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Autodesk Revit is a comprehensive BIM software that offers businesses advanced features for 3D modeling, visualization, rendering, and multi-disciplinary team collaboration for AEC projects. However, as desktop software, Autodesk Revit faces the same access, scalability, and flexibility issues as other desktop applications.
To overcome these limitations, most businesses have adopted traditional VDI solutions that enable multiple users to work on Autodesk Revit from remote locations without worrying about security. But the problem with traditional VDI is that it utilizes virtual CPUs to process resource-intensive tasks. It results in remote users experiencing frozen screens, slow responses, and application crashes.
A better solution is a GPU-powered VDI platform. VDI GPU enables parallel data processing for graphics-intensive tasks, ensuring hassle-free completion of large construction projects.
Let’s discuss the reasons why GPU VDI is the perfect choice for AEC businesses.
1. Smooth 3D Navigation and Interactions
3D visualization enables engineers and architects to validate designs and detect clashes. However, in a CPU-based VDI, analyzing detailed geometry and switching views in real time can be laggy and delayed.
A GPU VDI, on the other hand, enables real-time navigation, even for heavy designs. Users can easily zoom, rotate, or pan on remote devices without any delays, as if they were working on an on-premises system. Real-time interactions enhance operational productivity as architects can validate designs without fuss.
2. Faster Design Revisions
Revisions are inevitable in an AEC project. However, a CPU-based VDI can take significant time to update changes or render. These delays, when they happen frequently, can stretch project deadlines.
GPU-powered VDI minimizes project delays by enabling real-time updates. Consequently, designers can experiment with ideas, test options, and modify elements without disrupting the workflow.
3. Better Performance for Large Linked Models
Autodesk Revit enables architects to link multiple models within a single project. These models can be architectural or structural. However, linking too many model files to a project can cause performance issues. Without GPU support, you experience delays in switching views or activating worksets.
CPU offloads graphics-intensive tasks to the GPU, ensuring optimum performance, even for AEC projects with multiple linked models. Multiple users can work on different models in real time.
4. Real-Time Rendering and Visualization
Rendering realistic materials, lighting conditions, and shadows requires significant graphical processing power. GPU VDI enables richer design outputs and allows teams to take advantage of advanced BIM capabilities. Even when working with heavy models, designers can generate real-time previews and work on resource-intensive visualization tools.
5. Support for Extension and Plugin
Autodesk Revit offers a wide range of plugins and extensions for additional functionality. Some of these tools are graphics-intensive and require hardware acceleration. For instance, Twinmotion, an extension of Autodesk Revit, is a 3D visualization tool that requires a dedicated graphics card.
GPU VDI supports any extension and plugin you want to integrate with Autodesk Revit. You can upgrade cores, memory, or bandwidth to meet the requirements of these applications.
6. Enhanced Stability for Heavy Workloads
When CPU-powered VDI handles heavy workloads, frequent crashes are inevitable. Designers experience frozen screens while working on resource-intensive tasks such as reinforcement design.
GPU VDI ensures highly stable operations even under heavy workloads. While the CPU handles calculations, the GPU handles graphical processing. This balanced workload reduces system strain and improves overall stability.
7. Real-time Collaboration for Multidisciplinary Project Teams
An AEC project involves multiple professionals from different domains, including architects, contractors, and engineers. In CPU VDI, when multiple collaborators work from different locations simultaneously, it can place additional load on the processors, leading to application crashes. VDI GPU allows the entire multidisciplinary team to work on the project simultaneously without any performance issues.
GPU vs CPU for Autodesk Revit: A Comparison
| Parameters | GPU | CPU |
| 3D Navigation | Smooth panning, zooming, and rotating | Frequent lags while navigating |
| Linked Models Support | Supports a project with several linked models | Delays in opening the project file and switching between views |
| 3D Rendering | Enables real-time rendering | High rendering time due to slow processing |
| 3D Visualization | High-resolution outputs | Sub-optimal outputs with unresponsive screens |
| Stability | Stable performance, even when working on heavy workloads | Frozen screens, lags, and choppy output |
| Model Regeneration | GPU assists visual redraw; smoother model updates | Slower screen refresh after edits |
Get a free assessment of your model size, user count, and performance requirements to determine the right VDI architecture.
Hosted VDI GPU: A One-stop Solution For Autodesk Revit
GPU-powered cloud VDI provides designers and architects with a collaborative, high-performance platform to streamline project operations. However, deploying VDI on-premises comes with its own set of challenges, including substantial investments, skill shortage, and data security.
You can overcome these by outsourcing VDI GPU services to a cloud service provider. With GPU-enabled cloud VDI, you can reap all the benefits of VDI GPU without the hassles and costs of in-house deployment.
Let’s discuss the benefits of VDI GPU hosting services in detail.
1. Advanced Data Security
Hosted VDI providers ensure comprehensive data protection with security features, such as 256-bit data encryption, multi-factor authentication, Intrusion Detection and Prevention (IDPS), gateway and distributed firewalls, OS patching, antivirus, EDR, and access controls. They have a team of cloud experts that monitors virtual desktops 24/7 for any suspicious behavior.
2. Customization
VDI GPU providers can customize the IT setup according to your business requirements. You can choose from a wide range of GPUs and switch them as per your project’s requirements.
3. Guaranteed Uptime
Most VDI GPU providers guarantee 99.99% uptime in their SLA, ensuring 24/7 availability of Autodesk Revit and project data. They deploy hardware redundancy, fault-tolerant systems, and disaster recovery to ensure uninterrupted operations.
4. Customer Support
VDI hosting providers offer 24/7/365 customer support through phone, chat, email, and bot, so your employees can get their issues resolved quickly, even from remote locations.
5. Automated Backup
With VDI GPU hosting, you get automated backup solutions for quick data recovery. The backup is performed in the background without interrupting your operations.
6. High ROI
Hosted VDI GPU eliminates the capital expenses associated with GPU system procurement, deployment, and upgrades. Consequently, you all save operational expenses for IT management, replacements, and monitoring. The providers offer flexible pricing plans where you pay only for the IT resources you use.
Opt for VDI GPU And Be Future Ready
As applications like Autodesk Revit evolve and introduce more AI-powered features, the demand for more processing and storage will be inevitable. Businesses that jump on the bandwagon will have an edge over their competitors.
If you want to experience the superior performance of a VDI GPU before transitioning, contact our experts for a free trial. Ace Cloud Hosting is an industry leader in hosted VDI GPU services.
Choose from a wide range of GPUs and get high-performance virtual desktops with 99.99% uptime, bank-level security, 24/7/365 support, and 30-day backup.
Deploy GPU-accelerated VDI designed for smooth 3D navigation, real-time rendering, and stable collaboration — without on-prem complexity.