Briefs, September 2021
pro for cloud-based solutions is the flexibility
it brings for work to be done at any
location. It is important to look at security
as part of that flexibility. With cloud-based
solutions, data never needs to leave a company's
environment. No matter where people
are working from, the data remains
inside the firewall - no emailing files, no
moving files using file transfer systems, no
need to move files on USB memory sticks.
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Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2021

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