SOLIDWORKS PDM for Remote Teams: Upgrade the Server or Move to Cloud Desktops?

Moving a team to SOLIDWORKS 2027 starts with the PDM server, because a newer CAD release is not supported with an older PDM version. For many teams, that server upgrade also means a new database or operating system: PDM 2026 SP5 is the last release that supports SQL Server 2019, and the 2025 SP5 release was the last for Windows Server 2019. 

Where the rebuilt server runs also decides how quickly remote engineers can work. PDM copies files from the vault to the engineer’s PC on every check-out and get, so an engineer at home or in a second office waits on a VPN transfer that office users do not. Hosting the vault and the CAD desktops in the same data center removes that transfer, which makes the upgrade a good time to compare where PDM should run. 

Why Remote PDM Users Wait on File Transfers 

SOLIDWORKS PDM keeps files in a central vault and copies them to each user’s local cache when they check out or get a file. Check-ins send changed files from the PC back to the archive server. 

In the office, those copies run over the local network. For an engineer at home, the same copies run over a VPN connection to the server, and the transfer time grows with the size of the assembly and the speed of that connection. 

PDM Professional offers two built-in ways to help. Archive replication places a copy of the archive at another site, and the Web2 client gives browser access to the vault. Replication adds a server to maintain at each site, and Web2 does not run SOLIDWORKS, so engineers who model still need the files on a machine that runs the CAD software. 

What SOLIDWORKS 2027 Requires from the PDM Server 

The SOLIDWORKS PDM 2026 release notes state that a newer version of SOLIDWORKS with an older version of SOLIDWORKS PDM is not supported. The vault moves to PDM 2027 before or together with the move to SOLIDWORKS 2027. 

The PDM column combines the release notes with the SOLIDWORKS system requirements. Based on those last supported releases, a PDM 2027 vault needs SQL Server 2022 or 2025 on Windows Server 2022 or 2025. 

Microsoft’s dates and SOLIDWORKS’ dates measure different things. Microsoft supports SQL Server 2019 with security updates until January 2030, while SOLIDWORKS drops it after PDM 2026 SP5. An IT team that checks only Microsoft’s lifecycle pages can conclude a server is fine when it cannot run the next PDM release. 

The gap also runs the other way. Microsoft ended mainstream support for Windows Server 2022 on October 13, 2026, and SOLIDWORKS still lists it as supported through SOLIDWORKS 2028 SP5. SOLIDWORKS presented the 2027 release in its What’s New in SOLIDWORKS 2027 session on October 15, so these dates matter for upgrade plans being made now. 

Four Ways to Run PDM After the Upgrade 

Teams usually choose between four setups, and the right one depends on the age of the current server and where engineers work. 

1. Upgrade the Current Server 

If the existing server hardware supports Windows Server 2022 or 2025, upgrading the existing server may be the lower-cost option if its hardware is compatible and still meets the team’s performance needs. It suits teams where most engineers work in the same office as the server, and the hardware still has warranty left.  

Remote engineers keep the same experience they have today. Their check-outs and Gets still run over the VPN to the office. 

2. Buy a New On-Premises Server 

A new server suits teams whose current hardware cannot run Windows Server 2022 or 2025. It adds a hardware purchase and a migration of the vault database and archive. 

The office remains the only place where PDM runs at local network speed. For a team with a second office, archive replication adds another server to that site. 

3. Run the Vault on a Cloud Server 

Moving the PDM server to a cloud virtual machine removes the server’s hardware, and every location reaches the vault the same way. The CAD workstations still run SOLIDWORKS locally, so check-outs, Gets, and check-ins travel between the cloud server and each engineer’s PC over a VPN connection. 

Engineers in the office now also reach the vault over the internet. Your IT team keeps responsibility for Windows Server patching, SQL Server maintenance, and backups. 

4. Host PDM With Managed Cloud Desktops 

With a managed desktop as a service, the PDM server and the SOLIDWORKS desktops run in the same environment. Engineers connect to a cloud-hosted desktop, and check-outs, Gets, and check-ins move files between the desktop and the vault inside the data center. 

The engineer’s internet connection carries the desktop session through Citrix HDX, meaning display updates and keyboard and mouse input. The CAD files themselves stay in the data center, so an engineer at home and an engineer in the office work against the vault the same way.  

Running PDM Next to GPU-Powered Desktops 

SOLIDWORKS states in its system requirements that SOLIDWORKS and eDrawings require a GPU for optimal performance in a virtualized environment. For graphics-intensive SOLIDWORKS workloads, GPU-powered virtual desktops with appropriately sized NVIDIA vGPU profiles can help deliver better modeling and assembly performance. 

PDM roles have lower requirements. SOLIDWORKS lists 8 GB of RAM for PDM Contributor and PDM Viewer users, which makes a standard hosted virtual desktop the starting point for them. Confirm each role’s daily tasks during a trial before you assign desktops. 

Ace Cloud Hosting delivers these desktops through Managed Citrix DaaS solutions. In one SOLIDWORKS case study, a US industrial machinery manufacturer with engineering teams in the US and India had slow, inconsistent remote access to SOLIDWORKS. The company moved to Windows 11 cloud desktops with SOLIDWORKS and PDM pre-installed, and the move included PDM configuration and data migration. It scaled from 9 to 37 users in 43 days. 

You bring your SOLIDWORKS, PDM, and SQL Server licenses, and the SolidNetWork License Manager can run in the same environment to serve floating licenses. Confirm license transfers with your SOLIDWORKS reseller before the move. 

CASE STUDY

Scaling SOLIDWORKS From 9 to 37 Users in 43 Days

See how a US manufacturer gave US and India teams SOLIDWORKS and PDM on Windows 11 cloud desktops. 

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PDM Upgrade Checklist for SOLIDWORKS 2027 

Start by recording the Windows Server version, SQL Server version, ODBC driver, and PDM release on every PDM server, including archive servers in other offices. Compare each server with the table below. 

Next, check the licensing and supporting components. Confirm whether your current SQL Server agreement covers SQL Server 2022 or 2025 with your Microsoft licensing provider. The PDM 2026 release notes also list three requirements that IT teams often miss. 

A routine driver update can install ODBC Driver 18, so check the driver version on PDM servers and clients before you apply Windows updates to those machines. 

Then plan the upgrade itself. Confirm that SOLIDWORKS supports the upgrade path from your current PDM, SQL Server, and Windows Server versions, take a full backup of the vault databases and archive, and confirm you can restore it. Test the full upgrade on a staging server first. 

Upgrade the server operating system and SQL Server, then the PDM server components and vaults, and move SOLIDWORKS workstations last. After the upgrade, test check-in, check-out, workflows, and permissions from the office and from a remote location before users return. 

Check List

Citrix DaaS Deployment Preparation Checklist

Get the checklist →

Check List

Citrix DaaS Deployment Preparation Checklist

Prepare users, apps, data, and network access before you move to cloud desktops. 

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If your engineering workstations also run Windows 10, SOLIDWORKS on Windows 10 after 2026 covers the workstation side of the same plan. For a broader look at remote setups, see how to run SOLIDWORKS remotely. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Does SOLIDWORKS support my VPN for remote PDM access? 

SOLIDWORKS does not test or certify VPN products, according to the notes on its system requirements page. Support for VPN problems is best effort, and you may be directed to your VPN provider. 

Can antivirus software slow down PDM check-ins? 

It can. The system requirements recommend antivirus exemptions for SOLIDWORKS file types and folder locations to speed up file open, file save, and vault check-in and check-out. 

Can the PDM server run other applications? 

SOLIDWORKS recommends against installing other applications on the PDM archive server or database server. For PDM Professional, it also recommends running the archive server and the database server on two separate, dedicated machines. 

Does the SolidNetWork License Manager need to match the PDM release? 

Yes. The PDM release notes state that PDM 2025 requires SolidNetWork License Manager 2025, so upgrade the license manager to the same release as the vault. 

How often do SolidNetWork licenses need reactivation? 

Once a year. The PDM release notes state that SolidNetWork License products need reactivation every year, including products from an earlier release.