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Autodesk Vault is a specialized Product Data Management (PDM) software application developed to help engineering, design, and manufacturing teams organize, track, and manage their technical data. By integrating deeply with computer-aided design environments, the software serves as a single source of truth for physical design files, metadata, engineering documentation, and manufacturing workflows. The software bridges the gap between raw engineering creation and downstream processes like purchasing, production, and lifecycle management.
The application architecture relies on the Autodesk Data Management Server, which operates through three foundational pillars. The Web Server manages standard communication paths between users and the server environment. The Database Server runs Microsoft SQL Server to act as an indexing engine, managing complex metadata, file dependencies, security rules, and historical relationship links. The physical File Store exists as a secure directory on the server hardware where actual CAD geometries and binary data files are securely cached away from direct user alteration.
On the user side, teams interact with the data through a few distinct access points. The standalone software application, known as Vault Explorer, offers complete administrative control and deep searching mechanisms. Dedicated CAD Add-ins embed directly into programs like AutoCAD, Inventor, Civil 3D, and Revit, allowing engineers to manage files without ever leaving their modeling interfaces. A browser-based Thin Client and a native mobile application extend read-only or task-management data access to shop floor staff, managers, and external partners.
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Server Specs
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Client Specs |
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Recommended specifications: 3.3 GHz or higher, 32 GB RAM, 500 GB hard disk space.
The hard disk metrics listed in the table accommodate only the application framework software installation files. Sizing a production server requires calculating additional physical storage space proportional to the combined weight of your company's raw CAD geometries, drawing history revisions, and ongoing SQL indexing growth.
Microsoft SQL Server 2022 serves as the mandatory database standard across current Vault editions. While the lightweight Microsoft SQL Server Express edition comes bundled for basic single-site workgroups, it enforces a hard 10 GB structural database size limit. Growing engineering inventories eventually require upgrading to Microsoft SQL Server Standard or Enterprise to avoid indexing lockouts. Multi-site replication environments strictly require SQL Standard or Enterprise editions out of the box to manage subscriber communication.
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Recommended specifications: 3.0 GHz or higher multi-core processor, 8 GB RAM or higher and 30 GB or higher unallocated drive space, The stated disk space accommodates only the core software installation footprint and minimal temporary caching. Real-world workspace demands require additional hard drive storage capacity proportional to the combined weight of the engineering drawings and parts files actively checked out to local working folders.
The underlying client workstation platform must utilize a modern, secure 64-bit ecosystem architecture. Microsoft Windows 11 Professional or Enterprise editions along with Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Enterprise editions are the only natively supported client operating systems.
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Xi® MTower™ PCIe Workstation
