Running Creo locally vs from a network share

[ScottGivens]

I am using Creo Parametric Release 4.0 and Datecode M120.

I previously came from a large Aerospace corporation where we had hundreds of Creo users, and Creo was installed locally on each client, and configuration files were managed on a network share.

In my current role, Creo Parametric is installed on a network share, and users are instructed to launch a client side bat file that contains "W:\Creo 4.0\M120\Parametric\bin\parametric.exe", W:\ being a network drive. We have roughly 20 Creo users. Actually launching and running Creo from a shared network resource is new to me.

Once Creo is launched and up and running, are there any performance impacts to be concerned about with this configuration, compared to having Creo installed locally on each client?

[BenLoosli]

Running Creo from a network server has benefits for the administration team with little impact on the end users.

I run Creo from a server install. I have the parametric.bat file call a local setup.bat file that sets files for each local group.

I can run my launch script and have one set of users on Creo 4 and another set on Creo 7. 

I can change from Creo 7.0.5.0 to Creo 7.0.7.0 with a change in the launch script and an email asking the users to log out and back in to get the new version.

Upgrades when running hundreds of local installs cam be as pain and take time unless you use an automated upgrade script. We tried that where I used to work and it took weeks to get the upgrade script right. I was not creating the script, another IT person was. We had over 250 installs of Wildfire at that time at it would take weeks to log into each workstation and do the upgrades. You also need to worry about who is interacting with whom, so someone with an older version does not need a file from someone who was upgraded already.

As for performance, there is a slight lag when switching modules as that code segment is downloaded to memory on the user's computer, but no one has complained about it. It isn't even enough to really notice unless you are looking for it with a stopwatch.

[TomU]

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@ScottGivens wrote:

Once Creo is launched and up and running, are there any performance impacts to be concerned about with this configuration, compared to having Creo installed locally on each client?

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Not that I've noticed.  The biggest delay is during startup where the Creo executable in physically copied across the network and into memory on the computer launching it.  Once running, there's no obvious difference.  I've run the Ocus Benchmark many times both locally and across the network and the run times are virtually identical.

[Chris3]

Its something you need to test on your network. We tested it several years back and there were dropped packets on the network leading to an increase in crashes. We had a slower network back then but we haven't given it another try.

We also have users that borrow licenses and work offline which wouldn't be possible with a network install.

[ScottGivens]

Hi @BenLoosli @TomU and @Chris3 , thanks for the reply.  I just ran into another issue related to this.

For our group, Creo is running off the network share, and they don't have write access to that location (as admin, I do).  When trying to open Pro/TABLE to edit a pattern table, they are unable to do so.  I imagine Creo needs to create some sort of temp file in order to do this, but can't due to write permissions.

Setting the option PART_TABLE_EDITOR to Excel doesn't work, as the same problem exists. (Ref https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/cs32249)

Have you run into this, and if so, how did you solve it?

I'm considering copying protab.bat over locally, then telling Creo where that is with the option PRO_EDITOR_COMMAND, but haven't tested it yet.

Thanks for your time!

-Scott

[TomU]

Users must have write permissions to Creo's start-in (working) directory.  This location should not be on the network.  It can be set right in the startup shortcut.

I have no trouble accessing the table editor with Creo running from the network because the temp table is created in my local working directory:

[ScottGivens]

Perfect @TomU !  That resolved the Pro/TABLE issue.  I'll continue to investigate running local vs network.