IT Solutions & Systems

Excitech supplies and supports over 400 organisations with core IT systems. Our experience and expertise is demonstrated by accreditations including Microsoft Gold Partner, HP Preferred Partner, and also Riverbed Partner, Dell, Double-Take, Vmware, SonicWALL, Symantec and McAfee partner status.

Excitech customers see significant benefits from buying their core IT products and support from the same supplier as their design solutions. These benefits include a single helpdesk, a single supplier relationship to manage, and a supplier who fully understands CAD specific IT issues such as CAD workstations, large format printing, using CAD over a wide area network, and the network licensing and deployment of Autodesk products.

Design Productivity Journal

The Design Productivity Journal forms an exciting resource for information on Computer Aided Design. It provides articles on a whole range of topics.

To see the full list of DPJ editions and articles or to search the DPJ, simply select the Journal under Design Productivity from the menu to the left.

	Volume 4, Issue 5 Winning Business Through Design Technology A look at how appropriately applied design technology can help achieve business goals and win more business, even during difficult economic conditions.

	Volume 4, Issue 5 Server Virtualization with VMware A look at server virtualization, what it is and why it should be considered.

	Volume 4, Issue 5 Saunders Patnership Choose River for Office Expansion How Riverbed helped create a cost effective, repeatable and manageable IT model.

	Volume 4, Issue 4 How Protected is Your IT Infrastructure? Why in the age of reliable technology, there is a strong business case for external IT support for both hardware and software.

	Volume 4, Issue 4 Thinking Beyond Tape The case against tape backup and the evolution of data protection.
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	Volume 4, Issue 4 A Network Infrastructure Transformed How VMWare and Double-Take tools have aided Lyons+Sleeman+Hoare.
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	Volume 4, Issue 4 Accelerating WAN Performance with Riverbed How this revolutionary technology is improving WAN performance.

	Volume 4, Issue 3 Building a CAD Infrastructure A look at how leading UK housebuilder Bellway Homes has recently made a significant investment in upgrading its IT and CAD infrastructure to support its ongoing expansion.

	Volume 4, Issue 3 Empowering Workers by Investing in IT How landscape architects, Lovejoy Partnership has created an effective IT infrastructure.

	Volume 4, Issue 3 Proactive Network Monitoring for Business Continuity Why an increasing number of organisation are utilising remote network monitoring services to ensure that network failures and potential problems are detected before they cause downtime.

	Volume 4, Issue 3 Securing Data and Minimising System Downtime A look at the various methods available to secure your business critical data.
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	Volume 4, Issue 2 License Granted! The first of a two-part series looking at Autodesk software licensing options for networks and their deployments.
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	Volume 4, Issue 1 The Future of CAD In late June 2006 around 30 managers from key companies within the UK construction industry attended the latest of a series of annual technical forums organised by Excitech at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London. One of several topics that day was entitled “Collaboration Between Design and CAD - Who Is The CAD User?” In this article Tim Bates, Technical Director at Excitech, develops on the discussions raised at the forum and looks forward to how traditional CAD processes might have to change in the future.

	Volume 4, Issue 1 Moren Gregory – New UK offices, New Projects - Same IT partner! Excitech customer Moren Gregory have used Excitech to provide not just CAD solutions but complete IT infrastructure systems. This article looks at how their requirements have developed and been satisfied.

	Volume 3, Issue 7 Real Life Experiences of ADT A case study reviewing the process of introducing Autodesk Architectural Desktop to the architectural practice, Jestico + Whiles, and its use in a first project.

	Volume 3, Issue 7 Why we should all take Spyware seriously! Spyware is an increasing menace for both business and individual computer users. Following on from the last issue of the DPJ, this article looks at how Spyware should be countered in a business environment.

	Volume 3, Issue 6 Implementing Architectural Desktop This article is an update of one which first appeared in the DPJ back in June 2001. At the time of the original article Autodesk Architectural Desktop (ADT) Release 3 had only just been launched. Since then we have had three significant releases of ADT, culminating in the release of ADT 2006 earlier this year. This article covers our current thinking on how best to implement ADT.
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	Volume 3, Issue 6 Implementing Autodesk Building Systems This paper discusses the implementation and deployment of Autodesk Building Systems, an object CAD technology for the MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection) engineering industry.
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	Volume 3, Issue 6 Review of the RM PCIE 955 Workstation At the heart of RM’s latest workstation is a new chipset for the Pentium 4 that promises to enable users of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition to address up to 4GB RAM in a single 32-bit process.
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	Volume 3, Issue 6 Spyware - The Unseen Threat Spyware is the latest in a long line of threats to your computer security. In this article Alan Skipp, Excitech's Training and Support Manager, shares his personal experiences of dealing with Spyware and provides some useful tips to keep your computer free from this intrusion on our security.

	Volume 3, Issue 6 AVANTI - Improving performance through ICT-enabled collaborative working Avanti is a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) programme to enable the UK construction industry to be more competitive in a global market by improving its efficiency and effectiveness. The core objective of the Avanti programme is to “deliver improved project and business performance through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support collaborative working”.

	Volume 3, Issue 5 Getting IT Right for Design Architectural Practice Richard Griffiths recognised that their IT system needed a major review if it was to support their business efficiently.They called in Excitech to analyse the issues, report on the options and subsequently manage the enhancements. This article looks at how this was done.

	Volume 3, Issue 4 Storing Your Company Data Securely A look at the range of hardware and software devices as well as processes to safeguard your data.
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	Volume 3, Issue 4 CAFM Implementation made Simple A practical guide to getting your CAFM solution kick started - Part I This tutorial, starting in this issue of the DPJ and to be concluded in the next issue, will guide you through a simple phased implementation of a fully working and manageable ARCHIBUS/FM solution, inclusive of database population.Whether you currently envisage undertaking this or are just interested in what is involved you will learn a lot from such a practical approach.
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	Volume 3, Issue 4 Stay out of the dark with the latest CAD stations from Rent-a-CAD Switch on to the flexible, up-to-date design solutions from Rent-a-CAD to explore the cost saving benefits that hiring can offer. Despite the reduction in the cost of PCs, rental of CAD systems remains popular. In this article Alan Skipp examines why this is the case and what CAD system rental should include.

	Volume 3, Issue 3 Virtual Private Networks Our working environment is now highly dependent on information technology and the sharing of data; sharing not just within an office but between sites and the increasing numbers of remote workers. Maintaining security while taking advantage of the increased speed and lower costs of the public Internet might appear to be contradictory, but the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be an excellent solution. This article explains what a VPN is, how it works and some of the technology behind it.

	Volume 3, Issue 2 E-mail Security Under Pressure Despite the investment that many organisations now make in applications to deliver virus protection at desktop, server and mail interfaces, virus risks continue to grow. According to recent surveys between 61% and 85% of companies reported virus outbreaks in their organisations. It is this fact and the rising tide of spam that is ensuring e-mail security remains at the top of many IT agendas. This article explores the role that outsourced e-mail scanning can play in helping to manage these problematic areas and reduce risks.

	Volume 3, Issue 2 The HP DesignJet Family Further plot developments in quality, speed and convenience from technology in HP plotters

	Volume 3, Issue 1 Design Security In these days of heightened security, and with the increased use of the internet and e-mail, it is probably not surprising to hear that design organisations are becoming increasingly concerned about the security involved in the safe distribution of their CAD data. What is probably more surprising is that up until very recently there was very little anyone could actually do to protect their valuable data. This raises the obvious concerns about whether the drawing data has in anyway changed enroute to its destination, and more importantly how would anyone actually know? The other big issue for organisations is, having invested a lot of time, effort and cost into a design, how do they then prevent another organisation from using that data, and claiming it is theirs? The answer has been up until now, they can't! Now there is a solution to this age old problem - CADsafe from Document Flow.

	Volume 3, Issue 1 What good is a password, if many know it, can guess it or can exchange it for a free pen? Increasingly, organisations are installing firewalls to protect their important business data from unauthorised individuals. Whilst this is a necessity for businesses using the Internet or e-mail, it is commonly accepted that the greatest risk to an organisations data is its employees and the weakest link in the security chain is the password.This article identifies that a large number of employees will surrender passwords willingly and that if not surrendered can often be simply guessed or stolen through deceptive methods.

	Volume 3, Issue 1 Plotting Perfection Introducing the new Oce TCS400 wide format colour printer. With it's extensive R+D facilities and expenditure it was only matter of time before Oce developed such a groundbreaking facility.

	Volume 2, Issue 7 MicroStation Digital Signatures An article outlining Bentley Microstation's ability to manage the security of your digital documents. The digital signature creates an electronic version of the "Signed and sealed" paper copy, it ensures that a drawing can be sent to a recipient for printing, editing or just viewing knowing that only the intended recipient can get access.

	Volume 2, Issue 7 Tablet PC- the Pen is Mightier than the Keyboard A revolution is about to take place which has the potential to change the way we think about computers forever. On the 7th of November,Microsoft launched the tablet PC; a radical new pen based mobile computing platform. Charles Baynes investigates whether this new innovation is set to become just the latest "must have" fashion accessory for image conscious executives and IT technocrats, or whether it will replace the laptop as the most indispensable business and technical tool.

	Volume 2, Issue 7 Hewlett Packard Large Format Printers How to choose the right HP designjet printer to satisfy your requirements.

	Volume 2, Issue 6 Who Needs Technical Support anyway? It may be regarded by many as a modern-day paradox that despite the fact that computer systems have become more reliable, cheaper and easier to use than ever, they are still offered with technical support and maintenance contracts. As businesses come to rely on these systems more and more, however, we believe that good technical support continues to have a vital role to play.

	Volume 2, Issue 6 Wireless Network Challenges According to the findings of an article published by the BBC, entitled “Welcome to the era of drive-by hacking”, a short trip through the capital’s financial centre revealed that two-thirds of the wireless networks (WLANs) examined were wide open to attack by maliciously minded hackers using laptops and software freely available from the Internet. It was further reported that none of the identified networks used anything but flawed, in-built, security systems to protect against hack attacks.

	Volume 2, Issue 6 Autodesk Chooses PacketShaper to Solve Network Design challenge As a leading supplier of PC design software and multimedia tools, Autodesk understands the benefits of good design, whether in a building, mechanical device, or mapping system. More than three million customers use the company's products for a wide range of design, engineering, mapping, and design visualisation purposes. So it's not surprising that Autodesk would seek to maximise the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of its network. This article outlines the challenge and proposed solution. design.

	Volume 2, Issue 6 Managing ISDN Call Charges This article has been created to help you understand the factors that can result in higher than expected telephone bills and how they can be reduced. Unlike "always on" technologies such as fixed links, leased lines and ADSL, ISDN is mostly a pay as you go service. Put simply, when lines are open charges are incurred.

	Volume 2, Issue 5 How Secure is Your Business? Businesses often implement IT systems to allow efficient and cost effective working practices to be achieved, or to support services normally only available through the use of technology. This rationale is sound when systems operate effectively, but what happens when they becomes slow, have outgrown their original design or fail to meet changing needs? Does your IT system need a health check?

	Volume 2, Issue 5 Oce and Excitech's help for Design 5 speaks volumes Oce and Excitech were only too happy to help when Design 5 needed faster and more efficient Printing facilities, as this article proves.

	Volume 2, Issue 4 CADSign- Embedded Digital Signatures for AutoCAD For many years designers have wanted the ability to 'sign off' drawings digitally,but due to the lack of such a technology they have had to compromise by 'wet signing' hard copy prints / plots. Now with the technology breakthrough from Document Flow, the Secure Drawing Management specialists, the product CADsign can now provide this capability digitally and securely.

	Volume 2, Issue 4 Graphics Technology for Designers Who Aren't Playing Games It may come as a surprise to find that professional mechanical designers use much of the same technology as computer games and multi-media enthusiasts to generate 2D and 3D drawings. The core of both the MCAD workstation and the games console is the graphics board. Our latest ELSA GLoria III, Synergy III, Synergy 2000 and GLoria DCC products may have silicon similarities with gaming boards, but they are very different in terms of their suitability for the task. So why do we need such specialist tools and what are the attributes we should be looking for?

	Volume 2, Issue 4 Systems Installation and Integration services It goes without saying that a company capable of dominating some of the UK's largest CAD markets and construction projects,does not do so without possessing an intimate understanding of the IT infrastructures that deliver the solutions. Moreover, these complex solutions not only require the understanding of a highly skilled technical team to design and advise on scaleable and secure IT solutions, they also demand implementation, integration and support on an ongoing basis.

	Volume 2, Issue 3 Plotting with MicroStation Russ Monrose writes an overview of microstation's new format plotters: It never ceases to amaze me how one of the most important mechanisms within any CAD software package is so misunderstood.Yes plotting! In fact regardless of whether it's MicroStation or AutoCAD it seems that plotting is considered to be the last thing you need to learn until you get stuck!

	Volume 2, Issue 3 Excitech web design services Whether you already have a web site or not you may be interested to know that we have a whole plethora of web design skills at your disposal. If you don't have time to maintain your site or simply can't justify investing in the necessary skills to produce high profile web sites,then it may be worth looking at outsourcing some or all of the work.

	Volume 2, Issue 2 Keeping your Business Secure- A Step by Step Guide In recent months some big household names like Barclays Bank,Powergen and Woolworths have been caught up in reports of security breaches to their online services and there are plenty of surveys that reveal a serious problem. A Department of Trade and Industry report revealed that 60% of organisations have suffered a network security breach in the past two years, but why are we surprised when the same report reveals 82% of organisations do not have a firewall, the most basic security device.

	Volume 2, Issue 2 Excitech Consultancy Services Excitech has been in existence for nearly 16 years and is by far the largest single supplier of CAD and FM related integrated solutions in the UK.As a profitable, privately owned company with a turnover of around £9.5m our customers can be assured of our long-term stability. This article proves how our consultancy services reflect this.

	Volume 2, Issue 1 Step changes for Sucess We have looked at various integrated software solutions so far, but for your size of company, or the size of project you are working on, is it necessary to use it all? How can we maximise your benefits by only using the parts we need? And how can we grow your single model environment to suit your changing needs? Concept

	Volume 2, Issue 1 Max Headroom Charles Baynes answers your questions on 3D Studio MAX hardware requirements This article discusses the impact of various components of the system on response times of certain operations in 3D Studio and how best the system can be upgraded to improve productivity for minimal cost.
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	Volume 1, Issue 7 It's a wireless world! We all seem to have accepted that technology races along at a breakneck pace, but from time to time certain changes are close to home, or even end up in our laps! Such a change is imminent- to get the most out of CAFM systems which are in use or being planned, Facilities Managers must be aware and ready to utilise the various wireless devices now available. Just as email has revolutionised business communications, the reality of phones, hand-held PC's and palm computers connected to our Facilities Databases is just around the corner.

	Volume 1, Issue 7 New Generation DesignJets from HP Choosing the right large-format printer can be a challenge. HP DesignJet printers meet that challenge. Whether you need affordable personal printers, solutions for networked workgroups, stunning photo-quality images, or prints with up to 24 months outdoor weatherability, Hewlett-Packard has an HP DesignJet printer to meet your requirements.

	Volume 1, Issue 5 The Secure Highway for Document Distribution Charles Baynes proves an ISDN line is the way forward for document distribution.

	Volume 1, Issue 5 DesignJet Printer Systems Choosing the right large-format printer can be a challenge. HP DesignJet printers meet that challenge. Whether you need affordable personal printers, solutions for networked workgroups, stunning photo-quality images, or prints with up to 24 months outdoor weatherability, Hewlett-Packard has an HP DesignJet printer to meet your requirements.

	Volume 1, Issue 3 It's a Wireless World Just as email has revolutionised business communications, the reality of phones, hand-held PC's and palm computers connected to our Facilities Databases is just around the corner.

	Volume 1, Issue 2 Small Business IT Solutions With effective use of up-to-date information technology you can achieve more than ever before and spend less time and effort in the process. Furthermore, you don't need to be a technical expert anymore to use these new solutions to your advantage.