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Events & Exhibitions Coordinating Global Design Teams
Company Situation
The company operates in the global events and exhibitions industry, managing multiple offices across different continents. Their design team collaborates internationally and relies heavily on digital assets for event production and exhibition design. The company is transitioning from legacy server infrastructure to a cloud-based file management system to better support their growing, cross-platform design operations.
Existing Workflow
Currently, the company’s design files are stored on an Azure server separate from their main business files. While their business data is moving to SharePoint, the design team keeps their files on the Azure server due to performance concerns. They have been testing a cloud file streaming platform (Lucid Link) to replace Azure, enabling remote access to large design files without full downloads. The team works across both PC and Mac environments, using software such as Adobe InDesign and SketchUp.
Issues with the Existing Workflow
Significant latency and lag when accessing design files on the Azure server, causing delays in software backups and file operations.
Azure’s infrastructure is not optimized for large design file workflows, leading to performance bottlenecks.
Current testing with Lucid Link reveals cross-platform file locking limitations—file locking works well on PC but is restricted on Mac, particularly for critical files like SketchUp models. This creates risk for file corruption when multiple users edit simultaneously.
The need to migrate off Azure by early next year adds urgency to find a reliable, scalable file management solution that supports their mixed OS environment and collaborative design workflows.
How Shade Would Change Their Workflow
Shade offers a cloud file streaming and collaboration platform designed to handle large design files efficiently while supporting cross-platform environments. Unlike their current solution, Shade provides robust file locking capabilities across both PC and Mac systems, preventing simultaneous edits that can corrupt files. This ensures the design team can collaborate seamlessly on complex 3D and 2D projects without risking data integrity. Shade’s platform also integrates smoothly with existing cloud storage infrastructure, enabling a consolidated, high-performance workspace for all design assets.
Benefits
- Reduced latency and faster file access speeds for large design files.
- Cross-platform file locking safeguards to prevent simultaneous conflicting edits.
- Streamlined migration from Azure to a more design-friendly cloud environment.
- Enhanced collaborative workflows for global, mixed-OS design teams.
- Reduced risk of file corruption and data loss.
- Future-proof platform scalable for expanding global operations.